Namibia needs umbrella brand, says PM

Prime Minister Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila has urged local businesses to consider a nationally coordinated umbrella strategy to brand and position Namibia globally. Opening the 2015 Namibia Chamber of Commerce and Industry (NCCI) International Trade Expo on Wednesday, Kuugongelwa-Amadhila stressed the notion of nation-branding, saying Namibia could promote itself as a source of quality goods and services, and as a world-class tourism and investment destination. “There have been attempts in the past to design and introduce a unique Namibia country brand, but we still do not seem to have reached the stage of designing, introducing and launching it,” the Prime Minister said. She cited Namibian beef and beer as products that have most successfully carried the Namibian flag through what she called the ‘country-of-origin’ effect, and opening up new export destinations to the country. “The Namibia brand should not be confused with Team Namibia,” the prime minister said. “Team Namibia plays an important role to mobilise Namibian consumers to buy local, as well as driving the promotion of the production of quality local products and services. Moreover, nation-branding is not simply a sticker on our products indicating ‘Made in Namibia'.” She criticised the country’s dependency on imported products, saying this both sidelined local products and young talent, and drained the country of its foreign reserves. “Our local savings can also be put to better use here at home to finance local value-addition initiatives, instead of being exported abroad in pursuit of short-term gains,” she said. The second annual NCCI Swakopmund International Trade Expo runs until tomorrow. DENVER ISAACS