Government to use Germany’s reparation package for reconciliation and reconstruction programmes
The government will utilize Germany’s reparations for reconciliation and reconstruction programmes for the genocide-affected communities, an official said last week.
The reparations package will be comprised of two components, namely: reconciliation and reconstruction program, Vice President, Nangolo Mbumba said on the occasion of the national briefing on genocide, apology, and reparations negotiations between Namibia and Germany on Friday.
“With regard to reconstruction, a programme will be set up to assist the development of the descendants of the affected communities, in line with their identified needs. Representatives of these communities will participate in this process in a decisive capacity,” he added.
Under the said programme, Mbumba said projects will be implemented in the following Regions: Erongo, Hardap, Kharas, Kunene, Khomas, Omaheke, and Otjozondjupa in the following sectors: land reform, in particular, land acquisition within the framework of the Namibian Constitution and land development; agriculture; rural livelihoods and natural resources; rural infrastructure; energy and water supply; technical and vocational education and training.
“These are broader areas and not final. A reconciliation program will be established in which Germany commits to promote and support reconciliation between the affected communities, the people of Namibia and Germany through preserving the memory records of the colonial era, in particular the period of 1904-08 for future generations by, inter alia, memory, and remembrance, supporting research and education, cultural and linguistic issues, as well as encouraging meetings of and exchanges between all generations, in particular the youth of Namibia and Germany,” he added.
Mbumba said the Germany government os supposed to make available the amount of Euro 1.1 billion to be allocated over a period of 30 years, following their acknowledgment that the German State committed genocide in Namibia during the period 1904-1908.
