UN Calls for Commitment to Agenda 2030 and beyond, as Namibia Prepares for the 2025-2029 UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework

Last month, the Pact for the Future was adopted at the United Nations General Assembly, providing a renewed vision for multilateralism aimed at addressing global challenges and delivering on promises for a better future.

In Namibia, the United Nations is ushering in a new era of development cooperation with the launch of the 2025-2029 United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF), which succeeds the 2019-2024 United Nations Partnership Framework (UNPAF). Reflecting on lessons learned from the previous framework, much progress was made in social transformation—such as in health, education, and gender-based violence—less was achieved in environmental governance, economic transformation, and governance outcomes. These areas, require a concerted push for greater impact under the new UNSDCF.

Tackling inequality in an integrated manner and placing people at the centre of the work the UN does with an emphasis on young people is the overarching goal. This requires concrete actions to move beyond rhetoric and meaningfully engage young people in the implementation. Central to the 2025-2029 UNSDCF is a renewed focus on addressing persistent issues such as gender-based violence, rising teenage pregnancies, increasing unemployment, and the challenges of drought and floods. These issues, which continue to affect Namibia’s population, remain key priorities for the next phase of collaboration between the UN and Namibia.

The UNSDCF 2025-2029 prioritizes four key areas:

Effective Governance and Public Service Delivery: Strengthening governance frameworks, enhancing institutional capacities, and promoting transparency.

Economic Recovery, Transformation, and Resilience: Supporting economic diversification, job creation, and SME growth for inclusive economic development.

Sustainable Development and Green Growth Opportunities: Promoting sustainable natural resource management and strengthening climate resilience.

Human Development and Community Resilience: Improving access to quality healthcare, education, and social protection services to ensure no one is left behind.

These areas of focus are closely aligned with Namibia’s national priorities outlined in the forthcoming Sixth National Development Plan (NDP6) and the Vision 2030. In this new framework, young people and marginalized communities will remain central to all development efforts. The UN aims to create more inclusive opportunities for youth participation in the economy and decision-making processes, while ensuring that women, rural populations, and people with disabilities are not left behind.

The UN, while not a financing institution, has provided critical technical expertise, evidence-based solutions, and pilot programmes supported by catalytic funds. The UNSDCF emphasizes the need for greater coordination among UN agencies, and strengthening partnerships with government bodies, civil society, the private sector, and International Financial Institutions (IFIs) to achieve more significant, sustainable results. Leveraging the comparative advantages of each partner and fostering collaboration rather than competition will be essential to driving progress.

The Pact for the Future provides a global framework for supporting national priorities and acceleration towards the SDGs. The UNSDCF 2025-2029 underscores the UN’s commitment to supporting Namibia’s development objectives in the lead-up to 2030 and beyond.