Staff Reporter
THE United Nations Development Programme and the European Union have contributed a total of N$20 million to Namibia in an effort to support the country in its continued pursuit of national development goals, building a transparent and equitable society that is resilient to corruption and deeply rooted in the principles of the rule of law.
Speaking at the Contribution Agreement Signing Ceremony on Good Governance, the Ambassador of the EU Delegation to Namibia, H.E. Ana Beatriz Martins, said the contribution agreement with UNDP is another milestone in their partnership with Namibia on promoting good governance actions.
“Our contribution agreement basically rests on two pillars: one, strengthening the management and technical capacity of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) through expertise, so that it comprehensively fulfils its mandate. This includes invigorating cooperation with other public institutions involved in fighting corruption. And two, contributing to the effective implementation of the National Anti-Corruption Strategy and Action Plan (NACSAP) in collaboration with several Namibian government institutions,” Martins said.
She added that the UNDP project includes a provision to help set up the office of an independent Information Commissioner to implement the Access to Information Act.
“The Act, passed two years ago, is a commendable step by legislators to grant people the right to access information held by public and private entities… This is not the first cooperation with the Anti-Corruption Commission. The EU has already assisted the ACC in developing its national framework for corruption risk management, where it collaborated with EU and African peers. Namibia has also called on EU-funded expertise to tackle strategic deficiencies in its anti-money laundering system so as to be removed from the Financial Action Task Force’s Grey List. We are in talks with the Ministry of Justice on providing specialised technical assistance on Namibia’s Whistleblower and Witness Protection mechanisms,” the Ambassador said.
She further stated that the EU has taken a strong, proactive stance on joining forces with partners to tackle corruption head-on and that their funding supports anti-corruption initiatives in over 40 countries across the world.
“Corruption is not merely a local or regional problem; it is indeed of international concern because of its profound economic, social, and environmental consequences. According to recent estimates by the World Economic Forum, corruption costs the global economy over USD 3.6 trillion every year, which accounts for about 5% of global GDP. This financial drain cripples the resources that are so dearly needed for the development of our societies,” Martins said.
