Presidents Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah and Cyril Ramaphosa have challenged businesses in Namibia and South Africa to turn decades of diplomacy into tangible economic opportunities, calling for stronger partnerships that create jobs, drive industrialisation and improve the lives of ordinary citizens.
Addressing business leaders at the South Africa-Namibia Business Forum in Pretoria, held on the sidelines of the 4th Bi-National Commission, the two presidents agreed that while governments can create the right policy environment, the private sector plays a critical role for the two countries' inclusive economic growth.
President Nandi-Ndaitwah said the Business Forum represented more than another diplomatic engagement, describing it as an important platform to transform the strong political ties between the neighbouring countries into practical economic cooperation that delivers real benefits for their people.
Dr Ndaitwah added that the decisions taken during the Bi-National Commission (BNC) create an environment that enables businesses to contribute meaningfully to the transformation of both economies.
Highlighting the close historical, geographical and cultural ties between Namibia and South Africa, Nandi-Ndaitwah said the time has come for the region to move beyond exporting raw materials and importing finished products.
She noted that although South Africa remains Namibia's largest trading partner and a major source of investment, the current trade relationship exposes a longstanding imbalance, with Namibia largely exporting minerals, fish and agricultural products while importing manufactured goods.
She said greater value addition, regional manufacturing and industrialisation are essential if Southern Africa is to achieve sustainable and inclusive economic growth.
The president identified energy and transport infrastructure as critical building blocks for industrial development, saying manufacturing cannot thrive without reliable energy.
She said Namibia's investments in mixed energy sources and strategic transport corridors, including the Walvis Bay Corridors, are aimed at positioning the country as a logistics gateway serving Southern Africa and international markets.
Nandi-Ndaitwah stressed that governments have a responsibility to create stable, predictable and investor-friendly environments through sound governance, efficient institutions and policy certainty.
At the same time, she urged businesses to invest in innovation, skills development and technology, saying economic success should ultimately be measured by the number of decent jobs created, the growth of local industries and the opportunities provided to women, youth and small businesses.
President Cyril Ramaphosa says the future relationship between Namibia and South Africa will not be shaped by governments alone but by entrepreneurs, innovators and investors willing to seize new opportunities.
In a message aimed at inspiring business leaders, South Africa's Ramaphosa said he saw enormous opportunities for factories to be built, businesses to expand and more people to find employment through closer economic cooperation between the two countries.
Both presidents acknowledged that businesses continue to face regulatory hurdles and committed their governments to removing unnecessary barriers to trade and investment.