In 1994, I was offered the job as the Namibian Delegate to the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation’s Investment Promotion Service in Paris, France. The Delegate of each country represented is responsible for:
- investment promotion campaigns;
- project development;
- preparation of feasibility studies;
- management of programme budgets; and
- joint-venture project development.
During this period, I had an opportunity to study and learn about the investment strategies of amongst others, Mauritius, China, India, Russia, Brazil, Argentina, Mexico, Algeria, Madagascar, Vietnam and Chile. Most of my colleagues were highly educated economists and were attached by their governments from planning or trade and industry ministries. Their experience and willingness to share were invaluable to me coming from a newly liberated country, and me personally having no qualifications in this field! They encouraged me to study Namibia's history and specifically the business strategies of the previous administrations. It was during this period, that I had an opportunity to meet many of the business leaders from the Namibian fishing, agriculture and mining sectors and benefit from their knowledge and experience.
The most important lesson I learnt was that Namibia is competing in the international arena and we would not be given special treatment for very long.
