Reunion Wire

The Opuwo Town Council (OTC) has since last week started registering and awarding fitness certificates to all new enterprises operating within the town’s boundaries.

The registration procedure is intended for all persons, corporations and organisations that are trading in the town in accordance with section 94(1) of the Local Authorities Act (Act No. 23 of 1992) in order to get a fitness/business registration certificate. Existing businesses will also be required to renew their registration.

McSean Makono, OTC’s Small Medium Enterprise and Business Promoter, told Nampa on Wednesday that Council expects to register as many businesses as possible before the end of August, with 500 vendors registered thus far.

Makono stated that all businesses operating in Opuwo are required by law to register with the council in order to safeguard their operations and prevent others from operating under the same organisation’s name.

“Town council is mandated by the Local Authority Act, Act No. 23 of 1992, to provide means for services, and all businesses operating within council boundaries should register with the council. We should have data on businesses in town. Knowing the statistics of businesses operating within its borders is critical for the council,” he added.

Makono went on to say that the cost of business registration and fitness certificates is determined by the size and kind of business.

Furthermore, Makono also advised that organisers of events such as bazaars should obtain a temporary license from the council, in order to comply with the liquor licensing legislation as encouraged by the magistrate.

The registration of businesses, he stressed will help the council in strengthening the town’s marketing image and conducting business in Opuwo.

Furthermore, Makono stated that all businesses must have a permanent structure or an actual physical location in order to be registered.

OTC will implement regulating measures to verify that all businesses operating inside the town’s limits are registered in accordance with the local government laws, he said.

Makono said that people or firms that fail to register their business will be fined N.dollars 2 000.

Source: Namibia Press Agency

Ethiopian Investment Commission in collaboration with the Embassy of China in Addis Ababa is holding a three-week seminar and training on Investment Promotion for Ethiopia in Beijing, China, starting from 14th of July to 4th of August, 2023.

The purpose of the seminar is to enhance understanding and deepen friendship between participants through mutual learning and exchange, according to House of Peoples’ Representatives.

It is also to create a platform for international exchange and cooperation among developing countries including China through learning practical experiences on promoting investment and trade.

At the opening of the seminar, Deputy Chairperson of Trade and Tourism Affairs Standing Committee of the House of Peoples’ Representatives, Asemahagn Aseres appreciated the commitment of China to help developing countries to come out of poverty by sharing the practical experiences the country went through.

“Ethiopia and China are enjoying more than 50 years of diplomatic relations, no matter the international landscape changes, the Ethiopia-China cooperation and friendship have remained unbreakable and grown stronger over time,” he said.

He added that in the last 50 years, there were low and high times for both countries before the international community; no matter what situation there was, our two countries’ relations were excellent.

“In the recent parliament session, PM Abiy Ahimed mentioned and appreciated the generous China aid provided to Ethiopia, and constructed a marvelous scenery called “Friendship Square” at the epic center of Addis Ababa, in front of the Ethiopian Palace”, he added.

“We want to learn from the Chinese way of doing investment, and that is why we are here. We know that China achieved extraordinarily in terms of economic development, and lifting millions of citizens out of poverty in a short period of time. Ethiopians want to learn and draw lessons from this great achievement”, Asemahagn concluded.

Deputy Director of China Aid Training Programs of the Academy for International Business Officials (AIBO) under the Ministry of Commerce in China, Zheng Mingyuan, welcomes the team from Ethiopia and reiterates the commitment of China’s readiness to share the path it went through to help the country to eradicate extreme poverty from Ethiopians.

“China eradicated extreme poverty in 2020, reached nearly 12,000 USD per capita now, the second largest economy in the world, planned to reach 30,000 USD per capita in 2035”, he pointed out.

Academy for International Business Officials (AIBO, also known as Training Center of the Ministry of Commerce), the only education and training institution directly affiliated to the Ministry of Commerce of China, hosts the seminar.

AIBO has been carrying out foreign training missions since 1998, and it was the first to offer training courses such as economic management to officials from developing countries. The training covers a wide range of topics, including economic management, trade and investment, urban planning and management, and telecommunications.

The seminar also contains lectures and field visits, and a range of topics including the “Belt and Road” initiative, China’s reform and opening-up and economic development experience, functions of China’s investment institutions and investment promotion system.

Members drawn from the Trade and Tourism Affairs Standing Committee of the House Peoples’ Representatives, officials from Ethiopian Investment Commission and regional investment commissions are participating in the seminar.

Source: Ethiopian News Agency