Business leaders called to join the Oshana Investors Conference
Given the facilities and infrastructure available to businesses, the Oshana region is suitable for trade and investment. The region boasts good road infrastructure, an airport with daily flights during business hours, and a railway station.
This is according to the Minister of Information and Communication Technology, Hon Dr Peya Mushelenga, who launched the Oshana Investors Conference this week, noting the event provides businesses with information on the nature, organization, and other associated aspects of the Conference.
He remarked that hosting the regional investors’ conference, scheduled for 23–24 August, is a wise decision by the region’s leadership.
He said, “It is no coincidence” that the region hosts the famous annual Ongwediva Trade Fair, which brings various business companies to trade their goods and services, underscoring that the Investors Conference complements many economic activities that are carried out in the region and will help the economy of that region thrive and bring prosperity to our people.
“It is, therefore, my call to both local, national, and international investors to come and attend the Oshana Region Investors Conference, to showcase their products and services,” Mushelenga said.
He added: “Investors conferences avail governments, whether central, regional, or local, and investors opportunities to interact and share information on existing and potential business opportunities. They are, therefore, proceedings that shape the perceptions of captains of industries about business operations and climates. In addition, it is at these occasions where companies can network, make presentations, and eventually realise new markets and increases in trade volumes.”
“The success of investors’ conferences depends on their publicity. From now on, until the period when the Conference will take place, the organising committee will be providing narratives in both print and electronic media about the forthcoming investors’ conference,” the minister said.
According to him, such an initiative is commendable because, generally, investors focus on capital cities and commercial cities, leaving countries with the spatial distribution of economic activities. “Scholars of regional and local economic developments have maintained that there are negative effects resulting from concentrating economic activities in selected geographic locations. These effects necessitate that regional leaders devise strategies to bring economic activities to regions,” he said.
“It is a reality that regional economic planners and players have a significant role in national economies, particularly in the globalized economy. In many countries, regional and local governments have economic development units that carry out the function of attracting investors to their localities. Regional economic units must stimulate business activities in their regions to increase growth in per capita income and employment opportunities and ensure poverty reduction. One vehicle through which regions can attain this is by hosting investor conferences,” added Mushelenga.
He noted that this makes it a gateway for trade between Namibia and Angola, which is only 100km away, and when conducting business in the Oshana region, transportation costs are decreased, as well as time is conserved.
He added that the area also provides a favourable environment for investors in general, adding that three campuses for the University of Namibia and one for the International University of Management will promote market research in the business, manufacturing, and industrial sectors. “Indeed, the region serves as a commercial hub in northern Namibia.”
