Govt prepares new development plan, public, private sector can participate

THE National Planning Commission is co-ordinating the preparation of the Third National Development Plan (NDP3) spanning the period 2007 to 2012.

This time the private sector, civil society and individuals can give input and submit proposals to Government. The donor community is also participating in the planning process.The second development plan (NDP2) expired at the end of 2005.The development plans will run up to 2030 and are part of Government’s ambitious master plan, Vision 2030.The National Planning Commission (NPC) started training sessions on how to prepare submissions in Windhoek yesterday for representatives of all 13 regions.Briefings on procedures were held for different stakeholders last week, including permanent secretaries, parastatals, the private sector, non-governmental institutions and individuals.”Submissions can be made until May this year and the NDP3 will be launched in August,” the Director of Development Planning in the NPC, Sylvia Demas, told The Namibian.”They must, however, submit their proposals to the relevant ministries.If there are submissions from the private sector, individuals or civil society with regard to agriculture or the environment, just as an example, these should be delivered in writing to the Agriculture and the Environment and Tourism Ministries respectively,” Demas said.”The formulation and implementation of the envisaged NDP3 can succeed only with the involvement of all the stakeholders.Therefore, all stakeholders at the centre and in the regions from the public sector, civic organisations, the private sector, international development partner institutions, and the general public are invited to participate in developing the NDP3,” Demas emphasised.”The preparation guidelines can be downloaded from the NPC website at www.npc.gov.na under the headline NPC3,” the Director pointed out.The goals of the NDP3 are derived from the Vision 2030, the 2004 SWAPO Party Manifesto, the directions from the November 2005 Cabinet Retreat, the Millennium Declaration – including the Millennium Development Goals – and lessons learned from the NDP2.The overall theme of the NDP3 is ‘Accelerated Economic Growth through Deepening Rural Development’.The draft guidelines for the formulation of the NDP3 were prepared in the latter part of 2006, and approved by the Cabinet in December 2006.During the first half of this year, Thematic Working Groups (TWGs) will design the programmes and activities to achieve the NDP3 goals.A first draft of the NDP3 is expected to be ready in mid-2007.The donor community is also participating in the planning process.The second development plan (NDP2) expired at the end of 2005.The development plans will run up to 2030 and are part of Government’s ambitious master plan, Vision 2030.The National Planning Commission (NPC) started training sessions on how to prepare submissions in Windhoek yesterday for representatives of all 13 regions.Briefings on procedures were held for different stakeholders last week, including permanent secretaries, parastatals, the private sector, non-governmental institutions and individuals.”Submissions can be made until May this year and the NDP3 will be launched in August,” the Director of Development Planning in the NPC, Sylvia Demas, told The Namibian.”They must, however, submit their proposals to the relevant ministries.If there are submissions from the private sector, individuals or civil society with regard to agriculture or the environment, just as an example, these should be delivered in writing to the Agriculture and the Environment and Tourism Ministries respectively,” Demas said.”The formulation and implementation of the envisaged NDP3 can succeed only with the involvement of all the stakeholders.Therefore, all stakeholders at the centre and in the regions from the public sector, civic organisations, the private sector, international development partner institutions, and the general public are invited to participate in developing the NDP3,” Demas emphasised. “The preparation guidelines can be downloaded from the NPC website at www.npc.gov.na under the headline NPC3,” the Director pointed out.The goals of the NDP3 are derived from the Vision 2030, the 2004 SWAPO Party Manifesto, the directions from the November 2005 Cabinet Retreat, the Millennium Declaration – including the Millennium Development Goals – and lessons learned from the NDP2.The overall theme of the NDP3 is ‘Accelerated Economic Growth through Deepening Rural Development’.The draft guidelines for the formulation of the NDP3 were prepared in the latter part of 2006, and approved by the Cabinet in December 2006.During the first half of this year, Thematic Working Groups (TWGs) will design the programmes and activities to achieve the NDP3 goals.A first draft of the NDP3 is expected to be ready in mid-2007.