IPBF to host gala dinner tonight

The Indigenous Peoples’ Business Forum of Namibia (IPBF) yesterday said preparations for its presidential annual gala dinner - taking place tonight - are on track, adding that this occasion will set the tone for various other planned activities this year. Among them is a trade mission through which the organisation will take selected Namibian entrepreneurs to South Africa. This, in the IPBF’s deliberate quest to fulfill its renewed mandate from the government.To this end, the organisation&#039;s 15th gala dinner and business forum will be officiated by the presidency or a delegated official, and will take place tonight, 1 August, at the Hilton Hotel in Windhoek.“Also to be unveiled at the gala will be the role that the IPBF will be playing in the organising of the Omaheke Trade Fair, which will now fall under its auspices following a recent agreement with that regional council,” CEO Chrisch Siririka said.“Another highlight of the gala event will be the reintroduction of the organisation&#039;s pending massive development in Avis, Windhoek, and the status quo regarding that venture,” newly-appointed coordinator Jatjinda Kamuhanga added.Fostering growthIn line with its mission of fostering continued business growth, the IPBF revealed more about its trade mission to South Africa. It announced that it will take 10 carefully selected members on this mission, where the body is expected to strengthen its ties with the Aboriginal Business Forum of South Africa’s (ABFSA) leadership and members under its representation. During the trip, set for 6 August, the two entities will sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for strategic business association and networking, which will act as a precursor for a fully-fledged business forum between the two bodies later in the year. The trip was initially scheduled to take place from 2 to 5 July, but was postponed due to changes in the South African administration, following the national elections in that country, which impacted on the list of invited dignitaries from the government. Representatives of the trade and industry ministry will also accompany the IPBF on the trip.Restored to former gloryEstablished in 2006 by, among others, late business icon John Endjala, the IPBF signed an MoU with the government, through which it was required to foster an enabling environment in which businesses owned by indigenous Namibians not only thrive, but also contribute immensely to the greater economy.“However, due to unforeseen changes within both the organisation and the ministry, during the years that followed, the disbursement of the funds to the IPBF ceased and the body was flung into an array of operational difficulties ,” Siririka said.His assertions were corroborated by Kamuhanga, who stressed that not only did the stoppage of the government funds impact negatively on the organisation’s purse, but it also led to the departure of some members “since the body was unable to meet some of their needs as per the promised mandate”. However, the organisation has now been restored to its former glory, thanks to a renewed commitment by the government to reinvoke the clauses in their initial partnership agreement, the men said. It should be noted that the renewal of the accord does not necessarily translate into an immediate fiscal commitment from the ministry to the organisation, but a step towards the fortification of the much needed mutually beneficial relationship between government and the private sector, they said.Technical and trade capacityAccording to the CEO, at a meeting on 22 March at executive director Sikongo Haihambo’s office, the ministry confirmed that the MoU between the forum and the government is still valid and should be implemented. The ministry was expected to affirm this in writing by 19 April, but was derailed by other related processes, he said. “Recently they told me that they also sought the opinion of the attorney-general on the matter and that the letter is now awaiting the minister’s signature,” Siririka said. The MoU spells out that both parties will cooperate in areas of promotion and advancement of the interest of the private sector as well as small, medium enterprises and emerging entrepreneurship. The IPBF has also been tasked with the hosting of consultative forums for information dissemination while building the technical and trade capacity of Namibians in order to ensure their competitiveness in local and international markets.“This will be accompanied by ensuring their participation in local, regional and international trade fairs where Namibian products are to be exhibited,” Kamuhanga said.To add weight to the above, according to Siririka, the IPBF is expected to conduct regular research on the SMME sector with emphasis on marketing as well as the sourcing of input and consumer goods.This, he said, will be paired with the promotion of the diversification of SMMEs from retail to manufacturing and eventually value addition, as per the mandate. “Both parties are also expected to provide the necessary support and assistance to facilitate the implementation of this MoU and to contribute to a dialogue to create the necessary environment for entrepreneurship growth,” Sirirka said.

IPBF to host gala dinner tonight

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