Mariental has been hailed as a national leader in disaster preparedness following the launch of its Disaster Risk Reduction Strategy and Action Plan (2026–2030).
Addressing the launch on Friday, prime minister Elijah Ngurare said the southern town had transformed itself into a model for disaster risk management.
“The Mariental of yesteryears is not the Mariental of today. Mariental is on the move and now leading in disaster risk management,” he said.
The strategy, developed over more than two years under the Making Cities Resilient 2030 initiative, makes Mariental the second municipality in Namibia, after Windhoek, to adopt a dedicated disaster risk reduction strategy.
Ngurare said the plan will strengthen the town’s preparedness for disasters and climate-related risks while improving long-term resilience.
He urged regional and local authorities across the country to encourage households, particularly in fire-prone suburbs, to acquire affordable fire extinguishers, stressing that effective disaster management begins long before emergencies occur.
“Resilience happens long before disaster strikes,” he said.
He also commended the United Nations, the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction, GIZ and other development partners for supporting the formulation of the strategy.
He pledged the government’s continued collaboration in strengthening disaster preparedness nationwide.
Ngurare renewed his appeal to young people in the Hardap region to take advantage of the government’s N$500-million collateral-free national youth development fund, saying it offers an opportunity to create businesses, generate employment and contribute to regional economic growth.
