WINDHOEK: President Nangolo Mbumba has said that Namibia will need assistance with food, especially in areas where persistent cases of malnutrition among children have been reported.

Mbumba made these remarks on Thursday during a courtesy visit by the United Nations (UN) Climate Crisis Coordinator for El Niño, Reena Ghelani, who visited the Omaheke region where 45 children died of malnutrition and 132 cases were recorded last year.

Mbumba declared a state of emergency on the current drought as a result of El Niño in March 2024.

‘That particular area where you were has a particular problem, especially when it comes to children and their nutrition. We will really need help there, even if that is the only area where we can get help in terms of food, in terms of preparing the food, utensils that the mothers can use… if it moves us up, then it moves the whole system up,’ he said.

Meanwhile, United Nations (UN) Resident Coordinator, Hopolang Phororo, indicated that the UN has engaged with the Office of the Pr
ime Minister, where it was discussed that Namibia’s classification as an upper middle-income country has made it difficult for development partners to mobilise resources towards the declared state of emergency on the persistent drought.

‘We said if that is still an issue, as the UN let’s see how we can work with the government and of course appreciating that the government has put a lot of resources into responding to the drought,’ she said.

‘It is our permanent fight,’ Mbumba responded.

On her part, Ghelani indicated her visit follows the declaration of emergency on the drought to see how much the UN Climate Crisis Coordinator for El Niño can do to support.

Source: The Namibia News Agency