WRITTEN QUESTION P-2815/96 by Monica Baldi (UPE) to the Commission (16 October 1996)

Subject: Situation in Namibia

With regard to the funds available for the 1996 financial year under budget line B7-3210 and the share of those funds earmarked for rehabilitation projects in Namibia, will the Commission state

1. what share of the funds has been utilized to date?

2. how many rehabilitation projects submitted to the Commission Delegation in Windhoek have not been considered by the Delegation for funding in 1996, and for what reasons?

3. whether funds for the current financial year can be utilized at short notice to finance projects already submitted together with the budget analytical study and summary sheet, as provided for in the B7-3210 budget guidelines?

Answer given by Mr Pinheiro on behalf of the Commission (22 November 1996)

The Commission has indicated its willingness to make funds available from the budget line B7 3210 for the re-integration of ex-combatants in Namibia. As of 7 November 1996, commitments already made in 1996 amounted to 99.9 % of the budgeted amount of 20 MECU.

On request of the National authorizing officer (NAO) the European development fund (EDF) financed a Socio-economic integration programme for ex-combatants which, at the end of August 1996, proposed an institutional framework as well as criteria for project proposals. The study was approved by the Namibian cabinet as the basis for their policy for integration of ex-combatants.

A proposal was submitted to the Commission during 1995 and is currently being implemented for an amount of 832 300 ECU.

Another proposal was submitted to the National planning commission (NPC) with a copy to the Commission delegation. This proposal had not been considered by NPC as a viable solution to the ex-combatants reintegration and was not presented to the delegation. The NPC then presented a set of eight other non governmental organisation (NGO) proposals to the delegation. Following the appraisal of these proposals on the basis of the agreed guidelines and criteria for this type of projects it appeared that these proposals did not justify funding due to the lack of feasibility studies, absence of budget breakdown and overall cost and the general non-viability of the activities proposed. The NPC was urged to submit revised or new proposals before the end of September and was advised that technical assistance could be funded to facilitate the preparation of suitable project proposals. Unfortunately, and despite the constructive recommendations made and further assistance offered by the delegation, this new set of proposals still did not take into account essential viability and sustainability criteria and could therefore not be considered for funding.

Within the limits of the financial resources available under B7 3210, out of ten activities presented in 1996, only two have been approved at this stage. The deadline for introduction of proper proposals under the 1996 credits expired on 30 September 1996. It is now expected that when recommendations of the study are implemented and with proper coordination through the NPC, viable project proposals will reach the Commission for financing under the 1997 budget line.

The Commission is committed to support all projects that are properly drawn up and offer the necessary guarantees of viability, if approved by the Namibian authorities and if they fit with the overall criteria already agreed between the parties.