The Erongo Region remains an active hub of economic development as it houses key industries such as the fishing sector, mining, logistics and transport, as well as tourism.

The Governor, Neville Andre, said this during Namibia's African Continental Free Trade Area campaign being held under the theme "Empowering domestic and African trade".
 
Andre says given the region's dominance in economic activities, a clear understanding of what the AfCFTA has in store will help the region tap into the opportunities presented and increase its contribution to sustainable economic development.
 
AfCFTA aims to boost intra-African trade by strengthening regional and continental value chains through the establishment of viable and competitive industries.

So far, UNDP has rolled out an initiative to train and sensitise at least 250 young people to understand the AfCFTA and maximise their benefits through participation.

These benefits are not, however, automatic, and member states will need to implement the agreement to harness such benefits.
 
The potential benefits expected to be gained from this Continental Free Trade Area include increased market access; improvements in competitiveness; production capacity; living standards; and the possibility of employment creation.

"It is imperative for Namibian business communities to prepare and take full advantage of the benefits offered under the African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement. This entails identifying importers of goods and services, increasing production capacities, diversification and adding value to our raw materials as well as ensuring that our produce is finding its place of exports on the African continent," said Andre. 
 
Andre commended the Ministry of Industrialization and Trade and the Namibia Trade Forum for making the campaign possible and providing the necessary information about AfCFTA.
 
Also speaking at the event was the representative of UNDP, Alka Bhatia. "It is also evident that enhancing the capacity of MSMEs will drive structural economic transformation through trade and investment to create resilient, inclusive, and sustainable economic growth and development in Africa."
 
UNDP Namibia has directed its efforts towards supporting the implementation of AfCFTA in Namibia with a focus on the informal sector and MSMEs, especially those that are led by women and youth.