PRESIDENT POHAMBA DELIVERS STATE OF THE NATION ADDRESS
27 April 2011


Honourable Speaker of the National Assembly; Honourable Chairperson of the National Council; Honourable Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly and Deputy Chairperson of the National Council;

Your Excellency, Founding President and Father of the Nation, Dr Sam Nujoma;

Right Honourable Prime Minister, Comrade Nahas Angula;

Honourable Deputy Prime Minister Comrade Marco Hausiku;

Distinguished First Prime Minister, Dr Hage Geingob;

Distinguished Former Deputy Prime Minister, Dr Libertine Amathila;

Your Honour, Chief Justice Peter Shivute,

Honourable Members of Parliament;

Esteemed Members of the Judiciary;

Esteemed Service Chiefs;

Distinguished Regional Governors and Chairpersons of Regional Councils;

Your Excellencies, Members of the Diplomatic Corps;

Members of the Media;

Fellow Namibians;

Good afternoon.

I have come to this august House to account to the nation on the activities of our Government over the past twelve months and to share our plans and goals in the new Financial Year and beyond.

In their wisdom, the framers of the Namibian Constitution provided for the State of the Nation Address, as a mechanism to promote accountability and good governance. This is one of the traditions that define our character as a nation and demonstrate our desire to build a better society for all our people.

Our fore-bearers, the heroes and heroines of our revolution, sacrificed their lives and made it possible for our people in all corners of the country to enjoy peace and security; and for our Government to pursue national development priorities in an atmosphere of peace and stability.

This year, we commemorated our nation's 21st Independence Anniversary. This historic milestone should inspire all of us, to continue marching together and to jointly confront the challenges of poverty, unemployment and underdevelopment.

In this regard, our Government is focused on improving service delivery to our people at all levels, especially to those in rural, informal settlements and peri-urban areas.

I trust that all Namibians will draw inspiration from this auspicious occasion and rededicate themselves to make Namibia a better place for all citizens. It is in this spirit, that I have come here today to deliver the State of the Nation Address for 2011.

Fellow Namibians,

The year 2010 was, broadly speaking, a period of recovery, both at the global level and on the domestic front. Despite the global recession, the Namibian economy grew by an estimated 4.8 percent in 2010. The outlook during the Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) period is favourable, with a projected average growth of 5.3 percent.

I would now like to highlight some of the notable achievements made by our SWAPO Party Government during the past Financial Year. These include the holding of free and fair Regional and Local Authorities Elections; the appointment of new Regional Governors to focus on the implementation of Government policies in the Regions; provision of additional funding to Green Scheme projects; steps taken to address the shortage of text books in our schools; the building of new classrooms; the re-skilling of teachers and school administrators; the inauguration of the Namibia Institute of Public Administration and Management (NIPAM);

the steps taken to resolve the problems at the GIPF; the hosting of the Employment Creation Summit; and the holding of the Agricultural Investment Summit to name a few. Public services in various areas were also expanded.

In addition, the West Coast Cable System landed at Swakopmund in November last year. We now expect to have access to faster and cheaper broadband connection for Namibia's education institutions, health facilities, private homes, businesses and other public institutions to the digital super highway.

Similarly, our Government continued with the implementation of projects to expand the provision of better public health care services. Several health facilities and infrastructure have been renovated and upgraded, while new clinics and health centres were built. Steps were also taken to address the problem of aging infrastructure at our main hospitals around the country. This is part of our commitment to ensure that short-comings that can compromise the delivery of quality health care or endanger the lives of our people are addressed.

The expansion of our physical and communications infrastructure continued apace, with the construction of tarred and gravel roads around the country.

I had the pleasure of inaugurating several road projects that were completed and to witness the commencement of the construction of new ones.

When I visited the construction sites, I was impressed to witness, first hand, the industriousness of our people, who are working on these projects. I was also pleasantly impressed to note that women formed part of the labour-based component of the construction teams. Do join me, to commend and thank these hard-working Namibians for their dedication and contribution to the building and development of our country.

Fellow Namibians,

Our country was once again affected by devastating floods in the northern and north eastern parts of the country. The floods have claimed the lives of many people, both young and old. Thousands more have been displaced. I take this opportunity, on behalf of the Government, and indeed on my behalf, to extend our condolences to the families of our fellow countrymen and women, who lost their lives due to drowning and snakebites.

The floods have also caused wide-spread destruction to crop fields, homesteads, roads and other facilities; while destroying grazing areas and placing livestock in the danger of starvation.

Several public facilities, including health centres, schools and Government offices became inaccessible and some remain closed.

Given the gravity of the flood situation, I declared an Emergency Situation in the affected areas on 29 March this year. The Government has provided an initial amount of N$30 million to assist the affected communities and to deal with other effects of the floods.

As flood waters subside, relevant Government institutions and state-owned enterprises must act quickly and work together to rehabilitate damaged infrastructure and thereby assist the affected citizens to rebuild their lives.

We are mindful that in the aftermath of the floods and the extensive damage that it has caused, more resources will be needed for rehabilitation and to assist the affected individuals and communities to re-build their lives. I wish to take this opportunity to pay tribute to the generosity and patriotism of many Namibians who took it upon themselves to assist their fellow citizens during this difficult time.

They acted in a commendable manner by opening the doors of their homes to school children, to the teachers and to their fellow citizens who had nowhere to go because of the flood disaster.

In addition, many others provided not only shelter, but also food to those who were in need. This spirit of selflessness has made it possible for learners and teachers to continue attending school.

In the same vein, I would like to express my appreciation to the members of the Emergency Management Teams at regional and national levels. I also commend the Namibian Police; the Namibian Defence Force and other public institutions for providing relief, rescuing those stranded and relocating those affected or threatened by floods.

On behalf of the nation, I also thank individuals, businesses and our development co-operation partners, from the region and around the world, for their contributions to help our Government and people to cope with this disaster. I appeal to those who have not yet done so to show
compassion and contribute to the flood relief efforts. As a caring Government, we will do our best to ensure that no life is lost due to food shortages caused by the floods.

Fellow Namibians,

Our country faces many socio-economic challenges that must be addressed urgently. These include the unemployment, poverty, socio-economic inequalities, labour skills shortages and a narrow industrial base. Public expenditure through the national budget over the 2011/12 to 2013/14 MTEF period will focus specifically at addressing these challenges.

A substantial part of the budget will be implemented under the Targeted Intervention Programme for Employment and Economic Growth (TIPEEG), at a cost of N$9.1 billion. If public works are included, the total allocation increases to N$14.6 billion. Our aim is to facilitate the
creation and preservation of 104,000 direct and indirect jobs. The targeted priority sectors that were identified for their potential to
create jobs are: agriculture; tourism; transport infrastructure; as well as housing and sanitation. Other sectors will also continue to receive
attention.

In order to succeed, we must be prepared to think out of the box and to do things differently. Therefore, the implementation of TIPEEG requires a fresh mindset, which is focused on the attainment of quantifiable results. In short, TIPEEG is a deliberate strategy to achieve the stated goals within the estimated time and the resources provided.

We must ensure that targeted beneficiaries of this programme such as the unemployed citizens and women receive the intended benefits. I would now like to highlight some of the specific projects which will be funder under TIPEEG:

I will start with, Agriculture:

In the agricultural sector, funding is geared towards the development of horticultural projects; improved crop production; livestock farming; improvement of animal health and the expansion of rural water supply.

Funds will also be made available for the acquisition of equipment as well as the modernisation and expansion of agricultural projects such as Sitemo, Shadikongoro, Etunda, Uvungu-Vungu and the Kalimbeza Rice Project, in Kavango, Omusati and Caprivi Regions, respectively. An amount of N$768.2 million is allocated for these activities during the MTEF period.

The management of National Strategic Food Reserves will be improved through the expansion and maintenance of these facilities in different
parts of the country. Training will be provided to small-scale irrigation farmers to diversify food production.

This is aimed at promoting food security and self-employment for our people.

Funds have also been allocated to establish marketing and food processing facilities in Windhoek, Rundu and Ongwediva.

Transport Infrastructure:

The transport budget will primarily be allocated towards infrastructure maintenance and expansion. Projects to be financed include the
construction of roads and completion of the Northern Railway Extension Project from Ondangwa to Oshikango. This priority project must be completed soonest in order to further boost trade between Namibia and Angola, and to reduce the amount of cargo transported on our roads. An amount of N$286.1 million is allocated to this project during this fiscal year, while the total for MTEF is N$380.6 million.

Tourism:

In the area of community-based tourism, Namibia is one of the leading countries in Africa. To date, sixty-four conservancies have been
gazetted, supporting about Two Hundred and Sixty Thousand people, or thirteen percent of the population. These projects have, therefore, made it possible for many communities to benefit from the natural resources and to improve their living conditions.

The activities funded under TIPEEG in the tourism sector include, infrastructure development, tourism marketing, development of community-based tourism projects and the construction and renovation of facilities at Namibia Wildlife Resorts. The total allocation to the tourism sector under TIPEEG is N$370.2 million.

Housing and Sanitation:

All our citizens, especially those who live in informal settlements and peri-urban areas deserve decent housing and sanitation. Our Government will, therefore, provide resources to address poor sanitation in both informal settlements and rural areas.

Activities in this sector will focus on the servicing of land, construction of urban and rural sanitation facilities and construction
of low cost housing. Urban sanitation will receive an amount of N$496.2 million this Financial Year. The total allocation for this sector over the MTEF period is N$1.6 billion.

Fellow Namibians,

As I have already pointed out, the total cost of TIPEEG over the MTEF period amounts to N$9.1 billion. This amount increases to N$14.6
billion if the allocation for public works is also taken into account. Our aim is to target specific challenges in a systematic way because we want to see results.

The onus is now on all the Government officials who are tasked with the responsibility of implementation to ensure that these resources are
utilised for their intended purposes and within the time frames provided.

I wish to further point out that TIPEEG will be incorporated within NDP 4. Therefore, it is not a replacement of our existing planning process
which is based on the National Development Plans, with a duration of 5 years. In order to ensure full implementation of this programme, a TIPEEG Implementation Committee, under the co-ordination of the National Planning Commission has been established.

Fellow Namibians,

In addition to the allocations for the selected sectors under TIPEEG, I wish to highlight support to the following sectors:

Education:

Education is the most important long-term investment that we can make as a country. That is why our Government continues to devote the largest share of the national budget to this sector.

We will continue to improve the provision of education at all levels, through the provision of text books, the construction and renovation of
classrooms and the training of more teachers. Additional funds are also provided to expand the number of bursaries through the National Student Financial Assistance Fund.

The aim is to expand access to tertiary education in order to equip our youth with the necessary knowledge and skills. Similarly, more funding is directed to the training of teachers to cater for the increasing number of the country's school-going population.

Health:

The health of our people is of paramount importance. Therefore, our Government has allocated funds for the building and renovation of health
facilities, acquisition of medicines and support to the Namibian Institute of Pathology. During the past year, our Government also
funded the construction of health centres and clinics across the country.

The provision of ARV treatment was expanded to all health centres and clinics, while concerted steps were taken to reduce the Mother-to-Child Transmission of HIV.

This included a campaign to encourage more men to become involved in these efforts. My dear wife is the patron of the programme and I hope
that the nation will render her the necessary support in spreading this important message.

Rural Development:

Our Government has increased the allocation of financial resources for rural development. The aim is to improve the living conditions of our
people, stimulate rural economies, improve sanitation, to expand rural electrification and rural water supply as well as to modernise rural
transport infrastructure. Furthermore, the central Government has strengthened support to Regional Councils to foster efficient management at regional level.

Law and order:

Namibia is governed on the basis of the rule of law and democracy. In this context, ordinary citizens must be afforded the space to conduct
their daily lives without interference, fear or intimidation from criminals. In recent weeks and months, crimes such as rape, violence
against women and children, murder, robbery and theft have been reported in different parts of the country. This is disturbing.

Those who commit such offences spread fear among the community and they undermine our efforts to build a peaceful society. Our women and children have the right to conduct their daily activities without fear of being attacked or violated by ruthless criminals.

Against this background, I call upon all our law enforcement agencies to leave no stone unturned, in tracking down and apprehending the
perpetrators of crime so that they can face the full force of the law. Our SWAPO Party Government will not relent in its determination to
combat crime. We will, therefore, build additional police stations and provide the police force with the necessary means to succeed in their mission.

We will also continue to ensure that the territorial integrity of our country is protected by a well-trained and disciplined Defence Force. In
this regard, funds have been allocated to cater for the welfare of our soldiers; the renovations of military bases and other activities.

Welfare Improvements:

Our Government will continue to address the socio-economic needs of our people, especially orphans and vulnerable children, senior citizens, citizens with disabilities and veterans of the liberation struggle. Hence, substantial funding in the MTEF is allocated for welfare grants
to vulnerable groups and to our veterans. In order to promote social inclusion, Government has implemented various projects aimed at integrating previously disadvantaged communities such as the San, Ovatue and other groups into social and economic activities.

We will also continue to address the issue of equitable land redistribution with a view to addressing the question of land hunger.
Assistance programmes are being introduced aimed at making resettlement farms productive and thereby contribute to food security and employment.

The mineral resources of our country are non-renewable. Against this background, legislation will be introduced to ensure that strategic
minerals are exploited with the participation of the public sector. It is for this reason that Epangelo Mining company was established as a vehicle for public ownership in the mining sector. I appeal to the Honourable Members of Parliament to speedily pass the envisaged legislation, once it is tabled later this year.

Our government remains committed to the conservation of our natural environment and our natural resources. We will continue to strengthen the conservation of our marine environment, particularly, our fisheries sector.

We will continue to support aqua-culture and fish farming projects in rural areas. This will help communities to improve their nutrition and also to generate incomes.

Our Government places a high premium on sound labour relations in our country. Thus, we will continue to promote the spirit of consultations among the Government, employers and the labour fraternity.

The new Labour Act provides for faster and more affordable resolution of labour disputes through arbitration and conciliation. I call upon all stakeholders to make use of this mechanism for the sake of harmonious labour relations in our country.

Fellow Namibians,

Deliberate steps are being taken to increase the participation of more Namibians in the local economy. One of the initiatives towards this end
involves the review of the Public Procurement System through the amendment of the current legislation. The proposed amendments that will
be tabled soon will address issues such as reservation of certain public tenders for targeted beneficiaries including youth, women and SMEs; and the provision for the Tender Board to delegate some of its powers to the Regional Councils.

A Review Panel will also be established to consider complaints from aggrieved parties in the tendering process.

Another initiative is the bridging facility that was established by the Development Bank of Namibia (DBN). The facility enables an SME
contractor who is awarded a public tender, to cede a portion of his or her income to serve as collateral, in exchange of financial support by
the DBN. Furthermore, work has started to establish an SME Bank. It will provide capital to entrepreneurs in the SME sector.

An initiative has been introduced to develop an all- encompassing Industrial Policy for Namibia. This policy is designed to promote
co-operation and co-ordination among different economic actors and to minimize bureaucratic inefficiencies. Our Government is also in the
process of reviewing the current Foreign Investment Act, so as to create opportunities for the participation of Namibians in foreign investment ventures.

We must continue to work hard in order to improve Namibia's competitiveness at both regional and global levels as this will
contribute to the country's ability to attract foreign direct investments which are vital for economic growth, as well as for employment and wealth creation in the country.

Fellow Namibians,

It is important to ensure that the civil service, which is the engine behind the implementation of Government policies and delivery of public services, is well oiled and that it operates optimally at all times.

Against this background, our Government continues to implement Public Service Reforms in order to improve service delivery. These include
Performance Management System, Business Processes Re-engineering, as well as the Public Service Charters, which we plan to implement at all levels of Offices, Ministries, Agencies and Regional Councils.

Presently, several projects are also being implemented as part of the E-Government Policy for the Namibian Public Service. The main focus is
on improving the delivery of appropriate, useful and relevant information and services to our citizens. For the civil service to be
effective, efficient and accountable, it is important that it is unified in terms of knowledge, orientation, work ethic, and core values.

I am pleased to report that measures were introduced by the Ministry of Home Affairs and Immigration to issue birth and death certificates at hospitals, regional council offices and other places by medical personnel, regional councilors and Traditional Authorities.

In March this year, I inaugurated the Namibia Institute of Public Administration and Management. NIPAM was established to transform the
Public Service through focused training in order to improve management and staff competencies and to provide organizational development support and capacity building.

As Namibians, we must build and maintain a civil service that is ethical, efficient, prudent in the utilization of resources and
responsive to the needs of the public. Therefore, our commitment to effectiveness, efficiency, and transparency must be total. It should be
based on the shared belief that public servants have a duty to act with dedication at all times. There should be no lip service or half-hearted approach to public service delivery.

Fellow Namibians,

Namibia is part and parcel of the international community of nations.

On a daily basis, our country interacts with other states and international organisations as we promote our national interests. In
these actions, Government representatives should always be guided by our foreign policy, which is anchored on the principle of resolving international disputes by peaceful means.

Against this background, Namibia will pursue its foreign policy by encouraging consensus through multilateralism. We will continue to play
our role at forums such as the United Nations, the African Union, the Commonwealth, SADC and the Southern African Customs Union (SACU). We have made our voice heard on conflict situations on our continent and elsewhere in the world, including the unrest in north Africa. We will
continue to call for restraint and the cessation of bombardments of civilian populations by both parties to the conflicts.

In August last year, Namibia assumed the Chairmanship or our regional organisation, SADC. Our country has, therefore, been providing
leadership and policy direction to SADC and its institutions since then. Next month Namibia will host an Extra-ordinary SADC Summit here in
Windhoek. As SADC Chairperson, I have been invited to co-chair the upcoming tripartite Summit, involving COMESA, the East African Community and SADC. This meeting will take place in June this year in South Africa.

In April last year, SACU Heads of State and Government adopted a new Vision for the Customs Union. Work has commenced to realise this vision with the focus on the development of a regional industrial policy; review of the revenue sharing arrangement and ensuring unified engagement in trade negotiations with third parties.

SACU has also agreed to present a co-ordinated position in dealing with the envisaged Tripartite Free Trade Agreement, involving COMESA, SADC and the East African Community.

Fellow Namibians,

Peace, stability, national unity, security and national reconciliation are the important building blocks for the development of our nation. I take this opportunity to thank the nation for upholding these values over the past twenty-one years.

Our Government will continue to address the plight of our youth, women, peasants, workers, senior citizens, veterans of the liberation struggle, orphans and vulnerable children and our citizens who are affected by HIV/AIDS and other diseases.

We will continue to provide quality education and health services to our nation.

We must continue to be firm in our resolve to develop our country, especially the rural areas by improving agricultural extension services,
provision of potable water, construction of feeder roads, rural electrification, building schools, hospitals, health centres, clinics, communication infrastructure, and other services.

We must continue to work hard to improve our country's regional and international standing in the areas of human welfare, good governance
and economic management. We must continue to address the challenges facing our nation such as poverty, hunger, unemployment and diseases. We must reject the vices of tribalism, regionalism, nepotism, ethnicity, sexism, racism, and corruption.

Today, I have outlined specific projects that have been funded and will be implemented during this Financial Year and over the next three years of TIPEEG. For this programme to succeed, all Namibians must join hands and pull together in the same direction. I see TIPEEG as a challenge to the nation; to the Government, the private sector, the labour movement, the farmers and indeed all sectors of our society to work harder in order to roll back poverty, unemployment and under-development in our society.

I invite each and every Namibian to do their in order to make TIPEEG a success. Let us roll up our sleeves and get down to work, in an atmosphere of peace, security, stability and national unity, while promoting the Policy of National Reconciliation.

Long live the Republic of Namibia!

I thank you.