Staff Reporter
THE Mayor of Windhoek, Sade Gawanas, signed an agreement with the Mayor of the City of Bremen in Germany, Dr. Andreas Bovenschulte, to implement a N$36.8 million solid waste management project in Windhoek.
The four-year project is funded by the European Union (EU) Directorate-General for International Cooperation and Development (Devco).
The goal of the project is to improve solid waste management in Windhoek, while also creating jobs, improving living conditions for citizens who live in unsanitary environments and expanding and sharing recycled waste.
“We are confident that this project will promote the shift towards a more sustainable model known as the circular economy for Windhoek and Namibia as a whole,” Gawanas said.
To facilitate this project, there will be many exchanges between waste management experts from the City of Bremen and Windhoek over the next few months.
The project will also lead to the launching of incubators for startups in the circular economy as well as the establishment of recycling stations.
Moreover, workshops and educational projects for learners will also be arranged.
The head of the European Union (EU) delegation in Windhoek who also attended the virtual signing ceremony said this project supports the EU sector policy objectives to safeguard public health and the protection of the environment.
“We are proud to be funding this programme as it directly addresses some of the most pressing needs of Windhoek residents,” EU Ambassador to Namibia Sinikka Antila said.
This is not the first time that the City of Windhoek and the City of Bremen are working together.
The two cities have co-operated on the Local agenda 21 initiative that aimed to combat environmental damage, poverty and disease.
