Bilateral talks on development aid postponed to 2006

Germany and Namibia have postponed talks in the capital, Windhoek, on the extension of bilateral development cooperation until early next year. "The German side has proposed to hold these talks in the first half of next year," German ambassador to Namibia Wolfgang Massing said on Thursday. "This proposal was accepted by the Namibian government, as both sides feel the need to further discuss various cooperation projects to be committed in 2006, especially in the light of new proposals by the Namibian side made during the state visit of President [Hifikepunye] Pohamba to Germany last week," he explained. Pohamba and his delegation returned from Germany last weekend. The signing of an agreement for a special initiative between the Namibian and German governments, which would have seen ?20 million flow into development projects for Namibian ethnic groups who suffered under German colonial rule a century ago, did not take place last week, as the Namibians made a last minute about-turn. The Namibian government argued that the affected Herero, Nama and Damara groups had to be consulted first. "The German government fully respects and understands the decision of the Namibian government to postpone the signing of the memorandum of understanding regarding the special initiative," Massing told IRIN. Germany increased its annual development assistance to ?13.5 million in 2005. "During the state visit of President Pohamba, the German side indicated that it is prepared to further increase the assistance in the years to come, in order to eventually reach an amount double that of 2005," Massing said. German development cooperation minister Heidemarie Wieczorek-Zeul made history last year when she asked for "forgiveness" for atrocities committed in colonial times against the Herero, Nama and Damara tribes.