SME’s play pivotal role in indusrialisation of the country

Sharlien Tjambari

Considering the economic slowdown, which the country is facing, the Deputy Minister of Industry, Trade and SME Development (MITSMED), Lucia Iipumbu visited the Erongo region last week to familiarise herself with MITSMED projects in the region.
Iipumbu has been conducting regional familiarisation visits to the ministry’s facilities to meet with key stakeholders responsible for economic development in the respective regions. Iipumbu said: “Our country is looking to industrialise by 2030, it is however unfortunate that when we talk of industrialisation we tend only to think of the big industries, such as big processing plants, large agricultural infrastructure or large fish processing factories to those in this region. However, for industrialisation to happen, we need to include the SME sector, understanding its role in the regional economies, and improve support policy environment and support efforts for this sector”.
On Friday, 21 September Iipumbu also visited the NSI Testing Lab and the Peugeot Assembly Plant in Walvis Bay, which she describes as the first of its kind in the country, a partnership between MITSMED and Peugeot. “In our meeting with Peugeot, they informed us that the first car will be completed by November and that it is something that we should look forward to. In addition, I would also like other towns in the Erongo region to see how they can position themselves in the supply chain of possible business opportunity linked to developments in Walvis Bay and Swakopmund such as the Oil Storage facility or Desalination Plants”.
During the meeting, which took place at the office of the Erongo Regional Council in Swakopmund, various councillors and stakeholders from various towns in the Erongo region shared some projects which their towns have embarked upon and projects which are still to come. Iipumbu also encouraged them to start making use of the MITSMED office in their towns.