SUMNER PRESENTED WITH CREDENTIALS AS NAMIBIA HONORARY CONSUL IN THE BAHAMAS
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Mr. Edison Sumner, CEO of The Bahamas Chamber of Commerce, was presented with his credentials as the Honorary Consul for Namibia in The Bahamas by His Excellency Martin Andjaba, Ambassador of the Republic of Namibia to the United States, during a ceremony on Thursday, March 30, at the Embassy of Namibia, 1605 New Hampshire Ave, N.W.
Among those attending the ceremony were His Excellency Dr. Eugene Newry, Bahamas Ambassador to the United States, and Mr. Chet Neymour, Deputy Chief of Mission, Bahamas Embassy.
Ambassador Andjaba noted that having an Honorary Consul in The Bahamas “is a matter we have been discussing for quite sometime,” adding that bi-lateral relations between the two countries “are excellent.”
“At the time when Namibia was struggling for independence, The Bahamas was one of the countries that supported us through the United Nations,” Ambassador Andjaba said. “The fact that Ambassador Newry is here is an indication of the solid bond and friendship between our two countries.”
Declaring that he was honoured “to accept this nomination and commissioning as the Honorary Consul for The Republic of Namibia in The Bahamas,” Mr. Sumner noted that The Bahamas “is a beautiful place, filled with life, color, charm and warmth.”
“The people are incredibly friendly and hospitable, the culture is vibrant and the seven hundred-plus islands and keys that make up the archipelago are some of the most breath-taking spectacles of natural beauty you will ever see and experience,” Bahamas Chamber of Commerce CEO said. “We are a small nation of less than four hundred thousand people, but we are a strong and proud people who are not afraid of hard work. We are progressive and innovative in finding ways to further strengthen our country and economy.”
Notwithstanding the fact that the world is still recovering from the recessions of a decade ago and the challenges faced by many countries, especially in the Caribbean region, Mr. Sumner said The Bahamas “still enjoys having the strongest economy in the Caribbean and one of the strongest economies in the Americas.”
“Not only is The Bahamas a great place to live and work, it is also a great place to invest and do business,” Mr. Sumner said. “With one of the oldest parliamentary democracies in the western hemisphere, political and social stability, advanced information, communications and technology infrastructure, educated and skilled workforce, ideal geographical situation, and a vibrant economy, The Bahamas is ideally situated to attract major, world-class investments such the $4 Billion dollar Baha Mar Resort development, or the $2 Billion dollar Atlantis Paradise Island, and many other very large and impressive developments throughout the country.”
Highlighting the fact that The Bahamas is “a leading international financial centre and home to some of the world’s most recognized financial institutions, including banks and insurance companies,” Mr. Sumner added, “We are a well-established service economy, but we are always looking for ways to improve our service offerings. Excellency, the peoples of Namibia and The Bahamas have many things in common. We are both young nations; we are both members of the Commonwealth of Nations; we are both bordered on one side by the Atlantic Ocean; and we both depend on tourism as a major contributor to our economies, although in Namibia to a lesser degree.”
As Namibia’s Honorary Consul in The Bahamas, Mr. Sumner said he “would wish to explore opportunities for the promotion of investments, education and training, and cultural exchanges between our countries, as I am sure there is much we can learn from each other.”
“Also, considering that tourism is our largest industry, and we do it very well, I am hoping to further explore and promote the opportunities for tourism development between our countries, where we can get more tourists visiting our shores from your country,” Mr. Sumner said. “Please convey my personal highest regards and respect to your President, Dr. Hage Geingob, Vice President Nickey Iyambo and Prime Minister Saar Kuugongelwa- Amandhila. Further, please also accept and convey the profound greetings and best regards from the Government and people of The Bahamas as we consider this partnership here today a very important step in building and strengthening relations with Africa.”
Mr. Sumner added that the Government of The Bahamas “also wished me to extend their appreciation to Namibia for the support you gave them through the African Union for their bid to be a member of the Human Rights council in 2015.”
“Please be assured of my commitment to work on behalf of Namibia to assist in building strong ties between our two countries,” Mr. Sumner said.
Located in Southern Africa, the Republic of Namibia’s western border is the Atlantic Ocean and it shares land borders with Zambia and Angola to the north, Botswana to the east and South Africa to the south and east. It has a population of 2.1 million people and a stable multi-party parliamentary democracy. Agriculture, herding, tourism and the mining industry – including mining for gem diamonds, uranium, gold, silver, and base metals – form the basis of its economy.
CAPTION
Mr. Edison Sumner, CEO of The Bahamas Chamber of Commerce, is pictured being presented with his credentials as the Honorary Consul for Namibia in The Bahamas by His Excellency Martin Andjaba (right), Ambassador of the Republic of Namibia to the United States. At left is Mr. Chet Neymour, Deputy Chief of Mission at The Bahamas Embassy, and second from left is His Excellency Dr. Eugene Newry (second from left), Bahamas Ambassador to the United States.