The European Commission has availed N$42 million in grants to local civil society organisations (CSOs) to support their contribution to Namibia’s growing green energy industry.
The money has been allocated to three projects that were unveiled in Windhoek on Tuesday by European Union (EU) ambassador Ana Beatriz Martins, following a bidding process the EU launched in 2024.
“The three projects are intended to strengthen CSOs’ capacity to meaningfully contribute to the policy debate on how to develop Namibia’s fast growing green energy and extractive industries by ensuring their economic, environmental and social sustainability,” Martins said during the grant-signing ceremony.
She said the projects will be funded under the EU bilateral programme with Namibia, with the aim of strengthening civil society’s participation and engagement in Namibia’s development agenda.
The winning project proposals are from the Integrated Rural Development and Nature Conservation, Namibia Development Trust, the Namibia Nature Foundation, Namibia Media Trust, Legal Assistance Centre, and the Deutsche Welle Academy.
The grants will support civil society’s capacity to enhance understanding and give a voice to local communities in relation to the emerging green industry, the EU ambassador said.
National Planning Commission (NPC) of Namibia executive director Michael Humavindu said the multimillion dollar grant was the result of the mutual and beneficial bilateral relationship between Namibia and the EU.
He thanked the EU for empowering local non-governmental organisations, noting that they are important developmental partners.
Humavindu said the NPC is finalising the National Civil Society Organisations Policy to ensure that civil society organisations are empowered and incentivised.
– Nampa
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