Petronella Sibeene
20 July 2007
Windhoek — The Namibian business community wants Congo to scrap visas for Namibians travelling to that country, in order to promote bilateral trade.
This will be done on a reciprocal basis since Namibia does not demand visas from the Congolese people travelling to Namibia.
During a business dinner held Wednesday night, former President of the Namibia Chamber of Commerce and Industry (NCCI), Dr Leake Hangala, on behalf of the business community in Namibia said the two governments should look into ways of facilitating the movement of goods between the two countries.
He cited visa requirements for Namibians travelling to Congo as one trade barrier.
Hangala said the movement of goods and services is constrained by bureaucracy, customs and duty.
"We hope that the two governments will eliminate or even minimize the constraints and barriers of trade between Namibia and Congo," he said.
Another issue that calls for attention, Hangala said, is remittance of money. He said no investor would be interested in doing business where there are no commercial linkages.
Double taxation is another area, Hangala said, that will have to be brought to the attention of the two governments. While on Tuesday an agreement on Promotion and Protecting Investment was signed, the local business community hopes this matter is covered.
Namibia and Congo will have to realize the capacity of competence and resources that each country has in order to determine to what extent the two can trade.
Hangala said Namibia has the expertise in the construction of roads and other engineering work, sewerage and local authority networks. The country is also interested in electricity deals.
The two countries have the potential to invest in the mining and fishing sectors.
Most African countries rarely trade with other countries on the continent in areas that will ensure economic growth. Hangala said the time has come for Africans to involve continental experts and companies in developmental sectors.
Namibia was committed to change the diplomatic and political relations between the two countries into beneficial trade and investment cooperation, said Acting Minister of Trade and Industry, Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila.
She said the signed trade agreement was designed to pave the way for full-scale commencement of trade and investment between the two countries.
"Namibia is committed to process these agreements for ratification so that they can come into effect at the earliest possible date, and we trust the same on the side of Congo," she said.
Kuugongelwa-Amadhila proposed that in September this year, a delegation comprising of government officials and business people visit Brazzaville to look at trade and investment opportunities.
The delegation, she added, would look at logistic arrangements for trade and related matters, customs facilitation, phyto and sanitary measures, among other barriers of trade.
Congolese President Denis Sassou-N'Guesso, who concluded his state visit to Namibia yesterday, said his government would ensure that it eliminates every trade barrier between the two countries.
Adélaïde Moundele-Ngollo, the Congolese Minister of Hydrocarbons and Mines and also Acting Minister of Trade, said there are a lot of business opportunities that Namibia could explore in Congo.
The mining and oil sector holds plenty of opportunities. She said there is potential in the coastal basins and invited Namibian expertise in the mining sector to consider investing in Congo mines.
Minerals in Congo include base metals (copper, lead and zinc), diamond, gold and platinum. Coastal deposits include phosphate and potash. Additionally, deposits of bentonite, granite, gypsum, kaolin, marble and talc are also found in that country.
In the manufacturing sector, Congo has building materials and on the agriculture front, the country produces crop fertilizers.
Opportunities are also found in the energy and agriculture sectors. Alcohol supply is another area.
CORAF, Congo's major oil refinery, is another area where Namibia and Congo could form a joint venture.
"Business people can participate through joint ventures in expanding the oil refinery," she said.
The minister added that the time has come for countries to encourage and promote intra-Africa trade.
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