WINDHOEK – Germany has committed to provide N$2 billion to Namibia for various joint projects, its embassy in Windhoek said.
This commitment, the embassy said in a media statement yesterday, includes assistance for drought relief and increasing climate resilience, of N$160 million.
This is the outcome of negotiations on development cooperation between the Namibian and German governments that were held in Berlin, Germany, on Tuesday and Wednesday this week.
According to the embassy, since the independence of Namibia, Germany has so far supported the economic, social and ecological development of the country with about N$19.2 billion.
The embassy said the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the Agenda 2030 and the National Development Plan 5 form the framework for the structuring of German-Namibian cooperation.
Therefore, the embassy promised Namibia further support for the planning, financing and monitoring of the implementation of the SDGs.
“Within the negotiations both parties also agreed on the enhancement of the cooperation for a quality-driven transformation and expansion of the technical and vocational education (TVET) system,” reads the statement.
Special attention, according to the statement, will be drawn to the training of trainers as well as the establishment of a TVET faculty at the Namibia University of Science and Technology (Nust).
The embassy said Germany will also continue its support to the conservation and sustainable use of natural resources.
“New integrated programs with a focus on the adaptation of the use of land and resources to climate change as well as the support of access to financing for small farmers shall support a sustainable and inclusive growth in rural areas,” it said.
Furthermore, the embassy said the German government will increasingly support sustainable urban development.
“To address the urgent need for action in the informal urban settlements, Germany and Namibia agreed on two new projects for sustainable and inclusive urban development as well as promotion of urban infrastructure,” the embassy said.
“These projects are aimed at supporting the Namibian Government and selected communities to provide access to secure land titles and to noticeably improve the living conditions of low-income households,” it said.
Within financial cooperation, the embassy said both parties also agreed on the expansion of the existing credit line to the Development Bank of Namibia for climate relevant infrastructure, among others for projects in the energy, water and transport sectors.
This, the embassy said, will be targeting the constraints for a reliable and climate-resilient water supply of the capital city, and immediate action to accelerate the cooperation for a secure water supply of Windhoek was agreed.