Africa-Press – Namibia. MINISTER of international relations and cooperation Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah has proposed that the ministry be allocated N$849 million for the 2022/2023 financial year.
Nandi-Ndaitwah said this in her budget motivation speech for the 2022/23 financial year in the National Assembly earlier this week.
Last year the ministry was allocated N$ 827,7 million.
In her speech this week, Nandi-Ndaitwah said the N$849 million will enable the ministry to fulfil its constitutional mandate.
She added that nine percent of this budget, which translates to a nominal figure of N$73,3 million, is earmarked for the development budget.
“This amount will be utilised for capital projects at diplomatic missions abroad, and at headquarters. The ministry’s focus will be on the renovation of properties,” the minister said.
“The remaining 91% which in turn translates to N$775,7 million will be allocated to operational expenses and will be utilised for the various programmes of the ministry,” she said.
One of the programmes to benefit from the N$775,7 million is regional and bilateral relations and cooperation.
“An amount of N$20,1 million is estimated for this programme,” Nandi-Ndaitwah added.
In addition, the minister said funds set aside for this programme will be utilised to advance economic diplomacy by way of promoting investment, trade and tourism between Namibia and other countries on a bilateral level.
“Attention is particularly focused on development of cooperation partners, strengthening traditional south-south partnerships with emphasis on expanding cooperation in the areas of industrialisation, trade, human resource development, technology transfer, cultural exchanges and tourism.”
The minister added that as part of the essential functions of the ministry, officials are required to accompany the president, prime minister and ministers on missions abroad, and such services have to be covered from this programme.
She says a total of N$132 million will be needed for the multilateral policy coordination programme.
“Sixty-eight percent will be allocated to regional and international organisation membership fees,” she said.
The remaining amount is to facilitate Namibia’s participation in multilateral fora, to ensure that Namibia’s voice is heard and influences the international discourse to the benefit of Namibia, Nandi-Ndaitwah said.
Another programme – protocol and consular – has a proposed budget of N$16,8 million.
She said the programme will provide protocol service to the government, as appropriate, to deliver adequate services to the diplomatic corps and to provide consular and welfare services to Namibian citizens abroad.
Programme four is on missions abroad, said the minister.
“The objectives of the missions abroad are to protect the interest of the Republic of Namibia and its nationals within the limits permitted by international law, and to promote friendly relations with the countries of their accreditation,” Nandi-Ndaitwah said.
She added that the programme takes up the biggest portion of the ministry’s budget which is N$582,5 million.
The last programme will be for coordination and support services.
The minister says N$97,4 million was allocated to this programme.
“We know administration is the engine of any institution. The financial resources deployed towards this programme will be utilised towards the effective rendering and coordination of support services at both the headquarters and the promotion of Namibia’s image at its missions and posts,” Nandi-Ndaitwah said.
This programme therefore includes administration and finance, human resource management and auxiliary services, she said.
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