China visit cost about US$500 000, says Nandi-Ndaitwah

By: Staff Reporter

President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah said the state visit to China cost approximately U$500 000, which is about N$8.2 million. The president stressed that the cost of the trip must translate into economic gains for the country.

The president is currently on a weeklong visit to the east Asian country, accompanied by six ministers as well as the NPC director general and about 200 business delegates.
She made the remarks on Thursday while addressing the business delegates in China.

She said although the business delegates may argue that they paid for their own airline tickets, subsistence, and travel allowances, they tapped into the country’s foreign reserves and should produce economic benefit for the country.

She said she had asked the Bank of Namibia to estimate the average cost of sending a delegation of that size to China.

“Let me tell you something you may think I do not know, including myself,as we are all here, we have spent approximately US$500 00 on our travel. I asked the bank to give me an average, if am sending a number of these people to this country, what will be the average expenditure, “remarked the president, while adding she wants a return on the investment on this trip within four years for the benefit of the Namibian people.

She added that the Bank of Namibia, and her economic advisor, have work to do to assess how the country’s economy is performing and how it will benefit from the mission as well as recovered the money spent on the trip.

The president urged delegates to remain focused throughout the visit, saying they owe it to the Namibian people to ensure the mission delivers measurable value.

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