Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Water, and Land Reform, Anna Shiweda, said the Namibian government has officially declared a state of drought in Namibia.

She said measures are being put into motion to initiate a comprehensive drought relief programme aimed at assisting the vulnerable and affected communities residing in all 14 regions of the country.

The deputy minister delivered these remarks during the third ordinary meeting of the Southern African Science Service Centre for Climate Change and Adaptive Land Management (SASSCAL) council of ministers held in Luanda, Angola, on Tuesday.

In a statement released by the ministry, Shiweda highlighted the significance of the joint effort made by Angola, Botswana, Namibia, South Africa, Zambia, and Germany in establishing SASSCAL to address the challenges posed by global climate change.

"We should continue to harness, support, and strengthen the governance of this important institution. We view our partnership and participation in SASSCAL as being in pursuance of the SADC and AU integration agenda in the areas of science, land, and indeed the advancement of human capacity and the development of our people," the deputy minister said.

Namibia, therefore, wishes to reaffirm its unwavering commitment and dedication to the success of SASSCAL while also commending the steadfast commitment and contributions of fellow member states in pursuit of SASSCAL’s objectives, Shiweda noted.

Furthermore, she underscored that Namibia, being a nation frequently affected by climate change-induced events such as droughts and floods, attaches great importance to the thematic and programmatic efforts of SASSCAL.
(NAMPA)