On 17 August 2017, the Groundbreaking Ceremony for the building of a “Central Support Structure for Peace Keeping Missions” took place at the Osona Military Base near Okahandja. The project to the value of almost 4 million Euro (approx. N$60 million) is supported through the bilateral cooperation between the Federal Republic of Germany with its Equipment Aid Programme and Namibia. Deputy Minister Billy Mwaningange and Ambassador Christian Schlaga, as well as many NDF personnel and members of the German Military Advisory Group, attended the ceremony.
The project will include a multi-faculty training workshop for Plumbing, Carpentry, Welding, Electricians and for bricklaying / masonry as well as workshops for vehicles and trucks with a paintspray booth. A workshop for medical equipment is also included. Part of the workshop areas were designed for apprenticeship- and artisan training purposes. Here, similar to the existing training workshop for car mechanics, a certified training is to be carried out. This should enable the NDF to ensure thorough repair and maintenance services for a large range of equipment and also to prepare material and personnel for a possible deployment at UN, AU or SADC level.
Ambassador Christian Schlaga remarked: “Germany attaches great importance to its cooperation with the Namibian Defence Force, which has been for more than twenty years in place. Germany wishes to contribute to a development which will eventually see Namibia´s full participation in international peace keeping missions in Africa; in the sense of a true “African Ownership” for African peace and stability.”
The total budget of the project, which is to be implemented in the period 2017-20, amounts to almost 4 million euros. This includes the training of the professional staff. Namibia contributes 20% of the construction costs.
Distributed by APO on behalf of The Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany – Windhoek.
Source: Apo-Opa
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