POVERTY, unemployment, slow economic growth and the rapid growth of Windhoek’s population continue to mar the urban landscape, said Windhoek mayor Mathew Shikongo, at the last municipal council meeting for the year last week.
“Our democracy must … bring its material fruits to all, particularly the poor, marginalized and vulnerable,” said Shikongo.
Notwithstanding the city’s challenges, Shikongo noted that Windhoek has become an inspiration to many with increased interest shown by other regional councils and local authorities.
This year, the city has played host to visits from Finland, a delegation from the City of Orleans in France, the Association of Local Authorities in Kenya, a high-powered delegation of 67 councillors from the southern district of Botswana, a delegation from the Chris Hani District Municipality, from the city of Lubumbashi in the DRC, and a delegation from Harelbeke in Belgium.
Shikongo said much interest was shown in the city’s waste management strategy, as Windhoek is dubbed the ‘cleanest city in the world’.
Windhoek has also been selected alongside 18 other world cities as being one of the best foreign cities to be invested in by Chinese enterprises.