Niël Terblanché
The United Nations has issued a strong appeal to the international community to assist Namibia, as nearly half of the country’s population faces the devastating effects of the ongoing drought.
The UN’s call was reinforced during a recent visit to Namibia by Reena Ghelani, the UN Assistant Secretary-General and Climate Crisis Coordinator, who witnessed firsthand the harsh realities faced by communities in drought-stricken regions.
According to a statement published by the UN, Ghelani described the situation as “deeply alarming” during her tour of Namibia.
She observed that the drought has decimated crops and threatens livestock due to the lack of pasture.
“Aid must be scaled up immediately,” she urged while adding that the Omaheke region is one of the hardest-hit regions, with approximately 10% of its population experiencing emergency levels of food insecurity.
Ghelani said that the UN, in collaboration with the Namibian government, is working on a comprehensive strategy to build climate resilience and improve responses to such environmental shocks.
According to the UN statement, Hopolang Phororo, the UN Resident Coordinator in Namibia, pointed to the importance of building resilience within communities to better anticipate and respond to these challenges.
Namibia has declared a National State of Emergency due to the drought, effective from May 22.
President Nangolo Mbumba has since called for comprehensive international assistance to address the escalating crisis.
During a meeting with diplomats assigned to Namibia, the President stressed that the drought has severely impacted all 14 regions of the country, leading to a significant decline in agricultural productivity and water availability.
He informed diplomats that the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) analysis revealed that 1.4 million Namibians, or 48% of the population, are currently experiencing acute food insecurity.
The Namibian government has already allocated N$825 million towards drought relief efforts, which include food distribution, increased water provision, livestock support, and seed programs targeting 340 000 households.
President Mbumba informed the diplomatic corps that this funding is insufficient to meet the growing needs and that an additional N$482 million is required to bridge the gap.
The President’s call for international assistance reiterated the critical need for solidarity and urgent action to prevent a humanitarian disaster.
He said that the severity of the drought, combined with economic challenges and inflation, necessitates immediate and sustained intervention from global partners.
Namibia’s situation is part of a broader regional crisis affecting several Southern African countries.
The Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) has also launched a humanitarian appeal for at least US$5.5 billion to support over 60 million people affected by the raging droughts and floods across the region.
Countries like Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, and Lesotho have also declared states of emergency due to severe drought conditions.
