On 25 June 2025, GIZ Namibia’s Country Director, Mr Tobias Gerster, Portfolio Manager Ms Monika Tjirare, and Ms Anna Auala, Programme Manager for the Sustainable Development Goals Initiative Phase III program (SDGI III), paid a courtesy visit to the National Planning Commission (NPC). The visit served to formally welcome the newly appointed Executive Director of the NPC, Mr I-Ben Natangwe Nashandi, and to reaffirm GIZ’s support for two flagship projects where NPC serves as the political partner. These include the “Sustainable Development Goals Initiative Phase III” (SDGI III), which supports evidence-based development planning and SDG implementation, and the “Pro SME” programme, implemented in partnership with the Namibia Investment Promotion and Development Board (NIPDB), which focuses on strengthening MSME competitiveness and access to finance. GIZ implements these projects mostly through the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), as part of the longstanding development cooperation between Namibia and the Federal Republic of Germany.
The courtesy meeting underscored the shared commitment of both institutions to deepen collaboration and advance national development priorities. Under SDGI III, GIZ supports the NPC in areas such as SDG monitoring, development finance assessments, and integrated national planning systems. The Pro SME initiative—officially titled Fostering the Competitiveness of Micro, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises—aims to catalyse inclusive economic growth through innovative financial instruments and enterprise development, particularly for women and youth.
As a key outcome of this engagement, the SDGI III project was formally signed off on 27 June 2025, marking a significant milestone in the continued partnership between GIZ and the NPC. The visit and subsequent signing reinforced the strong collaboration between the two institutions, centred on Namibia’s long-term vision for sustainable, inclusive development.
