Lessons for Namibia from the 2nd Brazil-Africa Forum 2014

Last week I moderated a session, titled ‘Africa and South America: Challenges for connecting the two continents’, one of the many sessions at the second Brazil-Africa Forum held in Fortaleza in the Ceara province of Brazil. The role of the Brazil Africa Institute is to link in promoting the interests of Brazil and African countries.

What is significant about the partnership between Brazil and Africa is that improved structural changes and a healthy policy environment that will foster a positive entrepreneurial spirit is needed in both continents. This two-day event was attended by high-ranking government officials, business leaders, potential investors, and representatives from think tanks and the academic sector. 

Africa has become increasingly an attractive hub for foreign investors in the last 10 years, and interestingly enough our continent has a positive Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth, at 6.6 percent in 2013, due to an increase in prices of commodities.

The forum also looked at infrastructure, partnerships and development that could ensure a good environment for public and private companies to create partnerships for future infrastructural projects and contribute to strengthening the confidence of both African and Brazilian investors. If we wish to sustain the benefits of economic growth as Africans, we need to address the gaps in infrastructure, continue investing in renewable energy, promote education and skills development, ensure food security and enhance the productive capacity of the agriculture sector.

The Director of Program for Energy and Infrastructure: Mossid Emissiry from NEPAD (New Partnership for African Development) based in South Africa introduced the audience to the Program for Infrastructure Development in Africa (PIDA) launched by the African Union in 2010. Emissiry pointed out that the objectives of this program are to promote socio-economic development and poverty reduction in the African continent through improved access to integrated and continental infrastructure networks and services. 

On the other hand Brazil has enormous investment opportunities across various sectors. The chief executive officer of Angola Cables Antonoi Nunes talked us through the South Atlantic interconnection through an undersea cable. Angola Cables is the telecommunications provider, and they wish to build a cable from Angola through the Atlantic Ocean to Fortaleza, Brazil, directly and another one to Miami, USA. This is more about integrating the continents and making communication and access to the various markets possible. 

Another interesting project at the forum was from Camargo Correa a Brazilian construction company that works to transform realities. One particular and insight point addressed by Kallil Farran, the Sustainable Development Manager, was the issue of Corporate Social Responsibility.

Camargo Correa expands its operations to Angola by building road infrastructure and in Mozambique they brought hope by building classrooms for communities where there were none.

All participants of the forum visited some of the social and welfare projects of Camargo Correa, Villa da Mar, project for the recovery and redevelopment of the waterfront in Fortaleza.

What are the lessons for me as a Namibian from the Brazil-Africa Forum? I can honestly say that Brazil and African countries have common challenges, given that Brazil and most African nations experienced colonization in the past. There is so much to teach and learn from one another. I picked up a few significant points one of which is “leadership”. I think through this forum both Brazil and Africa are trying to tell one another that ‘We have to believe in ourselves before we have to prove anything as that will be the key to reach our potential.’

Secondly, this platform should be seen as a partnership between Brazil and Africa and should be a win-win situation and no party should exploit the other. 

Namibia can indeed try and learn from successful partners of Brazil in the region and join forces and as a nation we can only become better. 

From Camargo Correa I learned that value in a company should not only be created for shareholders, but also for the society, through attitudes aligned with demands and challenges. 

Corporate social responsibility is an issue some Namibian companies take very lightly. Companies will write out cheques for a project, but are never interested in the actual project, whether it was well executed or not. 

Dr Wilfred Isak April holds a PhD (Entrepreneurship) from New Zealand. He currently lectures in Entrepreneurship and Management at the University of Namibia.