BENCHMARK VISIT OF THE NATIONAL ENVIRONMENT FUND OF ESWATINI

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BENCHMARK VISIT OF THE NATIONAL ENVIRONMENT FUND OF ESWATINI

Windhoek, 26 September 2022 - The Eswatini Environmental Fund (EEF) recently concluded a benchmark study of the Environmental Investment Fund of Namibia in order to attain suitable benchmarks for its National Environment Fund. The purpose of visiting Namibia is to meet with the Environmental Investment Fund of Namibia (EIF) and to learn from the institutional set-up in place that enables it to deliver on the same objectives as the Eswatini Environmental Fund (EEF).

The sessions provided a platform for the two institutions to network and engage on the opportunities and challenges pertaining to their respective institutional set-ups with a view towards documenting best practices and
lessons-learnt.

The benchmark visit commenced with courtesy meeting at the Ministry of Environment Forestry and Tourism, as the National Designated Authority to the Green Climate Fund. The meeting at the Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism also engaged on the role MEFT plays in effecting EIF’s mandate , National Climate Change Actions and an overview of the Green Climate Fund Country Strategy.

The delegation also paid a courtesy visit to the Executive Director of the Ministry of Finance, as the reporting line ministry for the Environmental Investment Fund & Chairperson of the EIF Board to engage on issues of strategic leadership, and how the leadership has transformed EIF as one of the best Environmental Fund in Africa.

In their discussions the two institutions emphasised the importance of protecting the environment, highlighting that the two institutions are hopeful that the two countries will sign agreements that are gearing towards ensuring environmental sustainability and how to ensure the citizens of the two countries use their resources productively.

The two entities also emphasised the need for EEF and EIF to form a partnership so that the shared resources can be mutually beneficial. The head of delegation of the EEF stated they are here to learn from Namibia because EIF is better resourced, better managed – and it is one of the best examples to learn from, further urging that Africans do not always have to go outside the continent to benchmark.

Over the last three days the EIF share their experiences on the institutional set, history and plans for the future through policy presentations and that includes Fiduciary Management Policies & Financial Management System of the EIF, Green Climate Fund and how the Environmental Investment Fund of Namibia is aligned to it, programming, Strategic Planning and Institutional Performance Reporting, Procurement Policy and Processes presentation, EIF Gender policy, EIF ESS Policy, EIF Human Resource Policy & Staff Development, Communication and Outreach Strategy of the EIF, Resource Mobilization Strategy & Institutional Investment Plan of the EIF, and also saw the various project administered and managed under the Fund presenting on their mandates and lesson learned.

Eswatini concluded the presentations engagement by sharing on the programmes and projects it manages, operation of its fund, its success and challenges and discussion on supportive approach and collaboration between the EIF & EEF.

The EEE delegation was made up of Mr. Banele Nkambule (Chairperson of Board of Trustees), Mr. Mfanaleni Mkhatswa (Chairperson of the Management Board), Mr. Thabiso Nzuza (Chief Financial Officer) and Mr. Mfundo Payday Langwenya (Environment Fund Officer).

Eswatini Environmental Fund (EEF) commenced with a benchmark study of Namibia’s Environmental Investment Fund (EIF) to attain suitable benchmarks for its own EEF on Monday, 19th September 2022. The benchmark visit concluded on Wednesday, 21st September 2022.

About EIF

The Environmental Investment Fund is Namibia’s own response to the growing global need for green financing. Established in terms of the Environmental Investment Fund Act, Act 13 of 2001 with a mandate to raise funding for investments into projects and programmes that promote sustainable development it is currently one of the fastest growing green and climate financing institutions in Africa. As part of its vision to be “a recognized leader in the development and application of innovative financing mechanisms to support sustainable development and ensuring inclusive development for all the people of Namibia.

Amongst its recognizable impacts to date since inception, the Fund has disbursed grants valued at more than N$ 583 million, ensured that more than 240, 256 hectares of land are under conservation, 71 grants approved for different environmental projects, created more than 950 employment opportunities mostly rural based and include season ones and retrofitted 169 boreholes that benefitted more than 77 000 who now have access to portable drinking water and attracted N$ 820 million for concessional Green Credit Line with participating commercial bank from Agence Française de Développement (AFD) under the SUNREF project in Namibia. To-date attracted and mobilised more than N$3 billion mostly from multilateral and developmental funding institutions and partners. For more information visit: http://www.eif.org.na/