REPUBLIC OF NAMIBIA

BUDGET STATEMENT BY HON. PEYA

MUSHELENGA, MP,
DEPUTY MINISTER OF FOREIGN
AFFAIRS

28 APRIL 2010 NATIONAL ASSEMBLY

Honourable Chairperson of the Whole House Committee
Honourable Members

It is indeed a great honour and priviledge for me to present to

this august House and to motivate Vote 7 for the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs for the 2010/2011 financial year.

Before I proceed, may I take this opportunity, Honourable

Chairperson of the Whole House Committee on behalf of the
Honourable Minister and indeed on my own behalf, to sincerely
thank our predecessors, the Honourable Marco Hausiku and his
former Deputy, the Honourable Lempy Lukas for having been
instrumental in promoting Namibia's Foreign Policy with
distinction for the past 6 years. I would also like to warmly
congratulate Hon. Hausiku on his well deserved appointment as
Deputy Prime Minister. I am confident he will discharge his
new responsibilities with diligence, and a sense of dynamism.

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Comrade Chairperson of the Whole House Committee,

Honourable Members

Allow me once again to emphasize that, the Ministry of Foreign

Affairs will continue to engage its international partners at both
bilateral and multilateral levels with the view of advancing our
national interests and promoting international cooperation in
keeping with our mandate.

Comrade Chairperson of the Whole House Committee,

Honourable Members,

Let me take you through the Ministry's budget request for the
financial year 2010/2011.

A total amount of N$505 480 OOO(FiveHundred and Five

Million Four Hundred and Eighty Thousand Namibian
Dollars) has been allocated to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
for the 2010/2011 financial year. The amount of N$180 557
OOO(OneHundred and Eighty Million, Five Hundred and

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Fifty Seven Thousand Namibian Dollars) will be used for
Development Budget and N$324 923 000 (Three Hundred and
Twenty Four Million, Nine Hundred and Twenty Three
Thousand Namibian Dollars) is earmarked for the operational
of the Ministry and its Diplomatic Missions.

The amount allocated to the Development Budget will be

utilized as follows:

N$134 248 000 (One Hundred and Thirty Four Million, Two
Hundred and Forty Eight Thousand Namibian Dollars) will
be used for the purchasing and maintenance of our diplomatic
premises abroad, as well as the rehabilitation and construction of
the Cassinga Mass grave in Angola and the graves at Shatotwa
in Zambia.

N$3 500 OOO(Three Million, Five Hundred Thousand

Namibian Dollars) will be used for the maintenance of the
Headquarters building and the replacement of the lifts.

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N$42 809 OOO(FortyTwo Million, Eight Hundred and Nine
Thousand Namibian Dollars) will be used for the construction
of the VIP Lounge at Hosea Kuutako International Airport.

Comrade Chairperson of the Whole House Committee,

Honourable Members,

Let me take you through the break-down of the amount

requested by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for each program
under the operational budget.

Program 1: Bilateral Affairs

The funds to the amount of N$50 546 OOO(FiftyMillion, Five

Hundred and Forty Six Thousand Namibian Dollar,
allocated to this program will be utilized in carrying out its
priority functions among others:

• advance Namibia's national interests through the conduct

of our bilateral relations and working with other
governments, organizations and other development
partners;

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• Reinforce international recognition of Namibia as a reliable
partner in securing peace and security at home and abroad
and strengthen cooperation aimed at advancing economic
and social development; and

• Provide prompt and effective consular services for

Namibians travelling or living abroad;

Hence, economic diplomacy through investment and trade

promotion between Namibia and other countries on a
bilateral level will be advanced.

Program 2: Multilateral Affairs

Through Multilateral Affairs, the Ministry continues to pursue

its national mandate of informing, coordinating and advising
government on regional, continental and world-wide facetted
Issues.

In that connection, the Ministry continues to constantly monitor

new developments as they evolve from organizations such as

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Southern African Development Community (SADC), the
Southern African Customs Union (SACU), the African Union
(AU), the United Nations, the Commonwealth, the Non-Aligned
Movement, and the G-77 and China, the European Union and
many others.

Comrade Chairperson of the Whole House Committee,

Honourable Members,

It is important to inform this august House about the envisaged

forthcoming regional, continental and international events that
the Ministry will be participating during the financial year
under consideration.

At regional level, Namibia is currently the Vice-Chairman of

SADC, and as such a member of the SADC Troika. We shall
assume the chairmanship during the 30th SADC Summit which
will be held in Windhoek in August this year. Due to its cross-
cutting character, the event will need cross sectoral budgeting
and preparations. In addition, the 31 st Session of the SADC
Inter-State Politics and Diplomacy Committee as well as the 12th

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Meeting of the Ministerial Committee of the Organ (MCO) on
Politics, Defense and Security Cooperation will take place in
Maputo, Mozambique.

A SACU Heads of State and Government Summit took place in

Windhoek, Namibia, on 22 April this year. It coincided with 100
(Hundred years) cerebration of the existence of SACU.

Comrade Chairperson of the Whole House Committee,

Honorable Members,

At continental level, Namibia became a member of the AU

Peace and Security Council as from 1 April 2010. As such,
Namibia will actively participate in continental conflict
resolution and peace keeping operations. This requires
additional resources in terms of finance and human resources.
Namibia will also participate at the 15th Ordinary Session of the
AU Assembly of Heads of State and Government, scheduled for
Kampala, Uganda in July 2010.

As a member of NEP AD Heads of State and Government

Orientation Committee, the Ministry is expected to participate in

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the activities of the Committee at both the officials and Heads of
State and Government levels.

The Africa- France Summit, the Africa- EU Summit as well as

the Afro-Arab Summit is scheduled to take place this year of
which the Ministry is expected to participate.

Namibia is also a member of the AU Committee of Ten Heads

of State and Government on the reform of the UN. The Ministry
has to participate actively in order to fulfill its mandate as per
Ezulwini agreement.

Comrade Chairperson of the Whole House Committee,

Honorable Members

At the United Nations, Namibia is a member of the Economic

and Social Council (ECOSOC). This year's Substantive Session
of ECOSOC is scheduled to take place in New York from June
to July 2010.

The General Debate of the 65th Session of the General Assembly

is scheduled to take place in September 2010. Meetings of the

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Main Committees of the General Assembly and other subsidiary
bodies will also be held soon thereafter. Prior to the General
debate the UN Secretary General will convene a high level
meeting to assess the progress made in the implementation of
the Millennium Development Goals. The Ministry will
participate in all these meetings.

A big chunk of our funds under this program goes towards our
membership contribution to Regional and International
organizations.

An amount of N$64 226 000 (Sixty Four Million Two

Hundred and Twenty Six Thousand Namibian Dollars) is
earmarked for the Multilateral program.

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Program 3: Protocol and Consular Services

Comrade Chairperson of the Whole House Committee,

Honourable Members,

An amount of N$ 29 925 000 (Twenty Nine Million Nine

Hundred and Twenty Five thousand Namibian Dollars) has
been earmarked for this program.

Among the functions of the Ministry is to render efficient and

effective protocol services to the Office of the President, the
Office of the Prime Minister, the Office of Founding President
and Father of the Nation, the Speaker of the National Assembly,
the Chairman of the National Council, Ministers, Members of
this august House and other dignitaries.

Protocol Officers accompany the President on all official local

and international missions. Furthermore, the Department is
responsible for the organization of all official visits to Namibia
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by Heads of State and Government which includes the printing
of posters, flags, programs and invitation cards.

Program 4: Missions

Comrade Chairperson of the Whole House Committee,

Honorable Members,

The next program, my last but not least program is Missions

Abroad. This program is allocated an amount of N$360 783 000
(Three Hundred and Sixty Million Seven Hundred and
Eighty Three Thousand N$), which represent 71 % of the total
budget of the Ministry. This money will be spent in major
foreign currencies which are subjected to the appreciation and
depreciation of the Namibian Dollar.

The Missions serve to implement our strategic plans and

promote economic diplomacy, as per The White Paper on
Foreign Policy and Diplomacy Management and the Strategic
Plan. The opening of the two Missions I mentioned earlier on,

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namely Geneva (a Multilateral and Bilateral Mission) and Tokyo
(a Bilateral Mission) are taken into consideration.

I now move the budget of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the

amount of N$ 505 480 000 (FIVE HUNDRED AND FIVE
MILLION, FOUR HUNDRED AND EIGHTY THOUSAND
N$) for the 2010/2011 Financial Year for the Honourable
House's consideration and approval. I count on your support,
especially since this is our first budget presentation of the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

I thank you.

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