Geingob lauds Botswana collaboration
By Hilary Mare
PRESIDENT Hage Geingob has lauded relations with Botswana that have brought about business collaboration adding that the responsibility lies with the current administrators of the two countries to consolidate peace, friendship, common purpose and understanding.
Addressing delegates at the 2019 Ghanzi Show in Botswana this past weekend, Geingob reiterated the positive relationship that Namibia shares with Botswana in the area of beef and tourism.
“Botswana, Namibia and Swaziland share a quota to the most lucrative beef market in Norway. I am proud to mention that these three nations have worked harmoniously in pursuit of their economic interests.
“Botswana through the Botswana Meat Commission has granted MeatCo, which is a Namibian export facility space in their globally accredited cold storage facility in Cape Town, thereby providing a gateway for Namibia’s access to the EU beef market and besides being known for quality cattle, Ghanzi serves as a gateway to Namibia, which hosts many tourists from Botswana, especially those destined for Swakopmund and Walvis Bay.
“It is also a gateway to the Okavango delta and the famous Central Kalahari Game Reserve, which are regular destinations for Namibians and tourists from the rest of the world,” he said.
The Ghanzi Show started small, but overtime, has established itself as a premier event. Initially, it was merely showcasing agricultural activities. Today, it is an inclusive economic sector spectacle, as evidenced by the various items and activities that are representative of the different sectors of Botswana’s economy.
“The success we are witnessing at the Ghanzi Show has also been brought about by a number of infrastructure projects in our countries. The TransKalahari highway facilitates the transport of people and goods between our countries. We also cooperate in wildlife management through initiatives like the Kalahari Transfrontier Park, and the Kavango, Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area (KAZA),” added Geingob.
He added that industrial shows have several economic spinoffs which contribute to the development of local economies within our countries.
“As is evident here in Ghanzi, the hosting of this show has resulted in the expansion of local infrastructure, particularly accommodation facilities. This is obviously an impressive and welcome development. I would therefore like to sincerely thank and congratulate the show organizers for this initiative said Geingob adding that it is encouraging to note that despite climate change challenges, which have resulted in severe droughts and floods in some instances, Ghanzi farmers have shown resilience to overcome these obstacles and are making a living by growing their businesses, which we are all here to witness.
In conclusion Geingob said: “As I conclude my remarks, I wish to paraphrase a saying, “We make our friends; we make our enemies; but God makes our next-door neighbor.” In other words, we can choose our friends but not our neighbours. The people of Namibia thank God that he gave us good neighbours in the people of Botswana. We are bound together by geography and destiny. Our people will continue to coexist for decades and centuries to come.”