Welcome to the United Nations
Watch video of panel where the VNR was presented
Summary of Key Messages
Reflecting its commitment to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Namibia volunteered to undertake a second national review of SDGs in 2021. The focus will be on three SDGs dimensions, namely, Economic, Social and Environmental which are comprehensively integrated in the fifth National Development Plan (NDP 5) pillars: “Economic Progression, Social Transformation, Environmental Sustainability and Good Governance.
Economic progression
In 2020, Namibia recorded the deepest economic contraction of 8.0% on account of the COVID-19 pandemic which appears to have exacerbated the already slow economic growth due to, amongst others, the persistent drought. However, it is expected to gradually rebound to above 3% in the medium-term owing to the recuperation of the external demand and commodity prices in the mining sector. The unemployment rate remained high at 33.4% in 2018, the highest being amongst the youth at 46.1%. Namibia’s target is to reduce unemployment rate to 24.2% by 2022.
The World Economic Forum’s Global Competitiveness Report of 2019 ranks Namibia as one of the African Countries with good roads infrastructures, scoring 5.3 out of 7. Namibia developed the Logistics Master Plan (2015), aimed at making her an international logistics hub through the utilization of potential benefits such as the country’s geographic location to provide safe, efficient, and effective Transport Infrastructure and services for social and economic development.
Social transformation
In the spirit of Leaving no One Behind (LNOB), Namibia passed the Social Protection Policy in 2021, progress has also been made in addressing risks and vulnerabilities that people face throughout their life cycles, through social assistance programs targeting the poor and vulnerable, as the non-contributory grant spending increased from N$5.1 billion in the 2018/2019 fiscal year to N$6.2 billion in the 2020/2021 fiscal year. The coverage rate of the main social grants for the same period has increased with old age grant coverage from 95 to 98 %, disability grant coverage from 71% to 74% and child grant from 60% to 66%.
In response to the Covid 19 pandemic, the country implemented three new non-contributory programs in the areas of housing/basic services, economic stimulus and relief package, and special allowance/grant targeting the poor and vulnerable population, as well as workers and/or dependents. The government spent N$560 million on the Emergency Income Grant, which benefited 769,000 Namibians, above the age of 16 years, which in relative terms presents one of the highest coverage rates in the world. Equally, the economic stimulus and relief package benefited 230 employers and 21,359 employees through wage subsidy while employee salary protection programs cost a total of N$ 8.1 billion.
Environmental sustainability
In reducing to wildlife, Namibia has made considerable efforts in combating poaching by strengthening institutional coordination to combat wildlife crimes, resulting in the reduction of about 70% of poached elephants and rhinos falling from 97 and 49 in 2015 to 31 and 11 in 2020, respectively.
In terms of climate change, Namibia’s resource mobilization towards the climate change mitigation and adaptation measures have improved drastically since 2015. To date, the Fund has mobilized about USD 90 million.
Good governance
Namibia lauds itself on the global gender gap index rankings, being number 6 out of 156 countries. Further strides were made with regards to women representation adopted by the ruling party, attributed to the “zebra-style” gender representation in parliament which has seen the Namibian bicameral parliament having 48% of its members as women since the 2019 Elections. Namibia ranks number one in Africa for the World Press Freedom index owing to public access to information and protection of fundamental freedoms, in accordance with national legislation and international agreements.
Lessons learned
Integration and alignment of the SDGs in national development frameworks: Namibia mainstreamed and integrated the SDG implementation into NDP 5 to secure successful implementation.
Partnership: Extensive consultations with all stakeholders, all citizens in setting of policies and priorities, including parliamentarians, are key in the domestication, ownership, and continuity of the SDGs.
Affirmation of Commitment
Amongst other efforts, Namibia launched the Development Finance Assessment (DFA) Report in 2021, as part of the holistic approach on the financing frameworks in achieving Sustainable Development Goals, Vision 2030 and the National Development Plans.
