Windhoek – Namibian Finance and Public Enterprises Minister, Iipumbu Shiimi, has underscored the critical role of public enterprises in addressing the country’s developmental challenges and achieving Vision 2030. His remarks were made during the second Public Enterprises Conference at Gross Barmen on Wednesday.

According to Namibia Press Agency (NAMPA), public enterprises in Namibia have been established with specific development purposes in mind. Despite facing issues of poor performance and governance, these entities are vital to the nation’s developmental goals. Shiimi’s address at the conference focused on the ongoing efforts to reorganize the public enterprise sector for more effective governance and performance. This initiative includes the implementation of the Public Enterprises Governance Act of 2019, which categorizes the country’s 81 public enterprises into commercial, non-commercial public entities, and funds, aiming to improve management and oversight.

Shiimi highlighted the distinct management needs of these different categories and the government’s increased role in their supervision. The conference, held under the theme “Leveraging value propositions for Namibian public enterprises locally and internationally,” brought together top management from State-owned enterprises to discuss and share best practices for enhancing performance and governance.

Fluksman Samuel, chairperson of the Public Enterprises CEO Forum and CEO of the Lüderitz Waterfront, emphasized the significant economic impact of public enterprises in Namibia. He assured Minister Shiimi of the commitment of the current executives of public enterprises to support government efforts in improving governance and overall performance in the sector. This conference serves as a platform for these leaders to reflect on their responsibilities and collaborate towards the betterment of public enterprise governance and contribution to the national development of Namibia.