Johannesburg: A 17-member delegation of experts from various government sectors will partake in a specialised cost-benefit analysis (CBA) training in Johannesburg, South Africa, from 15-17 July 2026, hosted by the Southern African Development Community (SADC).
According to Namibia Press Agency, the National Planning Commission (NPC) will lead a Namibian delegation in the three-day engagement, aimed at equipping regional officials with advanced CBA tools to enhance public service delivery in spite of limited financial resources. The primary objective of this training is to enable governments to achieve superior public outcomes, even with restricted budgets, according to the NPC's public relations officer, Maria Kandjungu.
Approximately 17 delegates from various ministries and agencies, including economists, policy analysts and advisors, will attend the training to enhance their skills in economic development priority setting, project appraisal, and evaluation. Kandjungu told Nampa in an interview on Monday that Namibia's adoption of rigorous CBA methodologies aligns with the sixth National Development Plan (NDP6), prioritising efficient resource allocation and evidence-based planning to optimise limited public resources.
'Namibia's socio-economic conditions continue to evolve, exerting considerable pressure on the country's limited public resources for development. This training will strengthen the capacity of government officials to better scrutinise the economic, social, and financial viability of national programmes, policies and projects in pursuit of maximum social and economic benefits for Namibians,' she stated.
Kandjungu said the training will empower government officials to go beyond traditional budgeting by assessing the viability of national programmes. 'Through this training, participants are anticipating being equipped with the right skills to evaluate and prioritise investments that deliver the greatest social and economic returns,' she stated.
SADC Head of Communications and Public Relations, Barbara Lopi announced in a statement on Monday that the Copenhagen Consensus Centre will host over 140 officials from SADC countries. She said the programme aims to provide government officials with practical tools for applying cost-benefit analysis in policymaking, enabling them to assess the full costs and benefits of public investments to identify the most effective solutions.
'The training focuses on how governments can prioritise policies that deliver the greatest social and economic returns,' said Lopi. The programme will include lectures, workshops and case studies focused on southern Africa, addressing key policy challenges like vaccination, education, infrastructure, and climate resilience.