Namibia, France sign PPP grant agreement

The minister of economic planning, Obeth Kandjoze, and Bruno Deprince, the Southern Africa regional director of Agence Française de Développement (AFD), on Friday signed a grant agreement promoting the emergence of public-private partnerships in Namibia.

Kandjoze, who is also director-general of the National Planning Commission, said the grant worth 400 000 euro (just over N$6.58 million) is the first step in the identification of projects to be developed in priority areas.

The three-year grant will be used to identify potential public-private partnership (PPP) projects; build the capacity of public and private sector professionals in charge of implementing PPP projects; conduct pre-feasibility studies for such projects; and to develop a toolkit dedicated to public and private entities in charge of structuring PPP projects.

“PPPs are undoubtedly a tool we can use to deliver much-needed infrastructure services which will help to raise economic growth rates. It offers economic opportunities and facilitates investment in human capital,” he said.

Kandjoze further said Namibia is committed to stimulating and sustaining economic growth in order to create employment and reduce poverty and income inequality as stipulated in its fifth National Development Plan.

At the same occasion, France’s Ambassador to Namibia, Claire Bodonyi, said the agreement is another step in the cooperation between the two countries.

“PPPs are an innovative way of pursuing sustainable development while bringing different partners around the table, exchanging best practices and sharing project benefits between the public and private sectors,” she explained.

She noted that in France, PPPs play a central role in numerous sectors of public policy.

AFD is a French development finance institution that provides financial support to development projects in over 100 African countries. - Nampa