Wezi Tjaronda
9 November 2007
Windhoek — Namibia and Germany this week signed a Memorandum of Understanding on the "Special Namibia-German Initiative for Community-Driven Development Projects for some regions in Namibia".
A statement from the National Planning Commission (NPC) yesterday said Germany would provide N$160 million for the initiative, which will be implemented over a period of three to five years.
The Special Initiative covers 133 community-initiated projects in Karas, Hardap, Erongo, Omaheke, Otjozondjupa, and Kunene regions, where Germany acknowledged special historical and moral responsibility. NPC Director General, Helmut Angula and Secretary of State in the German Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development, Karin Kortmann, signed the MOU at the start of the two-day Namibia-German governmental negotiations on Tuesday morning in Bonn, Germany.
Angula said the cooperation between Germany and Namibia is anchored in a common history and cultural ties between the two peoples who "share same values and democratic principles." On Wednesday, the NPC and the German Development Bank, (KfW) on behalf of the German Government signed a partial 12 million euro financing agreement to fast-track the implementation of the special initiative projects.
The on-going Governmental Bilateral Negotiations cover three focal areas of cooperation in natural resources management, transport and sustainable economic development, as well as crosscutting issues of HIV/AIDS to the tune of 56 million euros for this year. For next year, the German government committed, in principle, another 40 million euro. Since Namibia's independence, Germany has given Namibia 344 million euro in technical and financial assistance.
The German Federal Republic in 2005, proposed a special initiative and promised to commit N$160 million for development projects in areas and communities that had "historic ties" with the German colonial government and which the present German government considers a special moral and political responsibility in Namibia. Deputy Prime Minister, Dr Libertina Amathila, undertook an information and consultation mission to the regions and compiled a report that contained a list of projects that would be carried out in the different communities.
Cabinet assigned the Director-General of the National Planning Commission to sign a Memorandum of Understanding pertaining to the special initiative on behalf of the Government of Namibia.
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