Opening remarks by President Cyril Ramaphosa on the occasion of the 4th South Africa/ Namibia Bi-National Commission Business Forum
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Source domain: thepresidency.gov.za
Collected on 22 July 2026
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Business investment, trade and job-creation opportunities through South Africa–Namibia economic partnership
The President calls on entrepreneurs and investors to translate political friendship into economic partnership by investing, building factories, expanding businesses and creating jobs, positioning South Africa and Namibia as complementary economies for regional, continental and global markets.
- Who it is for
- businesspeople, entrepreneurs, investors, innovators, workers, and business leaders from South Africa and Namibia
- How to act on it
- Participate in the business forum and pursue investment, trade and business expansion opportunities aligned with the sectors and priorities mentioned in the remarks.
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But what I am really smelling is opportunity; investment; factories being built; businesses expanding and people finding jobs.
Opportunity to remove obstacles to trade and investment and improve the investment climate
The President calls for continuing to remove obstacles to trade and investment and improving support through investment promotion agencies, alongside policy certainty, infrastructure investment and rule of law to strengthen the investment climate.
- Who it is for
- governments and business stakeholders seeking a better environment for trade and investment
- How to act on it
- Engage with efforts to remove obstacles to trade and investment and work with investment promotion agencies to improve support and the investment climate.
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Agreed to continue removing obstacles to trade and investment; investment promotion agencies to cooperate;
Future industry opportunities including green hydrogen/renewable energy, critical minerals, logistics, digital infrastructure and more
The remarks list future industries where investment and innovation are expected, including green hydrogen/renewable energy, critical minerals, logistics, digital infrastructure, data centres, advanced manufacturing, tourism, agriculture, financial services, and the blue economy.
- Who it is for
- investors, innovators and businesses seeking opportunities in future industries
- How to act on it
- Develop projects and investments in the future industries listed in the remarks.
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Future industries named: green hydrogen/renewable energy, critical minerals, logistics, digital infrastructure, data centres, advanced manufacturing, tourism, agriculture, financial services, blue economy
Sector opportunities for agro-processing, textiles and other named priority sectors
The President highlights priority sectors for investment and business development, including agro-processing, meat and leather, fruit and vegetables, textiles and clothing, and cosmetics and essential oils.
- Who it is for
- businesses and investors looking for opportunities in the named priority sectors
- How to act on it
- Invest and expand businesses in the priority sectors named in the remarks.
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Priority sectors named: agro-processing, meat and leather, fruit and vegetables, textiles and clothing, cosmetics and essential oils
Opportunities to build regional value chains and serve AfCFTA markets
The remarks say the vision behind the Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) is to integrate economies so that South Africa and Namibia can build regional value chains that create jobs across borders and grow faster when they integrate.
- Who it is for
- South African and Namibian businesses seeking to serve regional, continental and global markets
- How to act on it
- Use the bilateral relationship and AfCFTA vision to position as complementary economies and build regional value chains.
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This is precisely the vision that underpins the Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
Facts
Reference
GOVNEWS-10272 at https://www.thepresidency.gov.za
Key Takeaways
- Speaker: President Cyril Ramaphosa
- Event: 4th South Africa–Namibia Bi-National Commission Business Forum
- Date shown: 17 July 2026
- Welcomes Namibian delegates and emphasises opportunity/investment/jobs
- States Fourth Session of the South Africa–Namibia Bi-National Commission concluded earlier that day
- Calls to diversify trade beyond concentrated minerals (Namibia) and manufactured goods/services (South Africa)
- Encourages greater two-way investment and joint manufacturing/innovation
- Agreed to continue removing obstacles to trade and investment; investment promotion agencies to cooperate
- Highlights SACU as strategic asset; recent Summit agreed SACU should drive industrialisation and regional value chains
- Priority sectors named: agro-processing, meat and leather, fruit and vegetables, textiles and clothing, cosmetics and essential oils
- Future industries named: green hydrogen/renewable energy, critical minerals, logistics, digital infrastructure, data centres, advanced manufacturing, tourism, agriculture, financial services, blue economy
- Emphasises policy certainty, infrastructure investment, rule of law, and reforms to improve investment climate
- President Cyril Ramaphosa
- President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah
- South Africa
- Namibia
- South Africa–Namibia Bi-National Commission
- Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA)
- Southern African Customs Union (SACU)
- Investment promotion agencies
- Ministers from the Governments of Namibia and South Africa
- High Commissioners
- Captains of Industry
- Business Leaders
Dates
Opening Date
17 July 2026
Closing Date
17 July 2026