WINDHOEK, Namibia - The United Nations (UN) system in Namibia today launched the Sustainable Development Goals Fund (SDG Fund) Joint Programme in collaboration with the Government of Namibia to support the implementation of SDGs in Namibia.

The two-year, USD 1 million programme aims to create the right conditions and capacities for the alignment of public and private capital to the SDGs and the longer-term enhancement of the quality and scale of financing. It also aims to reinforce the national SDG Financing Architecture and Ecosystem.

Hon. Obeth Kandjoze, Director General of the National Planning Commission said the Government will continue working with partners to support long-term investments needed for the sustainable development agenda.

“We gladly welcome this initiative as it contributes to the spirit of partnership,” he said in a statement delivered on his behalf by Ms. Wilhencia Uiras, NPC Executive Director.

“Namibia as an Upper Middle-Income Country faces challenges with mobilizing all possible forms of development finance, (both private and public, domestic and international) to achieve its development. This calls for us to be more creative, determined, and innovative in our efforts.” said Mr. Sen Pang, UN Namibia Resident Coordinator.

Pang also reiterated the importance of collaboration. “Partnership enables us to pool our resources, skills and expertise, in order to achieve our shared objectives. I call upon all of us to implement jointly,” he stated.

The Joint Programme will be implemented under the leadership of the government within the existing government coordination mechanism, with UN support under the United Nations Partnership Framework (UNPAF).

The lead implementing Government agency will be the Ministry of Finance, with the national coordinating authority of the National Planning Commission, inclusive of other key Ministries including, the Ministry of Labour, Industrial Relation and Employment Creation and the Ministry of Gender Equality, Poverty Eradication and Social Welfare.

The UN System will support the Government in the operationalization of the Joint Programme through evidence generation, advocacy and policy advice, technical assistance, capacity development, partnerships and systems strengthening.

UNFPA will be responsible for advancing gender responsive budgeting within the national financing framework through capacity building, tools development and advancing policy advocacy.

The agency will also lead the activity to undertake a detailed analysis of the 2021/22 National Budget to assess the extent to which it is gender and employment responsive while maximizing investments in key social sectors.

The Representative of UNFPA Namibia, Sheila Roseau stated that although Namibia is performing well in the area of gender representation in governance, much work remains to be done to ensure Namibians fully experience the gender equality envisaged in the Constitution and gender policies.

“The ambitions of the national development and, indeed the SDG agenda, particularly Goal 5, will only be met if we can achieve transformative financing, both in scale and scope, from all sources and at all levels,” she stressed.