NAMIBIA TARGETS N$168 BILLION IN EXPORTS BY 2030 - nbc

Namibia has intensified efforts to attract investment as it targets export growth from N$102 billion to N$168 billion by 2030. International Relations and Trade Minister Selma Ashipala-Musavyi says the country's economic agenda is focused on value addition and industrialisation. Ashipala-Musavyi extended an invitation to the Polish investors to explore opportunities in oil and gas, green hydrogen and other emerging sectors during a courtesy meeting with Polish Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Radoslaw Sikorski. She says the visit opens the door to deepen cooperation and turn shared priorities into tangible projects. Namibia and Poland are looking to expand collaboration in green industrialisation, manufacturing, value addition, youth innovation and tourism. "Under the leadership of Her Excellency President Dr. Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah and guided by the National Development Plan 6, we are pursuing an ambitious agenda of economic transformation, value addition, and human capital development. We have set ourselves a target of growing our exports from N$102 billion to N$168 billion by 2030. That is not an aspiration; it is a plan. And the partnerships we build today are part of how we intend to deliver on it. We remain fully open to engaging Polish business leaders, investors, and technical experts as we work to unleash the potential of these vast natural resources," says Ashipala-Musavyi. Sikorski applauded Namibia's recent removal from the Financial Action Task Force grey list, saying the delisting would strengthen investor confidence. He expects the country to also be removed from the European Union's (EU) anti-money laundering list once the bloc completes its internal processes. "Following the delisting, the EU has no additional requirements for the country for your delisting, and concretely, this means that the delisting will lead to the removal from the AML list as soon as possible, but we don't yet have a date. We recognise your important role in your region. We think you are a strategic partner for the EU and an excellent way of accessing the market of 380 million consumers in Southern Africa. I won't repeat what you've said, but this is exactly what we think. You have major developments in green hydrogen, renewable energy, critical minerals, and the newly discovered oil and gas resources." Namibia and Poland recorded bilateral trade worth $36 million, a figure both foreign ministers say is a good beginning but leaves significant room for improvement.