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Tuesday, April 30, 2002 - Web posted at 9:09:26 pm GMT

UN volunteers to support Govt capacity-building

A UNITED Nations programme to supply volunteers to assist Namibia in its capacity-building initiatives, through upgrading civil servants' skills, was officially launched in the capital yesterday.

The United Nations Volunteer (UNV) support programme was announced by the Director General of the National Planning Commission, Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila.

The programme, which was signed by GRN and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) on March 15, entails the provision of 1 070 international and local UN volunteers over the next five years, translating into 200 UNVs each year.

The estimated cost of the programme is US$28 910 360 (about N$303, 5 million). Government has committed itself to contribute US$3,6 million (about N$37, 8 million) through its beneficiary institutions during the implementation period of the programme.

The UNDP and the UNV will contribute some US$300 000.
"The volunteers will provide capacity-building support through gap-filling and the upgrading of the skills of the staff of Government institutions in order to help strengthen the Namibian human and institutional capacities for poverty reduction, decentralisation and development management, " said Kuugongelwa-Amadhila.

She said the initiative was aimed at filling the skills vacuum left by colonial South African civil servants. In addition, 12 programmes have been supported by the UNV in Namibia.

UNDP Resident Representative in Namibia, Dr Jacqui Badcock, said the programme was intended to support Government in the areas of decentralisation, and poverty reduction, health services and education and vocational training.

She said her organisation considers the programme a top priority in its development support in Namibia.

"The programme will increasingly be oriented to supporting regional and community level work, while mainstreaming HIV-AIDS and gender issues that are of national priority," Badcock said.

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