Commemorative message

BY HONOURABLE ERASTUS UUTONI, MP, MINISTER OF URBAN AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT, ON THE OCCASION OF THE AFRICA DAY OF DECENTRALISATION, LOCAL GOVERNANCE AND LOCAL DEVELOPMENT – 10TH AUGUST 2021

Fellow Namibians; Ladies and Gentlemen,

I wish to start off by expressing my gratitude to you all, partners and stakeholders in Decentralisation, Local Governance and Local Development, for having accepted my invitation to attend and take part in the 2021 commemoration of the Africa Day of Decentralisation, Local Governance and Local Development, which is celebrated annually on the 10th of August.

I am particularly grateful to representatives of the various institutions for the valuable perspectives that they have shared on the theme of the day that we are commemorating today. The presentations have indeed illuminated the importance of arts, culture and heritage in the sustainable development of our communities and the nation in large.

On the 10th August each year, member states of the African Union (AU), observes the Africa Day of Decentralization, Local Government and Local Development, not only to celebrate the achievements in areas of decentralisation and local development but also to take stock of and reflect on the challenges experienced as a nation, and generally as continent.

Today, the 10th of August 2021, Namibia joins other Member States of the African Union (AU) in celebrating the Africa Day of Decentralisation, Local Governance and Local Development under the theme “The contribution of Arts, Culture and Heritage in the sustainable development of African cities and territories”.

The theme for this year is further subdivided into three sub-themes, namely –

• Subtheme 1: Using art and culture as levers for social inclusion and for the promotion of the sense of belonging and oneness in African cities and territories;

• Subtheme 2: Mobilizing the energy of youth to boost the contribution of cultural and creative industries in job creation and sustainable development of African cities and territories; and

• Subtheme 3: Developing activities around cultural heritage as way to build city identity and to promote city branding and territorial marketing.

The theme for this year is in harmony with Aspiration number 5 of the AU agenda 2063 which aspire for an Africa with a strong cultural identity, common heritage, values and ethics.

The choice of the theme for this year by the African Union (AU) highlights the increased recognition and significance of the catalyst role that arts, culture and heritage play in the socio-economic development and integration of the African continent.

It is recognised that culture plays an important role in the development of any nation. It represents a set of shared attitudes, values, goals and practices. Moreover, the values of and the access to our cultural heritage, the tangible as well as the intangible, are of paramount importance in defining who we are and must therefore be preserved, promoted and guarded jealously.

Culture and creativity in the form of artistic works manifest themselves in almost all economic, social and other activities. A country as diverse as Namibia is characterised by the multiplicity of its cultures.

The diversity of our cultures as a nation must however not be allowed to divide us, but rather must serve as a source of our pride and unifying force. As one Robert Alan once said “Cultural differences should not separate us from each other, but rather cultural diversity brings a collective strength that can benefit all humanity”.

The choice and emphasis of this theme came at a critical time of our life when our nation in particular and the whole world in general is under siege by the COVID-19 pandemic. Due to the COVID-19 precautionary measures and restrictions, many cultural activities have been suspended and/or highly restricted with resultant negative impact on the tourism industry and thus the cultural sector. Consequently, due to the COVID-19 restrictions, many self-employed practitioners in the Art and Culture sector today face uncertainty as they face reduced or complete loss of income.

While we look forward with positive hopes to the post COVID-19 era, it is now a reality that there will be no complete return to the pre-pandemic era. Therefore, as a country in general and Arts and Culture sector in particular, there is an urgent need to adopt new approaches of conducting business in order to revive and serve this vital industry.

Among others, we are called upon to accelerate the digitalization of the sector by developing digital platforms through which we can host virtual museums, art or photography exhibitions, broadcasting of films and music, delivery of lectures and training sessions in the areas of literature, arts, culture and heritage.

In this regard, I am confident of government’s full support for the digital transformation of the sector, through the Ministry of Education, Arts and Culture in collaboration with wellplaced institutions such as the National Heritage Council of Namibia, regional and local authorities as well as other relevant stakeholders.

I am encouraged and optimistic about the future of the sector as I have observed that many artists have already adopted the use of technology to engage and take their products to the audiences. However, while we desire and encourage to go the way of technology, we are not to forsake our cultural heritage as it forms our shared identity as a nation.

The global trends show that culture is currently on the agenda of most cities, regions and territories. It reflects an identity that allows the originality and distinction of a local area. The promotion of local culture also brings out talent as it allows for experimentation. Furthermore, the role of craftsmanship for the attractiveness of localities and regions was also stressed in the 2003 UNESCO Convention about safeguarding intangible heritage as these attract tourists and visitors throughout the year, which stimulates other local activities

In this regard, I call upon local authorities and regional councils to embrace and prioritise the development of local cultures and arts in order to harness the potential they offer for the development of local economies and more so the national economy. Cultural productions can also contribute to the development of a locality by creating much needed employment and economic value, which translates into improvement of the quality of life for local communities. It has been proven the world over that one of the drivers of local economic development is a positive image of a town or a region where cultural assets are identified and purposely marketed. It is true that whether in urban or rural, culture can also contribute to a better living environment.

Fellow Namibians;

Ladies and Gentlemen,

The issues being mentioned herein resonates well with the policy objectives of decentralisation in our country which advocate for public participation, sustainable and people centred development. Decentralisation gives the opportunity for a larger involvement of local communities in social and economic activities. Therefore, to unleash the potential of arts and culture, local authorities and regional councils must consider innovative strategies such as promoting seasonal festivals where local communities can market local products without charging fees.

The emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic still continue compounding some of the challenges already faced by Government in its quest to provide quality services to communities. I therefore encouraging leadership at both regional and local levels of government to carefully assess their respective operating environments, design and adopt coping strategies aimed at mitigating the impact of the pandemic on the living conditions of our communities.

As we celebrate this day, I am pleased to note that we have, over the past years, witnessed a steady and sustained transfer of service functions from central government to regional councils with the aim of improving the delivery of public services to local communities.

On the other hand, I am equally calling upon Regional Councils to whom the aforesaid functions have been decentralised to ensure that the benefits of decentralisation are visible in the form of improved delivery of services to the citizens.

In conclusion, I renew Central Government’s continued commitment and support to subnational governments as well as to the full implementation of the Decentralisation Policy for improved service delivery and sustainable development.

I wish the Namibian nation and all the sons and daughters of the African continent a happy Africa Day of Decentralization, Local Governance and Local Development.