The Eswatini Environmental Fund (EEF) recently concluded a benchmark study of Namibia’s Environmental Investment Fund (EIF) to attain suitable benchmarks for its National Environment Fund.
The purpose of visiting Namibia was to meet with the EIF and learn from the institutional set-up that enables it to deliver on the same objectives as the 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 to document best practices and lessons learnt.
The benchmark visit commenced with a courtesy meeting at the environment, forestry and tourism ministry as the National Designated Authority to the Green Climate Fund. The meeting at the environment ministry 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 finance ministry, as the reporting line ministry for the EIF & chairperson of the EIF board to engage on issues of strategic leadership and how the leadership has transformed EIF into one of the best environmental Funds in Africa.
In their discussions, the two institutions emphasised the importance of protecting the environment. They also highlighted that the two institutions are hopeful that the two countries will sign agreements geared toward 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 the EEF delegation stated they came to learn from Namibia because EIF is better resourced and 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 three days, the EIF shared their experiences on the institutional set, history and plans for the future through policy presentations. These include Fiduciary Management Policies and Financial Management System of the EIF, the Green Climate Fund and how Namibia’s EIF is aligned to it. The presentations also touched on 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 Mobilisation Strategy & Institutional Investment Plan of the EIF.
They also saw the various project administered and managed under the Fund, presenting their mandates and lesson learned.
Eswatini concluded the presentations engagement by sharing on the programmes and projects it manages, the operation of its Fund, its success and challenges and discussing on supportive approach and collaboration between the EIF & EEF.
The EEE delegation comprised Chairperson of the Board of Trustees, Banele Nkambule, Chairperson of the Management Board, Mfanaleni Mkhatswa, Chief Financial Officer Thabiso Nzuza, and Environment Fund Officer Mfundo Payday Langwenya.
EEF commenced with a benchmark study of EIF to attain suitable benchmarks for its own EEF on Monday, 19 September 2022. The benchmark visit concluded on Wednesday, 21 September 2022.
