The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) on Tuesday hosted its 60th birthday celebration, of which 35 years have been in partnership with Namibia.
The event, which took place in Windhoek, focused on celebrating partnership, service and impact.
The event was not only a celebration but a farewell to Alka Bhatia, the UNDP’s resident representative in Namibia.
Oyo director Phillipe Talavera spoke about how he met Bhatia.
“I met Alka during Covid. We had a project with teenagers interviewing people who were working on the baronetal issues in Damascus.
“It was interesting to see what teenagers wanted to learn and how they would ask questions to various people,” Talavera said.
The portfolio programme analyst at UNDP Namibia, Geraldine Itana, spoke about the journey of the programme.
“Our journey has never been crafted in isolation. It has been powered by the strength and commitment of our partners. From the grassroots to the global stage, every achievement has been shared, and every solution has been built together.
“As the UNDP marks 60 years globally, its legacy in Namibia stands tall, reminding us that development is never a solo journey. It is a partnership and together, we rise, ” Itana said.
Speaking at the event, Namibia Revenue Agency commissioner Sam Shivute said: “We often feel if we capacitate and help Namibia’s Revenue Agency, it will be able to mobilise revenue, domestic resources, and in that way, you help Namibia.
“There is a saying that it’s better to teach someone how to fish than to give someone a fish,” he said.
Bhatia said: “Development is a process we all have to nurture.”
