By: Nghiinomenwa-vali Hangala
The town of Lüderitz, in collaboration with GIZ Namibia, has launched a Public-Private Dialogue (PPD) platform aiming to combine resources and expertise in the domains of infrastructure development, service delivery, and economic growth.
In his welcoming remarks, Lüderitz Town Council acting chief executive officer, Otto Shipanga, highlighted the importance of the platform, saying it will enable the town council and the private sector to share resources and expertise on common goals.
“We believe that this dialogue between the private and public sectors will provide a platform that will allow the private sector and experts to work hand in hand with our institution, which might stimulate credibility and trust between the private sector and the state,” he stated.
Shipanga expects the PPD initiative to foster an improved business environment by identifying policy procedural hindrances and providing recommendations for general improvements.
This will be achieved by engaging all stakeholders, including public representatives, to recommend improvement measures.
Shipanga noted that most public-private initiatives were confined to infrastructure projects. However, in the current environment, the town faces various pressing needs of economic and social development, thus the scope of these initiatives needs to be expanded.
He also acknowledged that, despite existing mechanisms for collaborations, the private sector faces challenges in working with local governments for various reasons.
Shipanga noted that the private sector highlighted that the process of partnering with local government is lengthy, lacks coordination, and there are also elements of nepotism and favouritism.
He also indicated that a number of public entities are supportive of public-private collaboration. However, the facilitation with the private sector is usually the missing link, noting that the PPD initiative is intended to address challenges and unlock the town’s potential for growth. At the same time, it aims to – among others – address constraints such as access to finance, infrastructure, employee skills development, and improve the investment climate.
Moreover, Shipanga indicated that the PPD platform is expected to cover a wide range of policy areas, including business climate reform, local economic strategies, and sector-specific regulations.
This will be achieved by enhancing the flow of information, involving more stakeholders in the policymaking process and enhancing institutional processes.
“It might expand the space for policy discovery and institutional improvement,” stated Shipanga.
Speaking at the PPD session, Namibia Chamber of Commerce and Industry (NCCI) chief executive officer, Titus Nampala, highlighted that economic building in the current time is complex because it is shaped by shifting global markets, climate pressures, and widening inequalities.
“Yet here in Namibia, we have an opportunity. A responsibility to shape an economy that is not only resilient, but inclusive and responsive to our people’s needs. That opportunity lies within dialogue,” voiced Nampala.
According to the Chamber’s head, public-private engagement must be enhanced because a thriving economy is built on an enabling ecosystem.
“The laws, policies, and frameworks that govern our enterprises must keep pace with reality. The private sector – those who operate daily under these laws – must have a voice in shaping them,” he stated.
Nampala stated that planning without the private sector is planning in the dark.
“The private sector is where ideas become products, services, jobs, and investments. If we are to realise the promises of our national and local strategies, we must involve the implementers from the start,” he explained.
In addition, Nampala indicated that inclusivity cannot be a slogan – it must be a practice.
Women, youth, and persons with disabilities must be engaged directly to know where the opportunities are and to have a fair chance at seizing them, he alluded.
Nampala also highlighted that numerous local businesses are already linking their operations to the Sustainable Development Goals and the objectives of NDP6, noting that this alignment only works if local authorities communicate their aspirations and invite the business community to be part of achieving them.
Nampala indicated that since public resources are limited, but innovation is limitless, before the public sector commits scarce resources to projects, they must tap into the knowledge and experience of the private sector to assess viability, share risks, and optimise investments.
He also noted that Namibia’s competitiveness can be enhanced by public-private collaboration.
“Our competitiveness in the region and on the continent will not be determined by what we say in speeches, but by the partnerships we forge and the solutions we implement – together,” stated Nampala.
He also assured that the NCCI is ready to be the bridge, the convener, and the advocate for effective public-private collaboration in Lüderitz and beyond.
Nampala urged for the PPD to be the beginning of a new way of working – “one where government and businesses move not in parallel, but in step. Deliberate, intentional, and strategic”.
