WINDHOEK, Aug. 24 (Xinhua) -- In order to foster economic growth through innovation, it is paramount that Namibia prepares itself for, and embraces the advent of the 4th Industrial Revolution, President Hage Geingob said on Saturday.
He was speaking at the opening of one of the country's biggest festival, the Ongwediva Annual Trade Fair (OATF).
"As a country, we should lay the groundwork, both at Public and Private Sector level, to harness the vast potential offered by technologies such as 3D printing, the Internet of Things, Big Data Analysis, robotics and cloud computing," said the president.
"We should also take cognisance of the fact that new technologies will lead to an increase in the competition between human beings and machines. Thus, this is the reality of the future and we must adapt or find ourselves permanently left behind," he said.
He urged the organisers of exhibitions, to increase the prevalence of various technologies at national trade fairs.
"This will act as a precursor to our national efforts to modernize our economy through the adoption of 21st Century technologies," he said.
The annual popular event in Namibia is being held from August 23 to 31 at the Ongwediva Trade Fair Centre in Northern Namibia.
This year over 25 of the exhibitors are international from African countries like Zimbabwe, Kenya, Ghana, South Africa and Botswana, as well as countries as far as Japan, Germany, America and Indonesia.
From Namibia over 450 exhibitors are displaying their products and services.
Last year, over 90 000 visitors attended the event.
