KOUGA Local Municipality, in collaboration with Kouga Business Forum (KBF), is set to review and incorporate a new Local Economic Development (LED) post–COVID–19 economy recovery strategy for the region.
They are inviting all local economic sector leaders and organisations of dedicated small business forums to join forces with them.
According to Kouga Executive Mayor, Horatio Hendricks, to ensure conditions that will attract both national and international investment as local government, the municipality and KBF are working together to unlock a strategic public participation roll–out programme, as well as small workshop sessions to engage all local economic sectors.
Hendricks said Doctor Emil Nothnagel – who has an exceptional academic career path, including post–doctoral studies on integral development – and his team of seasoned experts will assist in helping to unlock a model of excellence for LED in the region.
“He is extremely excited about deploying his experience, knowledge, and capacity within his network – especially after witnessing the goodwill and aligned relationship between the public and private sectors in Kouga,” said Hendricks.
Nothnagel is well–known for his expertise in the design of LED strategies and implementation plans for the local government.
He has developed a group of products to assist local authorities in their aim to create sustainable economic growth in their areas of jurisdiction.
Furthermore, his methodology has been recognised by local and international industries as the preferred approach to profitable, well–structured, and well governed LED.
For more impacted economic planning execution, he collaborates and engages with other globally recognised experts to enhance academic input and growth excellence.
Hendricks said the official launch of the review of the LED process, with grassroots economic leadership participation, will take place on Friday, April 9, and will be hosted by the Kouga Municipality.
He said after the launch, all identified economic sectors within the Kouga region will be engaged in small workshops.
The workshops will end on Thursday, April 22.
“During the workshop sessions, any person active in the sector, or an economic innovator, can contribute, share, or propose LED projects. These ideas, innovations, and projects will form part of the reviewed LED strategy,” said Hendricks.
He said once it forms part of the LED strategy, it will form part of the project pipeline for funding and investment from both private, international and government capacity.
Friday afternoon, April 23, will be dedicated to a presentation of all contributions which will be the key reviewed components of the LED strategy.
Doctor Charlotte du Toit who is an independent advisor and an economic and econometric modelling solutions innovator, who specialises in forecasting, impact and scenario analysis, and learning, will be the keynote speaker at the function hosted by KBF.
KBF aims at collaborating with all forums, associations, and private organisations to be completely inclusive and to unlock real and true sustainability.
Hendricks said the municipality is addressing dedicated capacity within their administrative systems to support the initiative taken to grow and excel together.
