Ongwediva, Aug. 30 — Speaking at the official opening of the Ongwediva Annual Trade Fair, MTC’s Managing Director, Dr. Licky Erastus asserted that MTC is steadfast and ready to help drive a smart economy and usher the country into digitalisation parallel to the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
In convergence with the country’s recent 4IR report, Erastus highlighted that for Namibia to achieve a smart economy, rapid leveraging of technological innovation is required as the country recovers from the blows of Covid-19. “As a nation, if we are to be competitive and be a fit global economic player, we need to hybridize, take advantage of big data analytics, artificial intelligence, and e-commerce to recapture Covid-lost grounds and develop domestic digital industrial policies that will prepare us for future technologies,” said Erastus.
In his remarks, Erastus also emphasized the significance of smart collaboration, emphasizing that meaningful success can merely be achieved if we hold hands and pull in the same direction as a nation.
“The probability of success is more likely if we pull resources and expertise together in the same direction on socio-economic projects. On this score, MTC has partnered with institutions such as the Environmental Investment Fund of Namibia, the Namibia University of Science and Technology, the World Food Program, and the United Nations Development Fund, to collaborate on socioeconomic matters and impact-driven solutions for Namibia.”
He added; “such partnerships are not our mandate or core responsibility as a business, but we know that such a mammoth task cannot be left solely to the government. To think that way would be a destructive view based on the illusion of separatism. We are part of a greater 081-nation, hence, the importance of collaboration for a sustained systemic change.”
The OATF was commended for embracing technological innovation with a hybrid (physical and digital exhibition) trade fair experience.
Commendably, Erastus highlighted that with digitalization, the Ongwediva Annual Trade Fair presents a great business platform that attracts more participation and a hive of entrepreneurial activities from macro, small, medium, and especially youth-led enterprises. He opined that the trade fair’s constant contribution in aiding the pursuit of business growth and development, both on a national, regional, and continental level, is exemplary and worthy of MTC’s support.
MTC has been the anchor sponsor of the OATF for over 15 years and has again this year supported the fair with just over half a million monetary support.
