Building a National Economy-Wide Material Flow Accounts Pilot in Namibia
Date: 2024-10-21 - 2024-10-25
Location: Windhoek, Namibia
Indicators: 8.4.1, 8.4.2, 12.2.1, 12.2.2
Partners: Namibia Statistics Agency
Topic: Material flows
Overview
The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), in collaboration with the Namibia Statistics Agency (NSA), conducted a five-day technical assistance mission in Windhoek, Namibia, from 21 to 25 October 2024. This mission was part of the project "Resilient and Agile National Statistical Systems to Meet Post-COVID-19 Data Needs to Recover Better", funded by the 14th tranche of the United Nations Development Account (DA14 project).
The mission aimed to strengthen the technical capacity of the NSA in developing pilot Economy-Wide Material Flow Accounts (EW-MFA) to support post-COVID-19 recovery efforts and contribute to the achievement of the 2030 Agenda. EW-MFA is instrumental in monitoring Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 8 and 12, which focus on sustainable economic growth, resource efficiency, and sustainable consumption and production patterns.
Key Activities of the Mission
Presentation of the EW-MFA Framework: Facilitated discussions on the methodology and reviewed the current state of data collection and availability, identifying data gaps.
- Stakeholder Engagement: Engaged with key institutions, including government ministries, agencies, and other organizations involved in environmental and economic data collection.
- Technical Assistance and Capacity Building: Delivered training sessions and provided support to enhance the NSA's capacity to compile and utilize EW-MFA.
- Development of a Pilot EW-MFA: Drafted a pilot Economy-Wide Material Flow Account for a specific year to serve as a foundation for future work in this domain.
The mission successfully brought together national stakeholders, provided hands-on training, and laid the groundwork for integrating EW-MFA into Namibia’s statistical systems. This initiative marks a significant step in enhancing the country’s resilience and agility in addressing evolving economic, social, and environmental data needs.
