Regierungsmitteilungen

Namibia bewirbt sich für Sitz des Grünen Klimafonds

 

DSC 9846namibia sNamibia setzt sich mit Nachdruck dafür ein, Sitz des Green Climate Fund zu werden. Botschafter Gertze erklärt: "Unsere Bewerbung zeigt, dass wir alle nötigen Voraussetzungen erfüllen, eine solch wichtige Institution in unserem Land anzusiedeln."

Der Grüne Klimafonds hat die Aufgabe, die Interessen der sich entwickelnden Länder zu vertreten. Aus diesem Grund wäre es nur logisch, so der Botschafter, wenn der GCF auch in einem Teil der sich entwickelnden Welt angesiedelt wäre, "denn hier sind die Auswirkungen des Klimawandels auf soziale und wirtschaftliche Strukturen am gravierendsten. Die Ansiedlung des Grünen Klimafonds Sekretariats in Namibia wird der Welt vor Augen führen, dass die Länder des Südens einen entscheidenden Beitrag im Kampf gegen Klimawandel leisten. Ebenso wird dadurch ein Zeichen gesetzt, dass die VN-Organisationen von allen seinen Mitgliedsländern getragen werden können."

Namibia hat sich im Kampf gegen den Klimawandel und im Bereich des nachhaltigen Klimamanagements einen Namen gemacht. Für andere sich entwickelnde Länder, die eine nachhaltige Wirtschaftsentwicklung anstreben, kann Namibia beispielgebend sein, sagte Botschafter Gertze gestern anlässlich einer Veranstaltung zur deutschen Bewerbung um den Grünen Klimafonds-Sitz im deutschen Auswärtigen Amt. "Namibia ist eine friedliche, sichere und stabile Demokratie und ein Land, das für seine außergewöhnliche Natur bekannt ist. Darüber hinaus bietet die namibische Regierung dem Grünen Klimafonds kostenlose Büroräume - was braucht man sonst noch? Namibia ist ganz einfach der perfekte Ort zur Ansiedlung des Grünen Klimafonds."

Lesen Sie auch den Artikel in der heutigen Süddeutschen Zeitung (SZ), Bonner Buhlen, SZ vom 21.09.2012

SWAPO fine-tunes policy roadmap - Delegates zoom in on key and touchy issues
By Asser Ntinda, SWAPO-Party web.site
swapo policy roadmap SWAPO Party's first ever policy conference ended in Windhoek on Thursday with a host of recommendations that will interrogate delegates at Party's elective congress which starts at the end of November this year.

Over 300 delegates attended the conference, which allowed them to brainstorm and discuss economic and social challenges facing Namibia. The conference was characterized by open and frank discussions.

Self-congratulatory messages took a back-seat. Delegates frankly and openly discussed sensitive issues and emotive challenges with a view to finding lasting solutions and redefine the way forward.

"It was going to be pointless and self-defeating if we only spent the last four days congratulating ourselves on simple successes when we know deep in our heart that there are serious problems which condemn our people to a life of grinding poverty," remarked one delegate shortly after the conference wrapped up.

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CHANGE OF GUARD AT UNAM CHANCELLOR HIFIKEPUNYE POHAMBA

inauguration unam

Namibian Founding President Dr. Sam Nujoma stepped down as Chancellor of the University of Namibia, paving the way for his successor, President Hifikepunye Pohamba, to be at the helm of Namibia's top academic blast furnace.

It was a seamless change of guard reminiscent of when Dr. Nujoma stepped down as Head of State and passed on the baton to President Pohamba nearly eight years ago. Scores of members of the University of Namibia community, senior government officials, members of the diplomatic corps and representatives of Namibia's development partners thronged a hotel in the capital Windhoek to witness the change of leadership, the first such since UNAM's establishment in 1992.

In a stirring valedictory speech, Dr. Nujoma reminisced about bearing witness to and being among the architects of UNAM's metamorphosis from a small, elitist academy to a popular national public university that now boasts of 11 campuses in different parts of the country and has an enrollment of a over 17 000 students from all over the world.

The Founding President admitted that it had not been plain sailing. There had been challenges, he said, some of which still persisted.

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Visitors flock to Ongwediva Trade Fair
New Era, 29 Aug 2012 - Story by Francis Xoagub

President PohambaONGWEDIVA – More than 16 000 visitors have gone through the gates of the Ongwediva Annual Trade Fair in the first three days since the opening of the fair on August 24.

This year’s trade fair attracted 45 international exhibitors from South Africa, Botswana, Angola, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Kenya, Ghana, Nigeria, Indonesia and Japan. The total number of exhibitors at the fair is 450.

“I am happy to see such big representation of exhibitors, a sign that our business community, including Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) are taking advantage of this platform to market and sell their products and services,” said President Hifikepunye Pohamba when he officiated at the opening of this year’s trade fair on August 27.

The Ongwediva Annual Trade Fair has become the premiere trade and investment showcase in the north, allowing for exhibitors to showcase their talent, entrepreneurship and industry. The trade fair runs until September 01 under the theme ‘Creating a Value Chain for the Local Market.’ Pohamba attributed the success of the business sector in the country to government’s significant investments in establishing an environment that is conducive for businesses to operate in and create wealth.“The aim is to promote entrepreneurship and boost trade and commercial activities in the country,” said Pohamba on the many initiatives that government has introduced.

Government investments include the Ministry of Trade and Industry’s industrial parks and SME modules around the country.The country has 42 operational industrial parks and more are under construction at Ongenga, Eenhana, Omuthiya, Karasburg, Kalkfeld, Oshakati and Okahandja.Other government investments are the construction of the automotive and logistics hub at Walvis Bay and the construction of a trade and an industrial multi-purpose centre at Rundu. The government’s equipment aid scheme has so far assisted 580 beneficiaries, most of them SMEs.
 

The SME Bank is expected to remove the problems of access to financing for SMEs, while amendments to the Tender Board Regulations would ensure that SMEs have more participation in the public procurement system.

“I call on our business community, especially the SMEs to be more pro-active and to take full advantage of the conducive business climate created by government,” Pohamba said. Describing the SME sector as the “informal sector shadow economy” the First National Bank of Namibia (FNB) Holdings Chief Executive Officer, Advocate Vekui Rukorosaid SME’s’ collective contribution towards the country’s GDP could exceed 26 percent. “This demonstrates the importance of the sector. However, as our country is plagued by low economic growth and unacceptably high unemployment figures, the real challenge is to find ways to help SMEs grow their business to become part of the mainstream economy and create new jobs. Simply put, we need to find innovative ways to help the SME sector grow. One such way is events such as the Ongwediva Trade Fair,” said Rukoro.

Thousands honour fallen heroes
New Era, 28 Aug 2012 - Story by Francis Xoagub

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OMUTHIYA – President Hifikepunye Pohamba on Sunday castigated critics condemning the Namibian Government’s decision to donate wild animals from Namibia to the Cuban government, following a bilateral agreement between the two governments.
About 150 animals, including elephants, large carnivores, small predators, antelope and vultures form part of the consignment that the government decided to donate to Cuba. They will be transported via air by October this year.

“We should not only be recipients but also givers,” Pohamba countered critics of the donation during the commemoration of Heroes’ Day held at Omuthiya in the Oshikoto Region, in which he led the nation in honouring the heroes and heroines who participated in the liberation struggle, which swept Swapo Party to power at independence.

Diverting from a prepared speech, he said it is time that Namibians start appreciating the sacrifices made by the Cuban people during and after the liberation struggle.

“Do not be threatened by the Cubans. Still today, thousands of Namibians are studying in that country. Cuba’s policy of educating our children is a great sacrifice that should be commended,” President Pohamba told the thousands gathered for Heroes’ Day.
On Sunday scores of people thronged a makeshift stadium in Omuthiya to honour the country’s gallant sons and daughters who fought for the country’s liberation.

This year no awards or medals were bestowed, but those in attendance were treated to a thrilling fly-past by Namibian Air Force jets and planes, as well as a parachute-jumping show.
Cultural groups from all tribes provided entertainment.

Pohamba said as Namibians celebrate Heroes’ Day, they should also remember that people went to war for every Namibian to have equal opportunities in a free society.

He said the day was observed with reverence and deep appreciation for the emancipation and freedom that were brought about by the country’s fallen and living heroes and heroines.

Pohamba said the biggest challenge presently is the need to guarantee that future generations will continue to realise the role played by the fallen freedom fighters and to celebrate their lives.

The President paid tribute to Chief Nehale Lya Mpingana who engaged the colonial forces at Namutoni, not far from Omuthiya, in answering a call from Samuel Maharero who was fighting the colonial forces in the central area of Namibia, while Hendrick Witbooi and Jakob Marenga were engaging the colonial forces further in the south.

“We also remember other heroes of the anti-colonial struggle such as Kahimemua Nguvauva, Simon Kooper, Nikodemus Kavikunua, Mandume ya Ndemufayo, Iipumbu ya Tshilongo, and many others,” he listed some among many heroes and heroines.
The President made special mention of living stalwarts of the revolution such as Dr Sam Nujoma, who led the National Liberation Struggle; Andimba Toivo Ya Toivo, Mzee Simon Kaukungwa and many others who are still alive.

“We salute them all, the unsung heroes and heroines of our revolution. Let us rededicate ourselves to the task of nation-building. Namibia needs all of us to do our part and to contribute to the development of our country, the strengthening of communities and the revitalisation of our social fabric,” he said.

Independence, he went on, placed the destiny of Namibians in their own hands, and it means that they should plan, establish new frameworks for governance, build institutions and mobilise the required resources to fund developmental programmes to foster progress.

It means cultivating an enabling political climate to promote national reconciliation and mutual understanding after decades of war and conflict.

Pohamba, among others, also mentioned the appointment of a Presidential Commission of Inquiry into the state of the public health care system.

Among those who attended Sunday’s commemoration in Omuthiya were Founding President Sam Nujoma, Prime Minister Nahas Angula and his Deputy, Marko Hausiku, National Assembly Speaker, Theo-Ben Gurirab, Chairperson of the National Council, Asser Kapere, the Ondonga Traditional Authority’s King Immanuel Kauluma Elifas, Cabinet ministers and deputy ministers, as well as regional governors and councillors from various constituencies in the regions.

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