Namibia Association of Metal Fabrication inaugurated

WINDHOEK, 19 APR – Several stakeholders from the metal industry on Wednesday collectively inaugurated the Namibia Association of Metal Fabrication (NAMF).
NAMF, founded by 12 members in November 2017, was developed in line with the Ministry of Industrialisation, Trade and SME Development’s ‘Growth@Home’ industrialisation strategy, which aims to increase trade, and develop and expand Namibia’s industrial base.
Speaking at the inauguration ceremony in Windhoek, NAMF Chairperson Brian Christian said the association is designed to set quality standards of local metal products and increase value-addition for eventual export to regional and international markets.
“As an association, we aim to be responsive and transparent in efforts to lobby the government to implement the retail charter and give preference to locally produced products and services,” he said.
Technical support to drive the association is provided by the Deutsche Gesellschaft fuer Internationale Zusammenarbeit Gmbh (GIZ) on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development.
Christian further indicated that among the association’s objectives is to unite the metal fabrication industry through links of communication in order to serve as a forum where members can express their opinions pertaining to matters within the industry.
Further, it will promote best practices and accepted standards pertaining to the metal fabrication industry as well as to advance and promote the image of the industry in general.
At the same occasion, Ministry of Industrialisation, Trade and SME Development Deputy Permanent Secretary, Michael Humavindu said the association is an important voice under the ministry’s growth at home strategy, which reinforce the importance of accelerating economic growth, reducing income inequality and increasing employment.
“The association is a voice of those in the industry and foresees that their stakeholders are recognised in the large role they play in the Namibian economy,” he said.

NAMPA