Hopolang Phororo

UN Resident Coordinator in Namibia

The 2025 United Nations Country Results Report marks a defining moment in the enduring partnership between the United Nations and the Government and people of Namibia. As the first year of implementation of the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (2025–2029), 2025 laid a critical foundation for a new phase of development cooperation, fully aligned with Namibia’s Sixth National Development Plan and Vision 2030, and anchored in a people-centered approach to sustainable development.

A foundational year, 2025 unfolded amid a global context marked by economic uncertainty, accelerating climate impacts, and rapid technological change, all of which continued to shape development pathways worldwide. Within this broader landscape, Namibia itself entered a period of significant transition. The inauguration of the country’s first female President in March 2025, alongside its reclassification as a lower-middle-income country, signaled both progress and heightened vulnerability. With a youthful population - more than 70 per cent under the age of 35 - persistent inequality, high unemployment, and intensifying climate-related shocks increased pressure on institutions, services, and livelihoods. Against this backdrop, the need for inclusive growth, strengthened protection systems, and resilient national capacities has never been more urgent.

The achievements highlighted in this report reflect the strength of collaboration between the United Nations Country Team, the Government of Namibia, and a broad range of partners, including civil society, the private sector, and international development actors. Together, we transitioned from the previous partnership framework to a renewed model of joint programming and evidence-based action, designed to respond to both immediate challenges and long-term structural priorities.

Strategic results in 2025 pointed to meaningful transformation. Support to Namibia’s first digital Population and Housing Census strengthened national data systems essentials.