Namibia UNPAF 2019-2023 REVIEW

Namibia has been designated a Delivering as One (DaO) country since 2009, and the United Nations System continues to implement UN development system reforms and design processes that enhance coordination and coherence in delivering results.

The United Nations Partnership Agreement Framework (UNPAF) is the framework under which the United Nations System has been supporting the Government of the Republic of Namibia (GRN).
UNPAF is designed to support government programmes in a coherent manner, focusing on development, as well as humanitarian and human rights agendas. This ensures optimal UN coordination, coherence, effectiveness, and efficiency for maximum impact.

In 2018, the United Nations System and the GRN signed the UNPAF 2019–2023, which outlines the United Nations’ support for the realisation of the country’s development programmes.The UNPAF is guided by and aligned with Namibia’s Vision 2030, which is implemented through National Development Plans (the country is currently moving towards the sixth cycle of its National Development Plan, NDP 5/6, 2017/18 - 2021/22/23); the Harambee Prosperity Plan (HPP); the Blueprint for Wealth Redistribution and Poverty Eradication; the African Union’s Agenda 2063; the global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs); and other international treaties and conventions.

The UNPAF was signed by 17 UN entities, with ten having a physical presence in the country:
•United Nations Resident Coordinator
•Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO)
•United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
•World Health Organisation (WHO)
•World Food Programme (WFP)
•UN Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women)
•International Labour Organisation (ILO)
•United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA)
•United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF)
•Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS)
•International Organisation for Migration (IOM)
•United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)
•United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO)
•United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
•United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO)

As with all programmes supported through the UN System, the UNPAF 2019–2023 was designed to ensure support through a coherent programming approach that integrates development, humanitarian, and human rights agendas. This approach aims to ensure optimal United Nations coordination, coherence, effectiveness, and efficiency for maximum impact.
In terms of its alignment with Namibia’s NDP 5, the UN partnership framework has four main result areas:
A. economic progression
B. social transformation
C. environmental sustainability and
D. good governance

The current UNPAF (2019-2023) has been extended until 2024 with approval from the UN DCO in November 2022. This extension resulted from the Government of the Republic of Namibia’s (GRN) decision in 2022 to align the planning process of the next Cooperation Framework with the formulation process of its Sixth National Development Plan (NDP6).
In 2022, the UN Namibia office initiated the roll-out of the Common Country Analysis (CCA) and the evaluation of UNPAF, which will continue in 2023 based on the programme extension. In August 2023, the United Nations Country Team (UNCT) appointed a consultant to conduct a brief review of the United Nations Partnership Framework (UNPAF) 2019-2023.

The review of the United Nations Partnership Assistance Framework (UNPAF) was conducted through a series of three workshops. The initial workshop took place on August 23, 2023, and aimed at engaging members of the UNPAF Pillar, Programme Management Teams, and the Results-Based Management Group. The second workshop was conducted on September 26, 2023, and was dedicated to soliciting insights from the United Nations Country Team regarding their perspectives on the implementation of the UNPAF. 

The final workshop occurred on October 3, 2023, and involved implementing partners, including both the private sector and Civil Society Organisations (CSOs).This report details the findings from the three consultative meetings. 7