EU backs Namibia’s cultural data drive with €5m (N$104 m) for Unesco Indicators Project

European Union (EU) ambassador Ana-Beatriz Martins at the kick-off workshop, Windhoek, 1 July 2025

Good morning! I’m truly delighted to be here today as we launch the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco) Culture|2030 Indicators Project in Namibia. 

This important initiative is a collaboration between the City of Windhoek, the Ministry of Education, Innovation, Youth, Sport, Arts and Culture, and Unesco – and I’m proud to say that the European Union (EU) is a partner in this journey.

This project is entirely dedicated to policy strengthening and will implement the Unesco Culture|2030 Indicators methodology to measure how culture contributes across the Sustainable Development Goals. It’s a vital step in recognising culture not just as a sector, but as a driver of sustainable development.

The EU is pleased to support this effort with a total contribution of €5 million. 

The project includes three key components:

• technical assistance to strengthen policies and regulations for cultural and creative industries,
  
• the implementation of the Culture|2030 Indicators, and
  
• the preparation of the Global Report on Cultural Policies that will be presented at the upcoming Mondiacult event in September,
  

One of the persistent challenges we face is the lack of reliable data to measure culture’s true impact. Without clear data, culture often remains undervalued in policy and development planning. This project seeks to change that – by building robust systems to measure how culture supports economic growth, social cohesion, and environmental sustainability.

What makes this initiative even more meaningful is that it will strengthen data collection capacities through inclusive workshops and foster community engagement and participatory governance. A technical report with recommendations will follow, helping inform and shape policy decisions aligned with the 2030 Agenda.

As we know, culture is not only an enabler of sustainable development – it’s a catalyst for innovation, identity, and resilience. We hope this project will encourage policymakers to integrate culture into broader development policies and mobilise both public and private resources in support of the cultural and creative sectors.

It’s inspiring that president Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, in her first State of the Nation address, highlighted the creative industries as a national strategic priority – particularly to empower Namibia’s youth through creativity and innovation.

This commitment is significant, and I am pleased to announce that culture and creative industries will feature as one of the focal sectors at the second EU-Namibia Business Forum next year.

Beyond this project, we’re also proud to support Unesco in the Africa-Europe Cultural Cooperation Programme, aimed at promoting intercultural dialogue and cultural diversity. In particular, the new Africa-Europe Partnerships for Culture project will promote sustainable, heritage-based tourism and strengthen cultural production in six southern African countries – Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Namibia, South Africa, and Zimbabwe. The goal is to foster regional integration, socio-economic development, and deeper connections between communities through shared cultural and heritage experiences.

I commend the education ministry, the City of Windhoek, and Unesco for embracing this forward-looking initiative. We are excited to see the outcomes and impact of this work.

This collaboration reflects the strength of the EU–Unesco partnership – a partnership built on shared values, multilateralism, and the belief in evidence-based, inclusive development.

Thank you very much.

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