Namibia became the first of the five pilot countries to launch its Accelerated Industrial Development for Africa (AIDA) and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Country Impact Assessment Report.
The pilot initiative is currently being implemented in five countries: Namibia, Egypt, Ghana, Kenya, and Seychelles.
This was highlighted at the official launch of Namibia’s Country Impact Assessment Report on the AIDA-AfCFTA, held in Windhoek last week.
The report is a flagship initiative led by the African Union Development Agency in collaboration with the African Union Commission, the AfCFTA Secretariat, and other key stakeholders.
The report launched highlights opportunities for Namibia to expand value addition, deepen participation in regional value chains and integrated trade corridors, and build on its comparative strengths in sectors such as mining, fisheries, logistics, and agro-processing.
It also identifies priority actions to strengthen competitiveness, trade facilitation, and industrial development in support of AfCFTA implementation.
“The assessment confirms that Namibia is well positioned to benefit from the opportunities created by the AfCFTA and AIDA,” Dr Kaire Mbuende, Director-General of the National Planning Commission (NPC), said.
“Our priority now is to translate these findings into practical actions that strengthen value addition, improve competitiveness, and expand Namibia’s participation in regional value chains”.
The report forms part of the pilot phase of the continental AIDA-AfCFTA initiative, strengthened through a practical assessment framework that supports national planning, monitoring, and policy action.
According to Mbuende, this assessment offers an evidence-based analysis of Namibia’s readiness to take advantage of these opportunities. “It examines trade potential, industrial capabilities, and the policy and institutional environment required to support implementation,” he added.
Mbuende said the NPC will integrate the AfCFTA and AIDA objectives into national development planning, strengthen coordination across institutions, and promote evidence-based policy implementation.
