We are proud to be celebrating 35 years German-Namibian development cooperation, as well as 35 years of a fruitful and trusted friendship and will be using various social media channels each month to showcase ongoing or completed projects of our joint development cooperation, highlighting key results and impacts for the benefit of the Namibian society at large.

Since Namibia’s independence in 1990, the German Federal Government, through its implementing agencies KfW, GIZ and BGR, has been a key supporter of Namibia’s development agenda. Hence, in 2025, it is time to celebrate 35 years of our long-standing and successful partnership.

Some facts: Overall, the total financial and technical support extended by Germany since 1990 exceeds 1,6 billion Euros (app. 32 billion NAD). The current portfolio comprises approximately 60 projects distributed amongst the implementation organisations KfW (25) GIZ (32) and BGR (3). The funds are a mix of grants and preferential loans.

The beginning: Only two weeks after the mandate was granted by the UN Security Council (January 17, 1989) to implement UN-Resolution 435, on January 30, 1989, the parliamentary groups of the

German government coalition presented a motion for resolution in the German Bundestag (German Parliament): “The special responsibility of the Federal Republic of Germany for Namibia and

all its Citizens called on the federal government to begin negotiations on the start of state development cooperation immediately after Namibia’s independence.” The motion was passed in the Bundestag on March 16, 1989. Once the decision was taken, the Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) commissioned GIZ and the ifo Institute for economic research in Munich to carry out wide-ranging sectoral studies to identify potential areas of cooperation.

The first German-Namibian government consultations took place from the 14^th until the 21^st of May 1990 in Windhoek. The Namibian delegation was led by then Prime Minister Dr. Hage Geingob. The German Development Minister, Jürgen Warnke, visited Namibia as early as June 1990. During the government negotiations from the 26^th until the 29^th November 1990, the first development cooperation projects were agreed upon.

The first financial cooperation project was established in 1991 with the aim of improving rural water supply in the Oshana and Omusati regions. One of the first Technical Cooperation projects implemented by GIZ was the “Sustainable Animal and Range Development Programme in the Communal Areas of Namibia” (SARDEP), with the goal to improve farming practices in order to reduce land degradation in communal areas. The first project of the German Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources (BGR) and Namibia began in 1990 to support Namibia's efforts in the sustainable management and exploration of its natural resources, including geology, mining, water resources, and environmental management.

From 1990 to 1993, 97 million Deutsche Mark were committed for financial cooperation and 30,1 million Deutsche Mark for technical cooperation. Focal areas were the rehabilitation of rural water supply, low-cost housing, road construction, vocational training, agriculture, fishing and the promotion of Small and Medium Enterprises.

With the founding of the National Planning Commission (NPC) in 1994, responsibility for donor coordination and the formulation of development goals was transferred to the NPC. Germany’s main objective has always been to reduce poverty, to create jobs and growth and to lower the unequal distribution of income and wealth in Namibia. Today, the cooperation between the Namibian and the German Governments is orientated towards and aligned with the National Development Plan 5 and the Harambee Prosperity Plan II.

German-Namibian Development Cooperation today focuses on three main areas of intervention: Conserving Nature and Natural Resources, Protecting life on Earth

• Biodiversity and Natural Resource Management: Improving management and infrastructure in National Parks, supporting the rural population in gaining access to land rights, mitigating human-wildlife conflicts, as well as increasing the resilience of Namibian farmers.

• Water and sanitation: Construction and rehabilitation of waste-water treatment and direct potable water reclamation plants, improving overall bulk water supply and facilitating access to potable water.

• Climate and Energy, Just Transition

  • Sustainable Urban Development: Upgrading infrastructure in informal settlements, provision of formalised land, including basic infrastructure and basic public services.

  • Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency: Supporting a more stable and secure energy supply through the extension of renewable energy capacities, improving energy access, supporting climate-related infrastructure as well as green hydrogen.
    

• Sustainable Economic Development, Training and Employment

  • Technical and Vocational Education and Training: Expanding infrastructure and equipment for vocational education and training, supporting digitalisation and trainer education, as well as institutional reforms.

  • Financial and Private Sector Development: Facilitating access to financial services for low-income households and MSMEs, enabling access to finance for affordable energy-efficient housing projects, supporting the reform of state-owned enterprises and promoting the use of Namibia’s mineral resources.

In addition, the area of intervention which will be phased out, transport, focusses on the rehabilitation of key corridor trunk roads and the construction of regional and access roads using labour-intensive construction methods to improve access to socio-economic services in rural areas.

All in all, German-Namibian Development Cooperation can be characterized by a high degree of continuity, while at the same time

focussing on areas of intervention with major challenges (biodiversity, climate change, water scarcity and social needs) and future opportunities (renewable energy, green hydrogen and critical raw materials).

Currently, around 13,3 billion million NAD (700 million Euro) for financial cooperation projects and 2,05 billion NAD (109 million Euro) for technical cooperation projects are allocated to ongoing projects, while an additional amount of 2,2 billion NAD (115,5 million Euros) for projects is under preparation. Since the beginning, KfW invested in over 60 financial cooperation projects and GIZ and BGR carried over 253 technical cooperation projects.

Namibia and Germany are looking forward to continue this close cooperation for the benefit of the Namibian people.

1. Base Map Central and North West
2. Base Map Central and South
3. Base Map North East
4. Base Map Namibia overall