The Namibia Investment Promotion and Development Board (NIPDB) has been named runner-up in the 2024 World Trade Promotion Organisation (WTPO) Awards under the category “Best Initiative to Ensure that Trade is Inclusive and Sustainable” for its Know2Grow High Potential Pool Programme.
The awards, organised by the International Trade Centre (ITC), celebrate Trade Promotion Organisations (TPOs) that excel in supporting small businesses to compete globally through innovative trade development practices.
“Trade and investment promotion organisations are key to growing economies in a sustainable way – including by supporting small businesses to export – and today we’re recognising the best among them, worldwide,” said ITC Executive Director Pamela Coke-Hamilton.
The Know2Grow Programme aims to empower export-ready MSMEs by providing essential export-focused capacity building, market access platforms, and global scaling opportunities. Through the initiative, businesses receive the tools and resources necessary to thrive in foreign markets, thereby contributing to the broader Namibian economy.
“We pledge our commitment to continue working with our MSMEs in Namibia to ensure that trade is inclusive, sustainable, and that we increase our presence in global markets,” said Julia Muetudhana, the NIPDB’s Acting Executive Director for MSME Development, Innovation, and Acceleration.
The global competition has taken place every two years since 2004 and is judged by a jury composed of previous winners, chaired by the ITC Executive Director.