THE government wants the European Union to provide technical support to strengthen capacity in some ministries, as well as grant funding for young entrepreneurs to create job opportunities.
This was revealed in a guiding document used during a dialogue between several EU diplomats and government officials held in Windhoek yesterday.
The meeting was chaired by deputy international relations minister Christine //Hoëbes, and was a follow-up to a similar event that took place in July 2017.
Its purpose was to strengthen political and economic relations between Namibia and the EU, and agree on future areas of cooperation between the two partners.
The guiding document prepared for government officials says the government wants the EU to provide technical assistance in studies and research in various aspects related to cross-border value chains and market linkages within the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region.
Apart from technical support, the government also wants the EU to provide grants for young entrepreneurs, and for private sector development projects in the value-addition chain priority sub-sector.
The grant for the private sector would focus on extensive development to increase the efficiency and profitability of production, and the manufacturing of competitive products.
"This may assist Namibia to improve the rates of economic growth and enhance job-creation."
The document added that the government had requested for support from the EU to implement several renewable energy projects, including constructing a biomass power plant.
Namibia assured the EU that it was committed to the implementation of the economic partnership agreement (EPA) with the EU, particularly to strengthen capacity in the trade and industrialisation ministry.
The government also requested the EU to provide "more resources" to assist in institutional strengthening as well as addressing supply-side constraints, particularly those pertaining to sanitary and phytosanitary requirements which hinder the participation of the private sector in ensuring that Namibian products achieve EU market entry requirements.
The government also reassured the EU of its desire to have the country removed from the list of non-cooperative tax jurisdictions, and requested the EU to clearly state the process that Namibia must follow to achieve this.
The government also briefed the diplomats on the resolutions of the recent second national land conference. This includes the issue of ancestral land claims, and the resolution to use genocide reparations from Germany to buy farms to resettle and support dispossessed communities. The government furthermore briefed the EU on the political developments in neighbouring countries and in SADC, and also requested the EU to lift economic sanctions against Zimbabwe, "given the positive political developments in that country".
As SADC chair, Namibia further encouraged the EU to support regional efforts to resolve political and security challenges to ensure peace and stability in the region.
EU ambassador to Namibia Jana Hybaskova said at the opening of the meeting that the EU was ready to assist Namibia on issues of mutual concern, such as those related to cyber attacks and the protection of personal data.
The EU, she added, was ready to help Namibia deal with issues of illicit financial flows and money laundering, among others.
