Red Cross and PM meet
A Namibian Red Cross Society delegation met Prime Minister Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila on Friday to lay the groundwork for a closer partnership in addressing Namibia’s humanitarian issues.
Bience Gawanas, chairperson of the Namibian Red Cross Society (NRCS) governing board, told Kuugongelwa-Amadhila that the reason for the annual courtesy call was to brief the government on Red Cross activities and to strengthen their relationship.
Gawanas said the Red Cross was currently “repositioning within the context of the war on poverty as declared by the president and the recently launched Harambee Prosperity Plan.”
As part of its future initiatives Gawanas said the Red Cross, which “serves as an extension of government” as an institution set up by an act of parliament, needed to redirect its course as per the requirements of government.
“We need marching orders from you … to really say to ourselves how we can complement government efforts,” Gawanas said.
Gawanas highlighted the strengths of the society’s volunteer networks and its expertise in humanitarian aid issues, but noted that the Namibian Red Cross also faced a financial challenge.
“There is a lot government can outsource to the Red Cross, especially in areas of water sanitation, disaster management and social mobilisation. These are the strengths we bring to the table. We also have a huge network of volunteers,” she said.
On the other hand, she explained that despite government subvention and support from external partners, given Namibia’s status as an upper middle income country much of the financial support the society requires had dried up.
“We would like to hear how we can go about strengthening the financial situation of the Red Cross,” she said.
Gawanas pointed out that the Red Cross did not limit its humanitarian aid to times of conflict.
“Peace is not just the absence of war. Peace is the absence of poverty, ill health and destitution and that is how we see the role of the NRCS in Namibia,” she said.
Kuugongelwa-Amadhila responded to the NRCS message with a number of suggestions on how to get the ball rolling in identifying focus areas where the Red Cross can assist.
She welcomed a proposed closer working relationship, specifically in line with the Harambee Prosperity Plan, which is being integrated into all government plans.
She said the government recognised that it is important to explore partnerships to address critical policy plans.
“We know there are many stakeholders out there who can add value to the efforts we are trying to make and we are willing to identify and engage them and see where we can work with them.”
Kuugongelwa-Amadhila said the first step was to hold detailed discussions and presentations with relevant stakeholders to ensure a “comprehensive briefing … in a systematic way” starting with key persons in relevant offices.
She explained this would establish a specific focus area in terms of how to strengthen the relationship and to “reach a conclusion on what the areas of cooperation will be”.
The prime minister said the government’s approach was to work with “non-state actors in whatever form they come who are involved in activities … we think are important to help realise policy objectives we have set.”
She said any cooperation going forward would need to focus on organising “each other’s capacities and complementing each other for the benefit of the public.”
The prime minister said the working relationship would require transparency and accountability.
She emphasised that apart from financial reports, a close partnership demanded meticulous performance and outcome record-keeping “so that at the end of the day we not only discuss what we can do together, but also what we have achieved together.”
Kuugongelwa-Amadhila said careful record-keeping of cooperation was critical in determining whether “we have been able to achieve more through cooperation than on our own”.
Following the courtesy call, NRCS executive secretary Dorcas Kapembe-Haiduwa said the meeting with the prime minister “was just a courtesy call to update her on the progress we have made so far in our drought response activities as well as sharing with her the challenges we are facing in our daily implementation as well as finding areas of collaboration that can be beneficial to the national drought response”.
JANA-MARI SMITH
Bience Gawanas, chairperson of the Namibian Red Cross Society (NRCS) governing board, told Kuugongelwa-Amadhila that the reason for the annual courtesy call was to brief the government on Red Cross activities and to strengthen their relationship.
Gawanas said the Red Cross was currently “repositioning within the context of the war on poverty as declared by the president and the recently launched Harambee Prosperity Plan.”
As part of its future initiatives Gawanas said the Red Cross, which “serves as an extension of government” as an institution set up by an act of parliament, needed to redirect its course as per the requirements of government.
“We need marching orders from you … to really say to ourselves how we can complement government efforts,” Gawanas said.
Gawanas highlighted the strengths of the society’s volunteer networks and its expertise in humanitarian aid issues, but noted that the Namibian Red Cross also faced a financial challenge.
“There is a lot government can outsource to the Red Cross, especially in areas of water sanitation, disaster management and social mobilisation. These are the strengths we bring to the table. We also have a huge network of volunteers,” she said.
On the other hand, she explained that despite government subvention and support from external partners, given Namibia’s status as an upper middle income country much of the financial support the society requires had dried up.
“We would like to hear how we can go about strengthening the financial situation of the Red Cross,” she said.
Gawanas pointed out that the Red Cross did not limit its humanitarian aid to times of conflict.
“Peace is not just the absence of war. Peace is the absence of poverty, ill health and destitution and that is how we see the role of the NRCS in Namibia,” she said.
Kuugongelwa-Amadhila responded to the NRCS message with a number of suggestions on how to get the ball rolling in identifying focus areas where the Red Cross can assist.
She welcomed a proposed closer working relationship, specifically in line with the Harambee Prosperity Plan, which is being integrated into all government plans.
She said the government recognised that it is important to explore partnerships to address critical policy plans.
“We know there are many stakeholders out there who can add value to the efforts we are trying to make and we are willing to identify and engage them and see where we can work with them.”
Kuugongelwa-Amadhila said the first step was to hold detailed discussions and presentations with relevant stakeholders to ensure a “comprehensive briefing … in a systematic way” starting with key persons in relevant offices.
She explained this would establish a specific focus area in terms of how to strengthen the relationship and to “reach a conclusion on what the areas of cooperation will be”.
The prime minister said the government’s approach was to work with “non-state actors in whatever form they come who are involved in activities … we think are important to help realise policy objectives we have set.”
She said any cooperation going forward would need to focus on organising “each other’s capacities and complementing each other for the benefit of the public.”
The prime minister said the working relationship would require transparency and accountability.
She emphasised that apart from financial reports, a close partnership demanded meticulous performance and outcome record-keeping “so that at the end of the day we not only discuss what we can do together, but also what we have achieved together.”
Kuugongelwa-Amadhila said careful record-keeping of cooperation was critical in determining whether “we have been able to achieve more through cooperation than on our own”.
Following the courtesy call, NRCS executive secretary Dorcas Kapembe-Haiduwa said the meeting with the prime minister “was just a courtesy call to update her on the progress we have made so far in our drought response activities as well as sharing with her the challenges we are facing in our daily implementation as well as finding areas of collaboration that can be beneficial to the national drought response”.
JANA-MARI SMITH
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