Nam should play active role in 4th industrial revolution

Namibia should not be a consumer of the fourth industrial revolution but an active player, the minister of industrialisation, trade and SME development, Tjekero Tweya, has said.

Opening a two-day workshop in Windhoek Thursday, Tweya said enterprises and departments falling under his ministry should ensure value creation in Namibia and capacity building through skills and knowledge transfers.

The fourth industrial revolution brings with it robotics, artificial intelligence, biotechnology, the industrial-internet-of-things and autonomous vehicles amongst others, he added.

This revolution, he said, brings its own pros and cons, which should be managed for a sustainable society and balanced environment.

Through capacity building, SOEs and the ministry should give unequivocal support to regional small and medium enterprises and revisit exorbitant fees and penalties charged for small or new businesses.

The minister further called for professionalism and urged departments under the ministry to do away with counter-productivity.

“Let us do away with counterproductive social ills that erode customer confidence and disintegrate our reputations in our respective offices, such as regionalism, tribalism, corruption, favouritism and discrimination that result in poverty, underdeveloped and polarisation of our society,” he said.

The two-day workshop delved into various issues including promoting local investment through trade facilitations, optimising opportunities presented through the Procurement Act and unblocking structural obstacles derived from ministries to pursue investments in pharmaceuticals and solar energy to name a few.

Presentations were made by the Namibia Investment Centre, the department of international trade and commerce, the department of industrial development and public enterprises including the Namibia Trade Forum, Namibia Standards Institution and Namibia Estate Agents Board. - Nampa