The Director: Centre for Research Services, Prof. Nelago Indongo, has been appointed to represent the University of Namibia (UNAM) at the Southern African Regional University Association (SARUA) Climate Change Steering Group (CCSG), effective 01 December 2021 until May 2023.
This appointment comes shortly after UNAM’s positive response to the Association’s call for open nomination to the CCSG. The University’s decision to partake in this call stems from its commitment to support Namibia towards promoting the United Nations’ sustainable development goals (SDGs) on climate change.
This commitment is outlined in the University’s strategic initiative, disclosed Prof. Indongo. “Climate change is one of UNAM’s strategic initiatives which most faculties, schools, and centres are called upon to align their research activity plans towards promoting UNAM strategic initiatives on climate change,” said the newly appointed SARUA member.
CCSG aims to assist SARUA to achieve its desired climate change outputs in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region. As a member of CCSG, Prof Indongo’s obligations will include providing oversight to the programme on climate change, providing strategic leadership to the programme, and exercising a quality assurance function concerning the programme output – a duty Prof. Indongo is well experienced in. The Director brings to her membership credentials as a senior academic at the University and vast experience in research coordination and leadership.
During an interview with Forum Online, Prof. Indongo remarked that: “I accepted this appointment not only because I am qualified and indeed honored to represent UNAM, but because I strongly feel that UNAM, rightly so, should be part and parcel of this network”.
Prof. Indongo’s appointment provides UNAM with an opportunity to address climate change nationally and regionally. “The SARUA network is committed to strengthening collaborations among SADC universities through climate change programmes, which will allow UNAM to present well researched and informed recommendations to respective governments to address the global climate change problem.”
She further added that: “Serving on the steering committee will enable UNAM to explore benefits through this wider network and search for best practices towards addressing climate change and finding mitigation strategies in the SADC region and beyond”.
The University’s nomination and representation on the CCSG comes at a time when Namibia is experiencing widespread and devastating impacts on key facets of its civilization including severe droughts, to devastating field fires.
This has destroyed large tracts of agricultural land, adversely impacting livelihoods, human health, and wellbeing, as voiced by the president of Namibia, Dr Hage Geingob at the 2021 COP 26 in Glasgow, United Kingdom. A challenge Prof. Indongo’s appointment aims to mitigate and solve indirectly.
