By Wezi Tjaronda
WINDHOEK
Namibia has maintained the 125th position it attained last year on the Human Development Index.
This ranking has brought concern that the country has not made much progress since 2004 when it ranked number 126.
This is, however, not surprising.
According to UNDP Resident Representative, Simon Nhongo, human development is falling because of the impact of HIV/AIDS.
While East and South Asia have been increasing their HDI score and Central and Eastern Europe and Commonwealth of Independent States have recovered, sub-Saharan Africa is an exception.
The report said the region has stagnated because of economic reversals but mainly because of the effect of HIV/AIDS on life expectancy.
The Human Development Report publishes the HDI, which looks beyond the GDP to a broader definition of well-being. The HDI measures life expectancy, adult literacy and enrolment at primary, secondary and tertiary levels and purchasing power parity.
Namibia follows Sao Tome and Principe and Botswana at numbers 123 and 124 respectively.
The country is placed 154 on life expectancy at birth, which stands at 51.6, 75 on adult literacy and 120 on combined primary, secondary and tertiary education and number 78 on GDP per capita.
Namibia has a GDP per capita of US$7ǟ