Mission Report: Namibia /Sweden Local Authorities Partnership

Ms Lena Johansson-Blomstrand with Pink Scarf (Head of Mission: Swedish Embassy) flanked by Mrs. M. Kambala (ALAN Programme Officer) Mr. Paul Dixelius (Strategic Development Director - SALA IDA), Ms Linda Engval (Programme Manager- Swedish Embassy), Ms Jennifer Kauapirura (CEO-ALAN), Her Worship Clr. Uilika Nambahu (Mayor of Walvis Bay), and His Worship- Clr. Engel Nawatiseb -Mayor Tsumeb.

Group photo of the delegations from the 6 Namibian and 6 Swedish local authorities

Ms Victoria Ahlberg, Member of the Environmental committee and Ms Johanna Ekne, Project manager, Environmental department from the City of Malmö visited the Swakopmund Municipality. The group was led by Clr. Rosina //Hoabes, the President of ALAN. The two Cities have expressed interest in cooperating around environmental areas. A technical visit to the landfill to study how the waste is taken care of; energy supply and the use of renewable energy cemented the agreement. The possibilities of using both solar and wind energy are envisaged as potential future prospects. The cities will proceed with an application to start an inception phase and the focus area will be environmental issues.

Mr. Dan Westerberg, Deputy Mayor of the City of Falun and Mr. Anders Lundgren, the International Coordinator visited Tsumeb and the group was led by HW Clr. Engel Nawatiseb, ALAN MC member and Mayor of Tsumeb. Both these towns have a history in copper mining. The group visited The Old Mine, the "Grand Old Lady" of Namibian mining for more than 50 years which stopped production in 1996 due to depletion of economical ore. The group signed a letter of intent identifying several fields of cooperation such as: Education, Information Technology and Communication, Training in Democracy and Good Governance, Tourism and Environmental issues.

Delegates from the Municipality of Staffanstorp, Sweden, Councilor Helene Öhman, Bo Gertsson, and Chief Executive Officer were accompanied to Mariental by Mrs. Maureen Kambala, the Programme Officer of ALAN. The group sealed the cooperation with a signed letter of intent with an agreement to go into an inception phase. The partnership will be based on the policy for Global Development from the Swedish Association for Local Authorities, SALA IDA. During the inception phase the following will be discussed: Local Governance and local government administration, urban planning and environment, Social issues, for example Pre School.

The delegation from Höör Municipality was composed of the Mayor, Mr. Pehr-Ove Pehrson and Mr. Jan Sohlmér, Chief Executive Officer. Mr Björn Kullander, the Programme Manager - Municipal Partnerships from SALA-IDA accompanied/drove the two visitors to Luderitz. The visit ended with an agreement to develop future co-operations with an application for an inception phase, preliminary within any of the areas of: Stimulating youth to meaningful activities in sports, culture or entrepreneurship, Methods to reach children in their early childhood, health development and handling of a modern sewage plant.

The delegation from Stenungsunds Ms Eva Öhlin, teacher at Nösnäsgymnasiet (an upper secondary school) and Mr. Peter Bäcklund, principal at Nösnäsgymnasiet visited Walvis Bay as the two Cities already had an ongoing academic partnership through an exchange programme between schools; the Nösnäsgymnasiet with Kuisebmond Secondary School. The delegates were accompanied by Mr. Paul Dixelius, the Strategic Development Director of SALA IDA. Walvis Bay expressed their wishes to get support from within two areas; education/youth development projects and capacity development for councillors and a letter of intent from the municipality of Walvis Bay was handed over to Stenungsund at the farewell dinner. Partnership between Walvis Bay and Stenungsund can be negotiated in the fall of 2008.

The delegates from the Hörby Municipality comprised of Mr. Lars Ahlkvist, Mayor and Mr. Arne Bertilsson, Chief Executive Officer of the City of Hörby. Ms Jennifer Kauapirura, CEO of ALAN drove the group to Karasburg. Further cooperation in the area of municipal services and local economic development were discussed. The Karasburg Council drafted a short letter of intend in which the Council expressed their interest to form a bilateral/twinning agreement with the City of Hörby. Hörby informed that they intend to cooperate with their neighbor-municipality Höör in coming projects and needs to lease in terms of practical matters such as planning of the visits from their Namibian partners.