The Namibian Pavilion at the Expo 2020 Dubai hosted in the United Arab Emirates has recorded a visitor count of 146,855 since it began in October 2021.
According to the Namibia Investment Promotion and Development Board (NIPDB) , the categories of visitors – averaging 37 000 per month – range from curious expo goers, potential investors to high-ranking government officials including the UAE’s Minister of State in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, His Excellency Sheikh Shakhboot Nahyan Al Nahyan and Namibia’s Prime Minister Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila among others.
NIPDB Senior Manager: Marketing, Branding and Communications, Catherine Shipushu said the pavilion has also hosted a number of Namibian delegations representing numerous sectors and entities including the Environmental Investment Fund, the Road Administration Fund, City of Windhoek, and the Namibia Chamber of Commerce and Industry – who were in Dubai for various business engagements. She added that to date, a total of 123 investment leads have been generated, well above the NIPDB’s targeted 10 leads a month.
“Most investor interest is in the area of Green Hydrogen. Recorded leads indicate investor interest in other key industries such as agriculture, education, tourism, and various trade activities. In terms of country of origin, over 50% of potential investors emanate from the United Arab Emirates, with less than 10% of African origin,” she said.
“The highlight of the expo so far is the highly successful Namibia Renewable Energy Summit hosted in November 2021, attended by participants from all over the globe and potential investors from China, India, Zimbabwe, Singapore and the United Arab Emirates. The summit was organised with the objective of showcasing investment opportunities in the renewable energy space and to provide insight into the legal framework that governs investments in the Namibian energy sector.”
Shipushu noted that the imposed travel restrictions prohibiting visitors from all Southern African countries as well as Nigeria, Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique and Ethiopia, entry into the UAE following the outbreak of the Omicron variant, do not pose a significant impact on the country’s activities at the expo.
“This development poses a challenge particularly for Namibians required to travel to Dubai for expo related business. However, having operated in an uncertain environment on account of the ongoing pandemic for the past few months, the NIPDB had already put strategies in place to effectively manage these types of situations. It is business as usual on the ground and the investment promotion work is continuing unabated,” Shipushu.
“Stakeholder consultations are ongoing to find the most effective approach to achieve our objectives at the expo while safeguarding the health and safety of all people involved.”
She said with the expo having passed the halfway point in December 2021, Namibia is putting all efforts to ensure a strong finish in March 2022.
“In March, Namibia is expected to celebrate its biggest month yet at the expo. With less than two months before the expo concludes, the Namibian Pavilion has put together a schedule packed with events to coincide with the expo’s thematic weeks and aligned to the country’s own strategic agenda,” the NIPDB Senior Manager said.
