SPEECH BY THE RIGHT HONOURABLE NAHAS ANGULA, PRIME MINISTER OF THE REPUBLIC OF NAMIBIA ON THE OCCASION OF THE OFFICIAL OPENING OF THE 1 st SESSION OF AFRICAN UNION CONFERENCE OF MINISTERS IN CHARGE OF SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT ON 30 OCTOBER 2008 IN WINDHOEK NAMIBIA HONOURABLE AU COMMISSIONER FOR SOCIAL AFFAIRS HONOURABLE MINISTERS AND DEPUTY MINISTERS DISTINGUISHED HEADS OF DELEGATIONS MEMBERS OF THE DIPLOMATIC CORP DISTINGUISHED INVITED GUESTS MEMBERS OF THE MEDIA I am extremely delighted that the 1 st Session of the African Union Conference of Ministers in charge of Social Development is hosted by the Republic of Namibia. It is because of this fact that I would like to welcome you formally and warmly and in the spirit of African fraternity, to the Republic of Namibia and wish you a pleasant and enjoyable stay, albeit for a brief period. Let me begin by congratulating the Secretariat of the African Union and the Ministry of Health and Social Services of Namibia, and all the role players, especially the Organizing Committee which was approved by Cabinet and charged with the preparations of this historic Conference. It is a great honour and source of African pride to the Government and people of Namibia to host this important gathering in our country.
Namibia and the other 52 African countries on our continent are today critical component parts of the African Union because we know the pain of political misrule, of poverty and underdevelopment. Indeed the work we are doing together through the African Union demonstrates that the Africans of today is neither a dream nor pipedreams, but of the reality of our concrete lifetime. Our refrain continues to be that Africa's time has come. There can be no stopping of the momentum of change towards building a better continent who s people must realize their fullest humanity through self-reliance, empowerment, partnerships within our countries and continent and within the global context. We have insisted that we, as Africans, must own the vision and programmes for the reconstruction and development of the African continent. We firmly believe that without the broad mobilization of all our people on the continent and those in the Diaspora, as well as the harnessing of our own resources, the regeneration of Africa will remain a dream deferred. At the same time, through the AU and its development programmes, we have sought to build on the previous good work done by the Organization of African Unity (OAU). Among the rich legacies left to us by the OAU is the African Economic Community (AEC), established in 1991 by 51 African States in Abuja, Nigeria, as an integral part of the OAU. The coming together of these African nations to form the AEC was prompted by the necessity for collective planning and action to build intra-continental social and economic relations for the benefit of the African masses. Of importance, the AEC developed four critical objectives that would guide Africa's socio-economic development, namely: - to promote economic, social and cultural development and the integration of African economies in order to increase economic self-reliance and promote endogenous and self-sustained development; - to establish, on a continental scale, a framework for the development, mobilization and utilization of the human and material resources of Africa in order to achieve self-reliant development; to promote co-operation in all fields of human endeavour in order to raise the standard of living of African people, and maintain and enhance economic stability, foster close and peaceful relations among Member States and contribute to - the progress, development and economic integration of the Continent;
- and to co-ordinate and harmonize policies among existing and future regional economic communities to foster the gradual establishment of the African. Accordingly, the vision and programmes of the AU are rooted in the longstanding desire, commitment and efforts of the African people to work together for the integration of our economies as well as the creation of a continental socio-economic and political unity that would facilitate the faster development of our countries. Through the AEC we agreed, as Africans, that we needed to do more to strengthen existing regional economic communities, and ensure that we achieve intra and inter-regional co-operation. On the home front here in Namibia, we look back at the period of the last eighteen (18) years of independence with a sense of guarded satisfaction regarding the pace of implementation of programmes and projects, as well as delivery of services by various Offices, Ministries and Agencies of our Government. On our socio-economic development agenda, we have resolved to assist and improve the livelihood of the vulnerable groups in our society and other crucial constituencies such as, the veterans of the liberation struggle, unemployed school leavers, youth, women and children, rural communities and the workers. I will now provide you with a catalogue of our Government actions across a spectrum of these areas while highlighting our plans for the future. The social sectors of health, social welfare, education, housing, and provision of safe drinking water and sanitation and social protection have continued to enjoy Government attention. Programmes to combat the spread of HIV/Aids pandemic have been intensified. In this regard, voluntary testing is now being offered at 110 health facilities countrywide. The prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission has been rolled out to 60 percent of public health facilities. The number of people who are eligible to receive state-funded Anti-Retroviral Treatment has increased and now stands at more than 41 000. The training of health workers and community counselors is ongoing to make the programme a success. In order to expand access to health care, new health facilities, particularly clinics have been built in our rural areas. Our Government has also intensified training programmes for health care professionals in conjunction with our development co-operation partners. The University of Namibia has started to offer courses for pre-medical studies for our future doctors while the Polytechnic is offering new training programmes for environmental health professionals and medical laboratory technicians. The
establishment of a cardiac unit this year will provide more affordable care to our people who will no longer travel abroad for treatment. We also look forward to the establishment of a local medical school to train doctors. Assistance to orphans and vulnerable children remains a priority, which is being implemented under the National Policy on OVCs. A Plan of Action on OVCs was launched in October last year to supplement ongoing interventions. The Government has started with the process of establishing a National Orphans and Vulnerable Children Database to ensure proper record keeping and planning. This will facilitate efficient services to needy children. At present, ninety thousand one hundred and twenty six (90126) orphans and vulnerable children are receiving grants through the Ministry of Gender Equality and Child Welfare. The grant amounts to N$200 for the first child and N$100 for every additional child per one parent or foster parent. A new initiative has been launched by our Government with the support of UNICEF to support OVCs in Omaheke, Caprivi, Kavango, Ohangwena and Omusati Regions. It focuses on strengthening the capacity of communities to care for OVCs through training, awareness campaigns and income generating projects. The welfare of the veterans of Namibia s liberation struggle has been a source of concern, as many continue to live in difficult conditions of unemployment and poverty. These brave sons and daughters of Namibia deserve to be assisted. I am happy that the process of addressing their plight has been intensified with the establishment of the Ministry of Veterans Affairs and the passing of the Veteran Affairs Act of 2007. provision of services to needy children. At present, ninety thousand one hundred and twenty six (90126) orphans and vulnerable children are receiving grants through the Ministry of Gender Equality and Child Welfare. The grant amounts to N$200 for the first child and N$100 for every additional child per one parent or foster parent. A new initiative has been launched by our Government with the support of UNICEF to support OVCs in Omaheke, Caprivi, Kavango, Ohangwena and Omusati Regions. It focuses on strengthening the capacity of communities to care for OVCs through training, awareness campaigns and income generating projects. The welfare of the veterans of Namibia s liberation struggle has been a source of concern, as many continue to live in difficult conditions of unemployment and poverty. These brave sons and daughters of Namibia deserve to be assisted. I am happy that the process of addressing their plight has been intensified with the establishment of the Ministry of Veterans Affairs and the passing of the Veteran Affairs Act of 2007.
Our nation s future depends on our youth who must be moulded to participate actively in the social and economic development of our country. Our Government recognises the challenges faced by our youth, especially the risks of HIV/Aids infection, unemployment, unplanned pregnancies, drug abuse and other social vices. Our Government has resolved to create opportunities for all our youth to realize their full potential. The pro-youth policy interventions that are in place will be strengthened. Already, the National Youth Service Scheme is making a difference in the lives of many young Namibians by giving them new skills and competencies. We are conscious that the post-independence generation is slowly but surely coming of age. Those who were born after independence will next year exercise their democratic right to vote in the 2009 National Elections. This is, therefore, a critical time for our country to reflect deeply on the challenges facing our youth today. A nation with a well-educated youth who aim for excellence is a nation with a brighter future. Therefore, the future of our country can only be secured if we give them the necessary skills to compete in the modern economy. The backlog in the provision of adequate and affordable housing is a challenge that is being addressed. The shortage is most vivid in rural and peri-urban areas. Legal mechanisms exist to address the shortage of housing in proclaimed areas. This has facilitated investment in the provision of housing by the National Housing Enterprise in our towns and cities. We are slowly but surely reaching our target of providing the majority of our communities with clean drinking water. During the review period, many existing boreholes were rehabilitated while new ones were drilled. The Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Forestry has started to build earth dams to harvest water during the rain season for use during the dry periods. This will hopefully alleviate the problem faced by many rural communities to provide water for their livestock. The network of water pipelines criss-crossing the country has reached many communities in remote areas. An amount of N$25 million is available in the current budget to continue with the work of providing more Namibians with clean drinking water. Another important indicator of socio-economic upliftment is the provision of electric power to households, businesses, industries and public institutions such as schools, hospitals and other facilities. Again, it is in the rural and peri-urban areas
where the supply of electricity is disproportionately low. It is also in these areas where the effects of the limited availability of this important catalyst are most visible in the form of lower school pass rates, unemployment, higher rates of crime, poor hygiene etc. We will continue to intensify electrification in rural and peri-urban areas to address these problems. Poverty in Namibia is concentrated among the historically disadvantaged groups, and is disproportionately found among rural communities. A recent Survey concluded that 47 percent of Namibian households are relatively poor and 13 per cent live in abject poverty. Furthermore, 41 per cent of female headed households are living in poverty, compared to 36 per cent maleheaded households. In partnership with multilateral actors, Namibia has established an Integrated Strategy for Sustainable Poverty Reduction in Namibia. The Strategy focuses on three areas that are considered key to progress in poverty reduction and highlights the need to: - foster in the context of Namibia's commitment to regional decentralization - more equitable and efficient delivery of public services for poverty reduction countrywide; - accelerate equitable agricultural expansion, including consideration of food security and other crop development options; and - identify options for non-agricultural economic empowerment, including an emphasis on the informal sector and self-employment options. The rapid spread of HIV/AIDS in Namibia is threatening the social and economic gains we have made to date. Hence, HIV/AIDS is a serious developmental challenge for us. We, therefore, reiterate our call for affordable drugs for HIV/AIDS and other related diseases. Furthermore, the international community should join hands in complementing the efforts of African countries in their fight against malaria. In the area of employment creation, we are planning to establish labourintensive programmes, which have shown substantial promise as remedies for expanding employment, stabilizing incomes during periods of drought, and building infrastructure.
With regard to social protection, we have been able to establish both grantbased and contributory schemes. Social pension for the elderly is by far the most important grant-based formal transfer safety net, and accounts for more than 2 percent of the GDP. In addition to social pensions, the disability grants, and selective child and family allowances are important parts of the safety net. In order to widen the area of coverage, we have recently passed new legislation - the War Veterans Subvention Act - which makes provision for establishing a Trust Fund for the War Veterans. In addition to these programmes, we have also established a compulsory maternity protection scheme and an employees compensation fund, both of which are funded from the contributions from employers and employees. However, a central challenge for us remains the need to ensure better coverage in the previously underserviced regions and to keep these social protection schemes financially sustainable. In our quest to fostering social and economic integration, Namibia recognizes that globalization has stimulated growth and prosperity and expanded possibilities for millions of people all over the world. At the same time, globalization has diminished prospects for poorer nations and reinforced inequalities within and across nations. As developing nations, we continue to be faced with formidable challenges to bridge social inequalities. We believe that sound economic policies, transparency and accountability are crucial ingredients for effective social development. However, partnerships with multilateral and bilateral actors are required to successfully promote sustainable development. The resent food crisis in many countries of the world, particularly in Africa is another matter of urgent concern and priority. It is our collective responsibility to ensure food for tomorrow. In addition to increasing food prices, we see at the same time farmers in our countries planting less, producing less, due to the escalating cost of fertilizer and energy. We must make every effort to support those farmers so that, in the coming years, we do not see even more severe food shortages. Our aim is to create a just and fair society based on the principle of social justice, where every individual, each with rights and responsibilities, has an active role to play. Namibia recognizes the need for an inclusive society in which the vulnerable and disadvantaged groups and persons enjoy all human rights and fundamental freedoms, equality of opportunity and full participation in economic activity. Africa is grappling with development challenges on several fronts. Among these is the persistent glaring feature of gender inequality. At the core of this problem
are the inherent social processes that fuel cultural stereotypes, with resultant inequalities between men and women. To address this challenge, it is imperative that steps are taken by African countries to accelerate implementation of its local, regional and global commitments to women in addition to arriving at innovative strategies to propel this agenda forward. One of these noteworthy efforts is the call by African Ministers in charge of gender to the AU and the ECA to synergize their efforts towards the achievement of gender equality. We call upon the international community to support the developing nations, particularly in Africa, in our efforts to create critical infrastructure services. Serious attention should be given to the systemic biases and asymmetries in the workings of the international trading system, which limit the growth prospects of poorer nations. It is no longer realistic to expect developing countries to meaningfully promote economic and social development in their countries, while at the same time continuing to service the debt. Therefore, the debt of developing countries needs to be cancelled. Today's problems affect the entire global community of nations. As we search for collective solutions, we must create alliances for mutual action involving all peoples and nations. We must develop global responses to global problems. It is now my distinct honour and pleasure to officially declare the 1 st Session of the African Union Conference of Ministers in Charge of Social Development opened. I wish you success, hardwork and fruitful deliberations in this Conference. I THANK YOU! Accessible Version Imprint Copyright 2007 Government of the Republic of Namibia - All Rights Reserved