In addition to advice, you will need access to decisionmakers in the national government. Just getting meetings scheduled (whether they are Zoom or in-person) can be a daunting task in Namibia, but you will need access to assure that you connect with the right people and receive thoughtful consideration of any requested approvals, and to avoid unnecessary bureaucratic bottlenecks and delays that occur farther down the governmental chain-of-command.

In the U.S., the permitting, approvals and regulation for most real estate development and other business activities are handled at the state and local levels of government. 

Not so in Namibia. Because foreign investment is such a high national priority, those matters are handled at the national level, now by the Namibian Investment, Promotion and Development Board (“NIPDB”) in the Ministry of Finance. The local professionals you hire will have great technical skills, but few (if any) will have relationships with the national government officials who will be making decisions that impact what you want to do. 

Over a period of 15 years, as the result of serving as the Honorary Consul for the Republic of Namibia in the State of Florida, Mr. Snively has developed relationships with key individuals in the national government, including the current ambassador to the U.S, four former ambassadors to the U.S. who have moved on to other important positions in the national government, heads of ministries, the prime minister and the president.