Source document: https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/1698746017692.pdf (Namibia)
REPUBLICOF NAMIBIA Response to the Budget Discussion and the third Reading of the 2018/2019 Budget Presented by Hon.

Calle H-G Schlettwein Minister of Finance April 25, 2018 1 Honourable Speaker, Honourable Deputy Speaker, Honourable Members of the National Assembly, Introduction 1.

I have the honour to rise here today to express my gratitude to the Honourable members who actively participated in the discussionof the 2018/2019 Budget.
The debate and questions raised during the discussion are valuable and enlighten the budgeting and implementation process going forward.

2.

During the last seven weeks of deliberations, the Honourable members have had the opportunity to interrogate the budget and they did thiswith vigor.

I am therefore grateful to all the Honourable members for their support and guidance.

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Significant emphasis was for effective implementation of the budget, policy reforms to amplify the impact of the budget on development outcomes and innovative reforms to improve internal efficiency.

Thiscannot be further re-emphasized.

placed need the on 4.

In this fiscal consolidation framework, we are called upon to work resultsand to do more with collaboratively for sustainable development less.

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Honourable Speaker, allow me to reflect briefly on the core principles underpinning the 2018/19 Budget.

The 2018/19 Budget underscores to uphold the principles of macroeconomic Government's commitment stability and fiscal sustainability, while addressing socio-economic challenges facing our country, in the short-term, medium-term and the long-term horizon.
In the short-term, the fiscal policy is aligned to other macroeconomic policies, namely monetary policy, by creating enabling environment for stable growth, It is for this reason that budgetary provision is made to boosting production and inflation and healthy balance of payment.

2 investing in growth-enhancing infrastructure.

Our focus is to support growth on priority sectors of the economy in which growth and job- is the greatest.
At the same time, Government forges creation potential fiscal and real-sector reforms ahead with commitments to implement aimed at and overall investment climate.

improving state revenue, skills development 7.

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9. fiscal policy has increasingly became critical tool to Honourable Speaker, address domestic socio-economic and developmental challenges and therefore remains committed to confront competitiveness.
Government challenges of poverty, inequality, unemployment, economic growth and infrastructure deficit, among others, now and in the future.

Consistentwith is a demonstration of our consistent policy this notion, the 2018/19 budget commitment in human capital development and provision of health and other social services.

towards investment Over the long-term, our investment and reform agenda will pay dividends.
As the economy assumesa positive growth trajectory, we have to rein in expenditure in order to introduce the fiscal space again, in favour of long- term sustainability of fiscal outcomes.

I should emphasis yet again that during the current MTEF,fiscal prudence remains a principal policy objective of Government.

We will remain firm on course to align expenditure to the levels of revenue and economic growth in order to be sustainable.

Discharging our Mandate 10.


The Ministry of Finance continues to implement reform initiatives to further these include the the measure aimed at managing and tracking outcomes on a programme basis as well as resource finance management; strengthen Programme-budgeting, budgetary mobilization.

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\ l t C 'j '-- ~ , ~ I'L~ ,{ Concluding Remarks 11.

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In conclusion, Honourable Speaker, Honourable Members, budget I tabled a the current economic difficulties facing takes into account that 3 our country, and introduce a package of policy measures, consistent with the need to support the essential social the economy and protect spending.

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I therefore take this opportunity to thank you once again for your support of the 2018/2019 Budget.

I thank you.

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