5 year Local and Economic Development Planning for Walvis Bay Kicks off

Launch of the Local and Economic Development Process

The Department of Community and Economic Development recently launched the commencement of the development process of a Local Economic Development for Walvis Bay. A bid was awarded to Development Consultants for Southern Africa (DECOSA) to develop a 5-year local economic plan for Walvis Bay. Professor Dr. R. Trede – Managing Director of DECOSA recently gave a presentation to councillors and management on highlighting the key focus area for developing plan and how it will tie in with the overall strategic plan of the municipality.

Walvis Bay Context

Although Walvis Bay was formally integrated into Namibia four years after independence, the town soon became a hub of economic development in the country. From the beginning, the local authority prioritised economic development for Walvis Bay to become not only a logistics centre for Namibia, but also a gateway to central and southern Africa. The Port of Walvis Bay is Namibia’s largest commercial port, ranked amongst the best on the continent for transhipment between African, European, Asian, and American markets. In addition, the town features excellent road infrastructure to all regions of Namibia, being the confluence of the Trans-Caprivi, Trans-Kunene, and Trans-Kalahari Corridors. These corridors contribute to the booming development of the Port of Walvis Bay.

Further assets of Walvis Bay include:

• Walvis Bay International Airport
• a solid business sector
• the railway line, complementing the road infrastructure
• tourism attractions and development
• diverse and reliable educational and health facilities

Despite these positive developments, the above-mentioned assets operate in a global arena, subscribing to international standards dictated by global supply and demand rules. This requires proactive policy making as globalization and the ascending Fourth Industrial Revolution have proven

that greater economic development comes with greater disruption and polarization within economies. “For our local sphere to remain relevant in changing global environments, the Municipality of Walvis Bay is crafting a new Local Economic Development (LED) Strategy and Policy with the aim to considerably reduce the existing challenges such as the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and to mobilise the advantages needed to bring about resilient and sustainable economic development,” says Ms Tulimekondjo Iishitile, Manager: Economic Development. She adds that the LED Strategy and Policy will formulate actions for the next 5 to 10 years of economic growth through social development, employment creation, attraction of local and foreign direct investments, poverty reduction and improving the quality of living standard of residents.

LED Strategy and Policy Development road map

The new LED Strategy and Policy development road map must consider:

• Stakeholder involvement

The purpose of the LED Strategy and Policy purpose is to build up the economic capacity of the local area to improve the quality of life for all. It is a process by which public, business, and non-governmental sector stakeholders work collectively to create better conditions for economic growth and employment generation. Cooperation from all stakeholders is vital to ensure the success of the development of the LED Strategy and Policy.

• Role of the public and private sectors

The public sector’s main role is the creation of a conducive environment to stimulate economic growth. The private sector on the other hand, shall be the engine for growth. The objective of providing economic opportunities can only be reached if local entrepreneurship is promoted.

• Implementation planning

The LED Strategy and Policy will be underlined by a detailed, practical, and workable implementation plan spanning five years. It will determine priorities and interventions that have the greatest potential impact for economic development within Walvis Bay.

The implementation plan will be complemented by a monitoring plan with expected results, impact, annual targets, means of validation, risks, etc. for each action. It will be a guideline not only for the Municipality but also for other stakeholders to monitor the success of the LED Strategy.

Public consultations will be announced in due course and the Municipality of Walvis Bay calls upon all stakeholders to cooperate with the appointed consultants in the development phase of the LED Strategy and Policy.

Private Sector invitation for 3 & 4 March 2021

The Private Sector is invited to participate in consultations with the Municipality and the Consultant DECOSA next week to consider in the expectations and requirements of the business community. The business sectors, dates and times are as per below. Due to the limited time of businesses and the different requirements of the business sectors, the focus group discussions shall not exceed one hour.