The US ambassador to Namibia, Lisa Johnson, has congratulated President Hage Geingob and the people of Namibia on the 30th anniversary of Namibia’s independence that was celebrated Saturday across the diamond-rich country.
“Namibia’s 30-year tradition of pluralistic democracy, commitment to human rights, and respect for freedoms are indeed worth celebrating. These shared democratic values are the foundation of our strong bilateral relationship in which the United States and Namibia partner together, prosper together and grow together,” Ambassador Johnson said.
The US government, through its President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (Pepfar) and with Namibian government as implementing partners, supports a comprehensive program of HIV prevention, care and treatment, through which it has availed millions of dollars.
The Pepfar Small Grants Programme also focuses on supporting grassroots and community-run projects that seek to mitigate the spread and impact of HIV/Aids in Namibian communities. The programme typically funds two to four projects a year, with the average grant ranging between US$20 000 and US$25 00 for one year.
Before the recent global recall of Peace Corps volunteers due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the US government deployed dozens of Peace Corps volunteers to Namibia to work with local communities in education and health sectors, among others.