Source document: https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/1698745203566.pdf (Namibia)
CONTRIBUTION TO THE DEBATE ON THE APPROPRIATION BILL [B.

1 OF 2013] BY HON PEY A MUSHELENGA, MP DEPUTY MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS Windhoek 12 March 2013 L Hon Speaker Hon Members 1 The budget before us is a demonstration of continued efforts to provide stimulus to the economy, address unemployment, accelerate skills development and enhance infrastructure development, all of which are key factors in enhancing economic development and investment the Govemment's in the economy.
The budget before this House places the importance of youth empowerment at the forefront, amongst others.

This is demonstrated in significant and increased allocation to youth programmes and sports facilities which are aimed at developing our fellow youth.

This is in addition to allocation made in the field of skills development to the regional skills development centres, which empower our youth with various skills in technical and fields.
Further, the free universal education provided is a catalyst for the skills vocational development of our youth.

the macro-economic environment under which this budget was I am mindful of prepared, which is mainly shrouded in the uncertainty in the growth forecasts in the global economy.

Besides this, I wish to commend the Hon Minister of Finance for maintaining a balance between the need to grow our economy and the delicate need to ensure sustenance in our fiscal stances, such as debt and deficit.
In the same vein, the next MTEF.

The development in our competitiveness of our economy.

Specifically, as a nation, we need to invest security of the supply of electricity, ability of our economy to sustain the supply of electricity.

N$416.3 million provided for in the coming MTEF period.
I am impressed by our development goals that we intend to pursue in infrastructure helps us to improve on the in the investors of the the amount of if we are to assure our potential I support is good to have electrification programmes Honourable Speaker, in place, but most I must state that it I had previously importantly, we need to have enough power generation capacity.
to the listened to the Minister of Mines and Energy, Hon Katali expressing commitment is expected to solve our generation development of a Kudu-Gas-To-Power its line capacity and I commend him on his stance.

NamPower should, I have heard about other generation plans such as the coal Minister in this endeavour.

power plant at Erongo.

Granted, we can have that - but, what NamPower is not telling the nation is that the coal power plant would only solve our power problem for a period of about five years.
What happens after that?

And if we spend billions of dollars in the coal power plant from the company's balance sheet, where are we going to find money to fund another major generation project?

thus, support project that This august House had during the third parliament approved the appropriation of funds are not moving as to NamPower, if the anticipated.

Since these are public funds, why have" the Kudu Project.

Yet, not been returned, specifically things for +t~ 0tJ 2 is not on?
Are those funds still available or __ project unintended use?

have they been spent for other is further necessary for industrialisation.

It is The development of the gas power plant stated in the MTEF document that the Ministry of Trade and Industry aims to develop a robust and competitive industrial sector which will have enough capacity to supply both the domestic and external markets.

Without enough power supply we will not be able to grow our industries.
Industrialisation is something that we need as it will create much needed employment opportunities.

Let time and energy be spent on the realisation of th~ major power projecfthat ensure.

the provision of power on a long term sustainable is reported in the media last Friday that one of our neighbouring basis.

ActuallYJ it governments is suing for the delay in the construction of a power plant.

Perhaps when the Namibian government ponders similar actions, someone somewhere will wake up.
is the supply of water, especially to rural communities.

Water Honourable Speaker is life, Equally important and with the change in climate and the low rainfall in most parts of the country, we should be concerned about the water provision in rural areas, and also the provision of water livestock.

Hence, efforts to increase the supply of water should be supported, and I note the allocation of N$2.6 billion over the MTEF period.

for our the background of poor This year started against rainfall.
This affects agricultural production, both for commercial and subsistence purposes.

The rural communities in particular are heavily dependent on rain water.

the provision in the MTEF of the drilling of borehole as one of the measures to alleviate the water problem in the rural communities.

I support Honourable Speaker Last year, Namibia has dropped down the Global Competitiveness Rankings to 92nd out of 144 countries surveyed.
In his contribution to the budget debate, Honourable Nyamu alluded to this fact as if it was the end of Namibia.

He claimed that Namibia has been report as having made by placed at the bottom of hell and referred to the uproar j(\he those who lives in a fool's paradise.
it has been acknowledged by in the Accountability Report that there is a decline in Namibia's competitive Government ranking and that the Ministry of Trade and Industry will coordinate with other institutions where the country has performed poorly and map out a government strategies to address the problem areas.

Honourable Nyamu appear not to have read this, given what he claimed in his speech.

Another I should sensitise the is the language he uses.
We should debate the budget Honourable Member about resorting to disparaging and discourteous phrases.

Hon Nyamu has made it a without habit of uttering vituperative remarks and slanderous expressions in Parliament, thereby lowering the decorum of this prestigious House.

It is high time that he is called to order!


In any case, thing that Despite the overall ranking at 92nd position, we scored favourably well functioning infrastructure environment in relatively well (59th) and developed institutional (52nd), 3 financial markets (48th ).

The competitiveness report points to areas we are perceived to therefore strive to improve.

These include low health be weaker, and which we must I am pleased that our budget places significant allocations to and education indicators.
these two sectors, with the Ministry of education setting their targets to include among others access to equitable and quality education for all children, and integrating the use of ICT in education.

trade system allows nat~o Honourable Speaker A nation's competitiveness is determined by its productivity.

A renowned Professor of Economics Robert Carbaugh avers in his publication International Economics that specialise in industries whe~ they have international competitive advantage.
Our beef and' of the areas I where we do well.

It is, thus, to ensure that we maintain unimpeded trade of important this commodity in international markets.

To achieve this, the business landscape should be favourable and equitable trade regimes should be put in place.

It is for these reasons that the African, Caribbean Pacific (ACP) group of states demands a fair trade deal with the European Union (EU) in a form of the Economic Partnership Agreement industries are, no doubt, ~ (EPA).
The Namibian government should be applauded for standing firm in EPA negotiations, in the ACP-EU trade negotiations where others wavered.

While some stakeholders to do so, pending the rushed to siqn the interim EPA, we remained adamant not consideration of our concerns.

Eventually, what started as issues of concern to Namibia became issue of concern to all, including those who doubted us at the beginning.
We should remain firm on the outstanding issues, such as the rule of origin, definition of If the issue of the origin of products is parties and Most Favoured Nation (MFN) clause.

clearly specified there could be no blame game, for example when a horse meat was found in supposedly beef burgers sold in UK and Ireland.

The exclusion of the Most Favoured Nation (MFN) clause remains vital.

f9[ £ur..trag"e&t,i& emerging economies like trade partners have their India and Chin~) coltnhTes.
'Our the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, respective unique characteristics, and it is on the basis of those that we choose them as our business allies.

To extend similar trade benefits to them will, accordingly, not be an ideal exercise.

it is When agreements like the EPAs or any other bilateral agreements are concluded, important that our diplomats work hard to ensure that trade indeed take place between Namibia and her partners.
Promotion of trade does not only entail bringing trade and investment to Namibia, but it also entails promoting Namibian products to be exported outside.

This is underscored in the Accountability Report as one of the objectives of our diplomatic establishment abroad.

Diplomats should follow up on trade agreements concluded with Namibia and endeavour to bring such agreemenFto their fruition.

The Missions are further charged with the responsibilities of gathering and analysing information.
They should not serve as post offices, transmitting reports and documents, without providing an opinion on the subject matter.

The essence of diplomatic representation is that diplomats are better placed to know and advise their sending state appropriately.

4 We have many friends in Eastern Europe and Asia, whom history shall attest that they stood by Namibia during the pre-independence period.

These friends still exist albeit in a changed post Cold-War environment.
We should increase our bilateral activities with such friends and nurture our relations further by way of increasing our import and export trade with these countries.

Accordingly, yours tn.jl~ y~ted our traditional allies, Vietnam and Lithuania in the recent months and in the iIII\W, held discussions with a business federation of that country to link it up with the Namibian Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
Doing business with traditional allies is vital for our trade because as two partners we understand each other better and can count on each other's support not only in mutual bilateral trade: but also in multilateral trade negotiations.

front, conflict continues to prevail Honourable Speaker in Syria.

We On the international support the mediation efforts by the United Nations, currently spearheaded by Mr Lakhdar Brahimi.
All parties should stick to the six-point plan that has been advanced as a road map towards ending the turbulence.

Both the Syrian government and oppositiors should stop the fights in order to achieve a sustainable cessation of armed violence.

They should allow the United Nations to effectively supervise this process.

Eventually, the people of Syria should decide on their destiny by way of realising the aspirations of the majority.
in the Arab region, We continue to observe turbulences on the African continent.

As we celebrated our 22nd the people of Mali witnessed the start of a fateful independence anniversary last year, following the Tuaregf.

the government of Mali, period, when the military took over rebellion.

Coup d'{dats in their very nature are undesirable, as they dispose elected governments, the wishes of the majority votes.
The Namibian constitution underscores the values of democracy and respect of democratic institutions therefore, not approve people who assume power at whim, but of states.

We will, through legitimate processes that are guided by their supreme law.

As I stated on the rostrum of this chamber integrity of importance.

The unilateral declaration by the Tuareg rebels Mali remains of paramount in Azawad which sought to partition Mali, therefore, stands condemned.
I would like to reiterate that the territorial thereby going against last year, Just in our region an armed rebellion sprang in the DRC, as the rebel \~roups sought to topple an elected government.

Such course of action stands to destabilise peace on the southern Africa region.

Thus, SADC should be applauded for having decided to make a contribution to the Neutral in that country International Force to ensure that the conflict to an end.
Those who live on waging war and fomenting hostilities should is brought the region will not stand aside and allow aggression and belligerence to be know that the order of the day.

No progressive government or dignified leader would support actions that aimed at the loss of lives and displacement of women and children.
We are encouraged by the manner in which peace prevailed in Kenya during the recently concluded elections, avoiding a repetition of the post-election violence in which 5 many people lost their lives, five years ago.

Elections are important arrangements that should be treated with reverence.

No reckless behaviour should be associated with This brings to my mind when in 2009, some people were such important exercise.
deliberately sending fake election results over the internet, as opposed to then correct figures from the Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN).

Such behaviours are meant to cause confusions and bring triviality in the entire election process.

This august house look into legislation that brings to book those who maliciously should, distribute unauthenticated elections results.

therefore, I support With these words, for the financial year 2012/13 I thank you!

the Budget - 2015/16.


for the financial year 2012 1 13 and the MTEF