After a long year members were eager to know what lay ahead for the coming year. The plans for 2005/6 include researching current stakeholder perceptions of Team Namibia and the Naturally Namibian trademark. The research will be conducted with the intention of finding out how better to communicate with stakeholders and develop the correct message to address perceptions.

An educational campaign will be launched early September, pending the research outcomes. This campaign aims to inform stakeholders about Team Namibia, benefits to joining and supporting Namibian companies, their products and services. In order for the campaign to be effective members were requested to support and affiliate themselves with the campaign and the brand.

Only after the educational campaign will we start the “Buy Namibian” campaign which aims to encourage Namibian consumers to purchase Namibian produce and use Namibian services.

Members also discussed the activities, during the 2004 financial year that primarily focused on formalising structures, implementing systems and procedures for membership approval and benefits. Team Namibia also developed a generic brand for Namibian products and services known as Naturally Namibian, which would be used by members on their qualifying products and/or services.

Two elected board members, Christian Faure and Heiko Nedermeier resigned from the board during the past year. An election was held to elect two new members to the board of directors. The nominees were Mr Albertus Aochamub (MTC), Mr Jerry Elago (Bank Windhoek) and Mr Christof Brock (Namibia Agronomic Board). In terms of the constitution, which allows the Board to co-opt additional members, all the three nominated members were declared duly elected and were welcomed to the Board.

Congratulations to the three new elected Board members and we hope they use their terms of office.

After two hours of deliberations, members pledged to support each other and the campaign, conduct business with each other in an attempt to assist in promoting the Namibian products and services of good quality.

For more information on the AGM please contact Margareth Gustavo at 2995290 or 081 122 8041, email: tn@ppnam.com