Sweden actively supported the liberation movement during apartheid and continues to support Namibia in strengthening its democracy and improving living conditions.
The traditional development cooperation with Namibia is now focusing on broader cooperation built on co-financed partnerships within areas such as trade and investments, institutional cooperation and the civil society, called participant cooperation. Participant cooperation focuses on broadening and extending relations between the two our countries. The target is for the relations to exist without aid contributions.
It will exist within the following areas:
- areas of mutual interest for both countries
- areas where established contacts can be used
- areas where previous efforts have proved successful.
Support brings results
Sweden has been supporting the large-scale literacy programme that the Namibian government has been carrying out for a long time. The programme has resulted in a literacy rate of 85 per cent.
More than 300 schools have also been connected to the internet and computers have been installed through the School Net programme, partly financed by Sweden.
HIV/Aids is a huge problem in Namibia; about 15 per cent of the population is infected with the disease. Sida has contributed to a large-scale programme to stop the disease from spreading among young people. The programme is run by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and consists of education, youth-oriented health centres and socio-cultural research.
In most regards, Namibia is a functioning democracy. The country’s constitution guarantees basic freedoms and rights and violations of these are rare. Sweden has provided support for cooperation between the Swedish National Audit Office and the equivalent authority in Namibia to improve openness and clarity in handling the state budget.
Looking towards at the future
Sweden’s long-term commitment in Namibia will continue to build on existing relations. In the new strategy for selective cooperation, which has not yet been adopted, the Swedish development cooperation will to focus on:
- Poverty-focused economic development
- Environment and climate
- Democracy, equality and human rights.
