GIZ Namibia – Country Presentation
Overview of Sectors, Objectives and Results achieved
Last update: October 2010
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The GIZ in Namibia
 GIZ has been working in Namibia since Namibian independence in 1990 and
has an office in Windhoek since 1994.
 The office is headed by the country director Friedrich von Kenne
 The German Development Cooperation in Namibia concentrates on three focal
areas:
 Management of Natural Resources
 Sustainable Economic Development
 Street Transport
as well as the cross cutting project
 HIV/Aids Control in Namibia
and the project outside the focal areas:
 Archives of Anti-Colonial Resistance and Liberation Struggle
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Natural Resources Management
Framework Conditions:
 Natural resources such as soil, water, mineral commodities and biodiversity
form the basis for Namibia’s economic development
 Socio-economic disparities and the fragility of the natural environment require
targeted but sensitive policies and interventions
 An integrated approach needs to preserve ecologically valuable resources and
secure fair resource distribution while promoting sustainable utilisation
Challenges to sustainable natural resources management:
 Unequal access to and unproductive utilisation of natural resources, including land and water
 Impact of climate change on the resource-based economy of Namibia
 Need to enhance political decentralisation to promoting self-administration specifically in rural areas
 Lack of human capacities on all levels and sectors but specifically on regional, local and communal level
Potentials:
 Extensive underutilised natural resources including biodiversity potentials (e.g. natural
cosmetics, medical plants), water (irrigation along perennial rivers) and land (in both commercial
and communal areas)
 Successful implementation and best practices in land reform (45% of 2020 target reached) and
rural water supply (81% of rural population with access to drinking water)
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Support to Land Reform (SLR)
Project Objectives
Overall Objective
Capacity development
for key stakeholders
of land reform
Development of
strategies and policy
recommendations
for land reform
Conceptualization and
coordination of a
constitutionally
implemented land reform
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Improvement of legal
framework conditions for
secure land use in
communal areas and
equitable access to land in
commercial areas
Project in Brief
 Project title:
Support to Land Reform
 Project partner:
 Ministry of Lands and
Resettlement (MLR)
 Timeframe:
 Planned Duration: 01/03 – 09/13
 Duration Phase III: 02/10 – 09/13
 Contribution to Phase III:
€ 5,5 Mio.
 Contact:
Team Leader: Christian Graefen
Christian.Graefen@giz.de,
Martina.Roemer@giz.de
Support to Land Reform (SLR)
Results: What has been achieved so far
Component 1
Component 2
Component 3
Development of strategies
and policy recommendations
for land reform
Capacity development for
key stakeholders of land reform
Conceptualization &
coordination of a constitutionally
implemented land reform
A Land Reform Action Plan provides a
coherent national strategy for land
reform that ensures full transparency
of land reform targets and process as
well as buy-in from all relevant political
stakeholders, the Namibian public and
the donor community.
Under the policy leadership of the
MLR, Communal Land Boards have
been capacitated to competently
implement land registration (22,000
titles issued; 10,000 or 45% women
as beneficiaries) and resolve land
disputes and conflicts (185 out of 188
claims resolved).
Innovative approaches (as concerted
effort of GIZ, KfW, EC) allow for
efficient
land
verification
and
registration; a mentorship program for
post-settlement support (with 37
mentors and 1700 mentees).
Implementation of land reform is “on
target” with a total of 6,7 Mio ha of
land redistributed which equals 45%
of the 2020 target.
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Namibian University of Science and
Technology (Polytechnic) enabled to
build national training
capacities
through a MSc Program on Land
Management (with presently 22
students).
Revised national land tax system
based on legally confirmed land
valuation criteria provides N$ 33 Mio
taxes p.a. that are dedicated to land
reform / acquisition.
Namibian Water Resources Management Project (NWRM)
Project Objectives
Overall Objective
Capacity development for
national IWRM decision
makers and key
stakeholders
Creation of decentralized
water user groups and
support to IWRM
application
Supporting MAWF in
coordinating the
implementation of IWRM
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Improvement of the
management of the
Namibian Water
Resources, on the basis of
Integrated Water Resource
Management (IWRM)
Project in Brief
 Project title:
Namibian Water Resources
Management Project
 Complemented by:
EC co-funded: Sustainable IWRM
in the Cuvelai-Etosha Basin
 Project partner:
 Ministry of Agriculture, Water
and Forestry
 Timeframe:
 Planned Duration: 01/99 – 03/12
 Duration Phase III: 08/06 – 03/12
 Contribution to Phase III:
€ 4,1 Mio (complemented by EC:
€ 3,2 Mio).
 Contact:
Team Leader: Martin Neumann,
Martin.Neumann@giz.de
Namibian Water Resources Management Project (NWRM)
Results: What has been achieved so far
Component 1
Component 2
Component 3
Enhancing the capacities of
national IWRM decision makers
and key stakeholders
Creation of decentralized
water user groups and
support to IWRM application
Supporting MAWF in
coordinating the
implementation of IWRM
Eight Basin Management Committees
(BMCs) effectively enhance the
demand oriented and sustainable
water
resource
management,
specifically in the Cuvelai Basin in the
north of Namibia.
MAWF adapts organizational structure
and water legislation to requirements
of
IWRM
implementation,
e.g.
Creation of Basin Management Unit at
Ministry level and the adequate
resourcing of decentralized BMC’s for
integrated
water
resources
management.
Demarcation of Namibia
hydrological basins .
into
12
Improved
management
of
the
disastrous floods in the densely
populated areas of Northern Namibia,
through satellite based forecasting
and monitoring.
Namibian University of Science and
Technology (Polytechnic) enabled to
develop
curricula
for
Natural
Resources
Management
master
studies.
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Model developments in the Kuiseb
and the Cuvelai basin promote
self- administration and decentralized
water resource management in the
country.
Both MAWF and regional BMCs plan
integrated water management based
on scientific data (including BGR
exploration
of
groundwater
resources).
Biodiversity and Sustainable Land Management (BSLM)
Project Objectives
Overall Objective
Strengthen institutional
capacity and service
delivery of MET
Implementation of
Environmental
Management Act
Sustain use of biodiversity
through biotrade
and bio-prospecting
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Improved framework for
sustainable management
of natural resources
through private and public
users
Project in Brief
 Project title:
Biodiversity and Sustainable Land
Management
 Project partner:
Ministry of Environment and
Tourism (MET)
 Timeframe:
Planned Duration: 08/04 – 12/12
Duration Phase II: 07/08 – 12/12
 Contribution to Phase II:
€ 3,57 Mio.
 Contact:
Team Leader: Konrad Uebelhoer,
konrad.uebelhoer@giz.de
Biodiversity and Sustainable Land Management (BSLM)
Results: What has been achieved so far
Component 1
Component 2
Component 3
Strengthen institutional
capacity and service delivery
of MET
Implementation of Environmental
Management Act
Sustainable use of
biodiversity through biotrade &
bio-prospecting
Strategic Plan of Ministry of
Environment and Tourism (MET)
finalized, which led to improved
annual planning, transparency and
donor coordination.
Environmental
Management
Act
(EMA) passed by parliament and
gazetted in 2007.
Value chains developed and promoted
with public and private partners, e.g.
opening up new market opportunities
for Marula oil value chain (primary
beneficiaries: over 5000 women
producers in north central Namibia).
New
structure
for
MET’s
reorganization and decentralization
approved and
required
budget
provided.
The
institutional
strengthening
contributes significantly to increasing
efficiency and effectiveness of METs
service delivery and therewith to a
more sustainable use of natural
resources in Namibia.
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Regulations for Environmental Impact
Assessment (EIA) and Strategic
Environmental Assessment (SEA)
approved by Attorney General and
ready to be gazetted when new
structure in place.
The enforcement of the EMA
contributes to the reduction of
negative environmental impacts and
secures the sustainability of new
developments.
Improved framework for regulating
access to- and benefit from genetic
resources developed and Namibia
actively co-facilitated the decision on
an International ABS Regime under
CBD.
Incentives are created for income
diversification through sustainable use
of biodiversity.
Partnership for Economic Growth
Framework Conditions:
 Despite a relatively high GDP per capita of US$ 6,388 (2009), approx. 28%
of Namibia`s inhabitants live below the poverty line. Officially,
unemployment stands at over 51%.
 Pronounced disparities remain a characteristic feature of the Namibian
economy and society. Namibia is amongst the countries with the largest
income disparities worldwide (Gini coefficient 2009: 0.6).
Challenges to sustainable and equitable private sector-led growth:
 Cumbersome administrative procedures and regulations and inequitable land rights allocation
 Lack of coordination within government and between government and the private sector
 Weak organisation of private sector
 Access to financial services
 Low productivity and skill level, further threatened by HIV/AIDS pandemic
 Lack of diversification of the economy
 Small domestic market dominated by South African imports
Potentials:
Improved economic policy, administrative and legal framework conditions on local and national level as
well as increased access to finance improves competitiveness of enterprises o a broad base.
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Project Objectives
Overall Objective
Project in Brief
Improvement of the
conditions for
private sector growth
and employment
Project title:
Partnership for Economic Growth (PEG)
Project partners:
 Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI)
 Ministry of Local and Regional
Government, Housing and Rural
Development (MLRGHRD)
 Ministry of Finance (MoF)
 National Planning Commission (NPC)
Timeframe:
 Planned Duration: 04/05 – 12/13
 Duration Phase III: 04/11 – 12/13
Contribution
 Overall: € 10 M
 Phase III: € 4 M
Contact:
Daniel Bagwitz, daniel.bagwitz@giz.de
Enabling environment
at national level
Enabling environment
at local level / Local
and regional economic
development
Financial systems
development
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Results: What has been achieved so far
Component 1
Component 2
Component 3
Enabling environment
on national level
Sub national environment /
Local economic
development
Financial systems
development
With the aid of the project, the Ministry
of Trade and Industry, together with
other government institutions has conducted its first ever National Enterprise
Census and is currently supported in
analyzing and publishing the data.
The project has supported the
development of a White Paper on
Local Economic Development. The
White Paper has been adopted by the
Namibian cabinet in March 2009.
Establishing the basic population of
businesses in Namibia will allow
government to better plan and monitor
their policy interventions. Moreover the
data will provide valuable information
for potential investors.
The component has also supported
NCCI and NMA in developing, conducting and branding an annual business and investment climate survey
with the first Survey published in 2010.
On the basis of this data, the project
now focuses on concrete business
environment reforms.
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On the basis of this White Paper, a
Local Economic Development Agency
(LEDA) has been set up.
The LEDA will, amongst others, build
up local capacities in Local Economic
Development (LED), establish and
operate a competition-based funding
system for LED activities and provide
practical assistance to the policy
making process of the national
government in respect of LED.
Public private dialogues have been
conducted nationwide in order to
identify and prioritize obstacles to
business growth.
The
project-initiated
Microfinance
Initiative “Koshi Yomuti” in the northern
regions of Namibia provides almost
12500 people – over 90% of them
women – with loans to sustain their
livelihoods or to engage in small
businesses. Their economic activities
enable the clients to take care for 8.4
people on average within their
households.
With support of the German Financial
Cooperation, this pilot project has been
transformed into Namibia’s first
Microfinance bank - Fides Bank
Namibia.
Further,
increasing
access
to
responsible financial services, support
is given to introduce mobile payment
solutions, reduce banking charges and
increase financial literacy.
Transport Sector – Strengthening of Institutional
Development in the Road Sector of Namibia
Framework Conditions:
 Unbalanced development of the transport infrastructure during colonial rule
and apartheid
 Access to transport routes and opportunities for participating in social and
economic life are very unevenly distributed
 While more than 50% of Namibia’s population lives in communal areas in the
northern part of the country, this region has only 10% of the entire road network
 Especially during the rainy season, access to local markets as well as to
educational, health care and administrative facilities is not ensured
Challenges to the institutional development in the road sector:
 Lack of qualified personnel, especially in the public sector organizations
 Coordination and involvement of various stakeholders in political processes
Potentials:
The Namibian Government implemented an exemplary Road Sector Reform containing two elements:
 Creation of State owned Enterprises (SoE) to ensure sufficient funding through Road User Charges
(through RFA) and to increase the efficiency in managing the Road network (through Roads Authority)
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Project Objectives
Strengthen an enabling
environment for the
consolidation of the road
sector reform
Enhance the human
resource capacities
and human resource
development
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Overall Objective
The Planning, coordination
and financing of the road
sector is in line with
economic and sustainability
principles.
Project in Brief
 Project title:
Strengthening of Institutional
Development in the Road Sector
 Project partners:
Ministry of Works and Transport
(MWT)
 Timeframe:
 Planned Duration: 07/04- 06/16
 Duration Phase I: 07/04 – 10/11
 Contribution to Phase I:
€ 4,0 Mio.
 Contact:
Prof. Dr. Ing. Heinrich Semar, Team
Leader: heinrich.semar@giz.de
Results: What has been achieved so far
Component 1
Component 2
Consolidation
of the reform
Enhance human
resource capacities
GIZ and KfW jointly support the consolidation of the
reform process in the Ministry and the parastatals in the
subsector in order to promote good governance in the
subsector by strengthening transparency, planning and
monitoring competence.
- The Polytechnic of Namibia, the University of Namibia
and several German partner-universities entered into a
cooperation agreement
To support institutional development, GIZ advises the
Minister in terms of transport policies, in questions of
financing the transport sector and Road Safety.
• Establishment of Road Safety Policy (coordinating Road
Safety Efforts)
• Implementation of a performance monitoring system
(enables the Ministry to regulate the state-owned
enterprises by setting key performance indicators)
• Performance Management System (PMS) is developed
to improve supervision of employees and indicate training
needs
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- development of an international acknowledged demand
oriented curricula in civil engineering geared towards
international requirements.
- exchange program with lecturers from Germany helps to
relieve personnel shortages at the local Universities and
helps training Namibian lecturers to ensure a sustainable
improvement the academic staff.
By making the degree program more attractive to
prospective students this cooperation contributes to
increasing the number of civil engineers.
- Between 2004 and 2010, the number of enrolled civil
engineers increased by 70%. 25% are women.
- In 2011, 8 Roads Authority and Ministry employees were
enrolled in the newly developed Master courses in a parttime basis
Multisectoral HIV/AIDS Control Project
Framework Conditions:
 Namibia is one of the five countries with the highest prevalence of HIV and AIDS in the world.
According to the national Sentinel Survey, the HIV prevalence rate among pregnant women
amounted to 18,8% in 2010.
 Social inequity, widespread poverty, high mobility, massive disadvantages of the female population,
alcohol abuse and multiple concurrent partnerships continue to fuel the epidemic.
 The impact of the generalized HIV and AIDS epidemic on the public and private sector accounts for
a loss of productivity, an increase in costs as well as a loss of qualified personnel.
Challenges:
Inadequate coverage with culturally adapted HIV and AIDS prevention services and deficient access
for vulnerable target groups
Ineffective communication and coordination between national and regional levels and public and
private sector to sustain implementation of prevention activities
Lack of qualified personnel, management and organizational capacities reinforced by a high turn over
of staff and senior management
Potentials:
Namibia’s National HIV and AIDS Strategy aims at engaging all economic sectors through its
multisectoral approach. If supported in establishing workplace programmes and developing a coordinated
HIV & AIDS sector response, sector institutions and organizations are enabled to protect their employees
and target groups of HIV and AIDS and its impact.
If existing decentralized local HIV and AIDS coordination structures are strengthened, the local
response to the epidemic becomes more demand-oriented and therefore effective.
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Project Objectives
Internal and external
mainstreaming
of HIV and AIDS
Strengthening of local
responses to HIV and
AIDS in the four north
central regions
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Project Objectives
Partners of the priority
areas of German
Development Cooperation
and the four north central
regions address the causes
and effects of HIV and
AIDS systematically and
effectively.
Project in Brief
 Project title: Multisectoral HIV &
AIDS Control Project
 Project partner:
 Ministry of Health and Social
Services (lead executing agency)
 Partner ministries of German
Development Cooperation,
associated state-owned & private
sector companies, umbrella and
civil society organizations
 Timeframe:
 Planned Duration: 10/05 – 06/14
 Duration Phase I: 10/05 – 06/11
 Contribution to Phase I: € 5,98 Mio.
 Contact: Team Leader Carmen
Perez Samaniego, carmen.perezsamaniego@giz.de
Results: What has been achieved so far
Component 1
Component 2
Internal and external
mainstreaming
Strengthening of local responses to HIV and
AIDS in the four north central regions
Partner ministries were equipped with a pool of trained peer
educators who consult, educate and raise awareness
around HIV and AIDS related issues within their
organizations.
The quality and implementation of the HIV and AIDS plans
at regional and constituency level improved. Management
capacities and structures are strengthened and a better
understanding of roles and responsibilities of the Regional
and Constituency AIDS Coordinating was achieved.
Trainings with ministerial management led to a better
understanding and awareness with regard to the impacts of
HIV and AIDS on the employees and sectors.
Impact assessments and baseline studies for sector polices
and mainstreaming approaches document these impacts
and led ministries to address HIV and AIDS in their
strategic and operational plans.
Partner ministries and other sectoral partners established
HIV and AIDS workplace programs which successfully
address their employees and/or target groups (Namibian
National Farmers Union, Namibia Business Coalition on
HIV/AIDS, Walvis Bay Corridor Group and others).
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Regional and local authorities participate in working groups
on the following topics:
1. Strengthening
ownership
local
and
regional
leadership
and
2. HIV and AIDS mainstreaming into development planning
3. Streamlining local and regional coordination structures
and mechanisms
The working groups developed guidelines that are in the
process of implementation and recommendations that are
currently discussed with the competent authorities.
Archives of Anti-Colonial Resistance and Liberation
Struggle (AACRLS)
Framework Conditions:
After a long liberation struggle Namibia gained independence in
1990. During the occupation period, many historical records were
destroyed or transferred abroad .These are now in the archives of
former colonial powers, international organisations, countries of
exile and centres of international solidarity. Materials and sources
relating to the anti-colonial resistance and the liberation struggle are
incomplete and have not been systematically and critically
examined.
Challenges:
 Records and documents are scattered over many countries, museums and institutions.
 Research activities into Namibia’s past and information on this subject are laden with prejudices.
 The history of resistance is in increasing danger of being forgotten. The number of eyewitnesses is decreasing.
There is thus a real danger that adequate documentation of this important period may no longer be possible.
Potentials:
 Material on anti-colonial resistance and liberation struggle are secured and through research enhanced.
 Participating and implementing organizations are strengthened in their capacity for collection,
processing and networking.
 The results of the collection and research efforts are used in education and public relation work.
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Archives of Anti-Colonial Resistance and Liberation Struggle
(AACRLS)
Project Objectives
Overall Objective
Material on anticolonial resistance is
secured and through
research enhanced.
Participating
organisations are
strengthened in their
capacity for collection
and processing..
Results in collection and
research efforts are
used in public education
work.
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Governmental, civil-society
institutions and the media
promote a differentiated,
decolonized view of
Namibia’s history
Project in Brief
 Project title:
Archives of Anti-Colonial
Resistance and Liberation Struggle
 Project partner:
 Ministry of Education
 Timeframe:
 Duration: 11/01 – 12/10
 Contribution
€ 1,3 Mio.
 Contact:
Daniela Schöneburg Schultz,
daniela.schoeneburgschultz@giz.de
Archives of Anti-Colonial Resistance and Liberation Struggle
(AACRLS)
Results: What has been achieved so far
Component 1
Component 2
Component 3
Material on anti-colonial resistance
is secured and through research
enhanced.
Participating organisations are
strengthened in their capacity for
collection and processing.
Results in collection and research
efforts are used in public education
work.
Numerous historic material dealing
with many topics and historic incidents
has been collected in Namibia.
Through
the
procurement
of
specialised
IT-Equipment,
the
capacity of the National Archives of
Namibia is strengthened and it is
enabled to deal with requirements of
modern archival system.
Numerous books written by people
who were actively involved in the
struggle are due for publication.
The Swiss-German Chapter of the
project
does intense research in
European Libraries and Institutes in
order to repatriate material on the
anti-colonial liberation struggle.
Oral researchers recorded numerous
Interviews with eyewitnesses of the
liberation struggle.
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Training efforts for national staff
improved the critical short staff base
of the National Archive.
Bursaries in the fields of history and
archiving are given to Namibian
students.
A webpage: “Namibia – Anti-Colonial
Resistance and Liberation Struggle”
has
been
established.
http://www.natarch.edu.na/aacrls/inde
x.php
A history conference took place in
November 2009 and showcased the
achievements of AACRLS and to
encourage discussion on the recent
history of Namibia.