Namibians to take Ownership of NDP6

The Sixth National Development Plan serves as the developmental goal framework which creates great significance to Namibia’s planning, especially during unprecedented challenges stemming from the collapse of commodities, inflation rates and geopolitics. NDP6 is expected to cover the period of the 2024/25 to 2030/31 financial years.

Prime Minister Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila urged all Namibians to take full ownership of the national plan, stating that it should be a rallying call for all Namibians to achieve what they want. She made these remarks during the Launch of the NDP6 formulation process in Windhoek, which will be officially launched in March 2025. She also pronounced that NDP6 must be a game changer, allocating interventions and ensure that the country’s resources are scaled up to existing frameworks. She maintained that the formulation process of the implementation of the NDP6 which is the last for Vision 2030, should be a plan of determination and courage to bring about the betterment of all Namibian people.

Also speaking at the launch, Hopolang Phororo, UN Resident Coordinator to Namibia said: “that the formulation the sixth NDP is a great milestone, as its implementation will culminate with the end of Vision 2030 and the 2030 Agenda, thus providing a pathway to assess and evaluate UN’s performance of the development aspirations to be achieved. By so doing, we will be strategically placed to calibrate and formulate new long-term and national development frameworks that will continue to put Namibians at the center of development, Leaving No Namibian Behind.’

The National Development Plans have been instrumental in charting the path that Namibia has taken to its desired destination, starting with the 1st National Development Plan in 1995/96 and the 6th NDP that will end in 2030/31. This has been “to achieve the nation’s vision to be a prosperous, industrialized country by 2030…” Great strides have been made in the fight against poverty and hunger, expanding access to health, education, social protection, country-wide rolling out of Early Childhood Development programmes, amongst others. But considerable challenges remain in terms of inclusion. For example, many young people and most previously disadvantaged populations continue to face difficult transitions to attaining productive and fulfilling lives. Their prospects for prosperity have, worsened, hindered by the lack of economic transformation and most recently, by the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, recurrent droughts, and the ongoing geopolitical Russia/Ukraine conflict. Yet, while communicable diseases remain the leading causes of death, their relative contribution to cause of death has been on a decreasing trend.

The National Development Plans (NDPs) are of paramount importance to the UN, in support of planning efforts of the Government of Namibia, through the National Planning Commission, with whom UN Namibia have enjoyed a strong partnership over the years. The plans serve as indispensable tools that facilitate the effective implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The NDPs not only provide a framework for guiding and monitoring progress towards the SDGs, but also play a vital role in enabling effective policy coordination, promoting international cooperation, raising awareness and fostering global policy dialogue and knowledge sharing. By aligning frameworks, the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Frameworks (SDCF), with the national development plans, secure the strengthening of partnership between the United Nations and member states, to ensure a shared commitment to sustainable development and the well-being of all people. This strengthened partnership, is also a critical means for ensuring the achievement of government objectives through the national development plan.

Development efforts has allowed the UN to capitalize on synergies, avoid duplication and maximize impact, which include the alignment of the United Nations Partnership Framework (UNPAF) with the national development plans. The current alignment with NDP5 has proven instrumental in addressing Namibia’s development challenges and goals. By harmonizing UN programmes, initiatives, and support on economic and social transformation, environmental sustainability, and good governance. This exemplifies the power of collaboration and strategic coordination between the United Nations and the Namibian Government.

A significant highlight is that the launch comes months before the SDG Summit, affording Namibia an opportunity to put the SDGs back on track and secure the breakthroughs and commitment needed to drive SDG acceleration. This will include actions to make SDG achievement a central focus in national planning and oversight mechanisms, as well as to align domestic budgets and financing of the SDGs through an Integrated National Financing Framework, which Namibia is now developing with the support of the UN system. It will allow for a reflection on the pathway to SDG transformation through the identification of areas for investment, a national benchmark to reduce poverty and inequality by 2027 and steps to strengthen institutional arrangements to support SDG acceleration. The forthcoming Census is also strategic, as it will also provide the required data and statistics for monitoring and evaluating NDP implementation and beyond.