UN, Planning Commission meet to strengthen national response to COVID-19
The United Nations system in Namibia and the National Planning Commission recently convened a virtual coordination meeting with Development Partners to strengthen Namibia’s national response to Covid-19.
The High-Level Meeting was convened to attain a brief overview of Development Partners interventions, to ensure alignment to national priorities and to maintain regular coordination mechanisms for sustainable development.
The UN Resident Coordinator ad interim, Rachel Odede said the Union’s response to Covid-19 is holistic and integrated, from the health sector, to the socio-economic and environmental sectors, and laying foundations for mid and long-term recovery, resilience and keeping track on the Sustainable Development Goals.
Due to the evolving nature of the novel coronavirus, the UN team in Namibia re-programmed over US$3.7 million across the four pillars of the United Nations Partnership Framework 2019-2023 to ensure the continuity of current projects and minimise the impact on public health and socio- economic well-being.
In addition, the UN has mobilized US$1,85 million to support the Covid-19 national response plan in the health sector; has deployed 30 staff to assist with the response and started coordinating with the Government the implementation of a Socio-Economic Impact Assessment of Covid-19.
Obeth Kandjoze, Director General of the Planning Commission said the prime objective of government is to prevent infections and to protect every life and everyone present in the country, adding that the easing out of the lock-down depends on the clinical evidence available.
“The overall coordination of the emergency response is premised on decision making at Cabinet headed by His Excellency the President Hage Geingob, facilitated by the Office of the Prime Minister fed by two coordinating sub-cluster Committees led by the Ministry of Health and Social Services as well as the Ministry of Finance,” Kandjoze said.
Reference was made that clear structures on managing of resources are in place, although Planning Commission interfaces with Development Partners to facilitate and support the coordination through agreed mechanism and dialogue to foster a coherent and coordinated response to flatten the curve of the pandemic in the country.
The development partners who weighed in on the discussion were the EU Ambassador and EU Delegation, PEPFAR, USAID, CDC, Peace Corps, French Ambassador and French Agency for Development, UK High Commission, Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany, Embassy of Finland, Consulate General of Switzerland, High Commission of India, African Development Bank, World Bank, KFW Bank, Development Bank of Namibia, Embassy of Japan, Spanish Embassy and the Chinese Embassy.
Caption: Obeth Kandjoze, Director General of the Planning Commission.
