Because of its colonial history, Namibia is one of the priority partner countries of the German development cooperation. It is receiving the highest amount of per-capita aid in Africa. Germany is Namibia’s largest bilateral donor, followed by the USA and EU being the most important multilateral donors (Source: OECD). 

The Federal Republic of Germany aims at supporting the Namibian government in closing the wide social gap in its society. Priority areas of development cooperation have been negotiated between the German and Namibian government in 2007 and again in August 2009. These are binding for DED as well as for all other development organizations.

The following focal areas were agreed upon:

Natural resource management incl. land reform support
Transport
Promotion of the economy

The fight against HIV/AIDS was recognized as an important cross-cutting issue.

The German Development Service is active in Namibia since 1989. In 1992 a memorandum of understanding was signed with the Namibian government. Today DED is engaged in all but the transport sector. The transport sector is supported by other German organisations (mainly the state owned Bank KfW and GTZ)

DED projects in the sector of Natural Resource Management and Land Reform

DED projects in the sector of Economy Promotion

DED projects in the sector of HIV and AIDS prevention and treatment

An average of 30 experts are working for the DED in Namibia each year. Their duty stations are predominantly in the highly populated areas of the North and Northeast as well as in the capital Windhoek. Furthermore, the DED Namibia hosts young German participants of the weltwaerts programme, a government stipend scheme providing one-year-internship opportunities for young German school graduates.