The deployment of people in job positions based on other factors than merit is one of the factors hampering the process of sustainable development. 

This was stated by the Chairperson of the Forum for German-Speaking Namibians, Harald Hecht, at an engagement with the Swapo Party's Vice President, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah. The engagement was centered around issues of social and economic development challenges such as corruption, unemployment, and mismanagement of resources.

During an engagement between the Forum for German-speaking Namibians and Vice President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, Hecht said structural inequality, poverty, unemployment, and food insecurity are still problematic.

National reconciliation and accountability need to be reinforced, he says.

“We need to reintroduce and walk the talk of national reconciliation, we need political maturity. We need to strive for prudence and courage, we need accountability and transparency to succeed as a nation and implement all these projects for the benefit of all Namibians with maximum local content where possible.”

Namibia ranks as one of the world's most unequal countries, while Germany ranks among the wealthiest countries in the world.

The Swapo Party's Vice President, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, stressed the importance of collaborations of individual competitive advantage both in the public and private sectors to address the country's economic challenges for an inclusive and just society.

"We can talk of economic growth; that's good for data and statistics, but as long as your economy is not creating jobs to allow people to be employed and people to work on their own, then you know you are failing the nation. As long as people are walking on the streets unemployed, those economic words mean nothing."

She said it is also about time that the policy of national reconciliation bears fruit.

The engagement was held under the theme "Harnessing each other's competitive advantages for a better Namibia".