US aid to Namibia to focus on education, conservancies

By: * STAFF REPORTER

THE United States yesterday granted Namibia US$30 million (about N$200 million) in development aid for the next five years.

An agreement on three new Strategic Objective Agreements were

signed in the Namibian capital.

US Ambassador Joyce Barr said the grant would focus on basic

education, community-based natural resource management, democracy

and governance.

 

The money will be channelled through the United States Agency

for International Development (USAID).

 

One of the co-operation programmes would be the training of

teachers, especially for critical subjects such as English,

mathematics and science, to improve education standards in

Namibia.

 

Schools will also be the frontline in the fight against

HIV-AIDS.

 

The USAID programme will support school-based HIV-AIDS projects

to provide care to orphans and vulnerable children while raising

awareness among pupils, teachers and parents, Barr said.

 

Another aid recipient is Namibia's community-based natural

resources management (CBNRM) programme, which USAID has been

funding since 1993.

 

The programme provides technical assistance and training to help

rural communities set up conservancies.

 

As part of its worldwide efforts to promote democracy, the US

government is also supporting efforts in Namibia to strengthen

democratic institutions and processes.

 

Assistance will focus on technical training and institutional

capacity building to reinforce the relationship between civil

society and Government.

 

Helmut Angula, the Director General of the National Planning

Commission (NPC), said at the signing that US aid to Namibia had

increased from US$14,2 million in 2003 to US$26,3 million this

year.

 

Angula said the NPC would sign agreements with specific line

Ministries and NGOs to ensure the smooth implementation of the

programmes.

 

He said while Namibia was committed to democracy, Government

recognised that there were shortcomings in some areas.

 

"In some regions and local authorities there is a need to

improve responsiveness to citizens by elected representatives.

 

We therefore appreciate the support from USAID," said

Angula.=

 

US Ambassador Joyce Barr said the grant would focus on basic

education, community-based natural resource management, democracy

and governance.The money will be channelled through the United

States Agency for International Development (USAID).One of the

co-operation programmes would be the training of teachers,

especially for critical subjects such as English, mathematics and

science, to improve education standards in Namibia.Schools will

also be the frontline in the fight against HIV-AIDS.The USAID

programme will support school-based HIV-AIDS projects to provide

care to orphans and vulnerable children while raising awareness

among pupils, teachers and parents, Barr said.Another aid recipient

is Namibia's community-based natural resources management (CBNRM)

programme, which USAID has been funding since 1993.The programme

provides technical assistance and training to help rural

communities set up conservancies.As part of its worldwide efforts

to promote democracy, the US government is also supporting efforts

in Namibia to strengthen democratic institutions and

processes.Assistance will focus on technical training and

institutional capacity building to reinforce the relationship

between civil society and Government.Helmut Angula, the Director

General of the National Planning Commission (NPC), said at the

signing that US aid to Namibia had increased from US$14,2 million

in 2003 to US$26,3 million this year.Angula said the NPC would sign

agreements with specific line Ministries and NGOs to ensure the

smooth implementation of the programmes.He said while Namibia was

committed to democracy, Government recognised that there were

shortcomings in some areas."In some regions and local authorities

there is a need to improve responsiveness to citizens by elected

representatives.We therefore appreciate the support from USAID,"

said Angula.=

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