MET Namibia - Directorate of Environmental Affairs

DIRECTORATE OF ENVIRONMENTAL AFFAIRS

About the Directorate of Environmental Affairs

The Directorate of Environmental Affairs is a dynamic institution, home to approximately 30 full-time staff whose main mandate derives from Article 95 (l) of the Namibian Constitution. This article reads that the state shall actively promote and maintain the welfare of the people by adopting policies aimed at the “maintenance of ecosystems, essential ecological processes and biological diversity of Namibia and utilisation of living resources on a sustainable basis for the benefit of all Namibians, both present and future…”. The DEA also serves as the focal point to many of the environmental conventions that Namibia is party to, such as the UN Conventions on Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification and the Basel Convention on Hazardous Wastes.

The wide-ranging scope of its mandate requires that the DEA operates using a cross-sectoral and multi-disciplinary approach. As such it is home to a variety of professions including economists, scientists, legal experts as well as development planners.

The main functions and objectives of the Directorate are to:
   • promote sustainable development;
   • protect biological diversity;
   • improve environmental awareness;
   • encourage democratic environmental planning and management and
   • involve Namibia in regional and global environmental issues, programmes and treaties.

Fast Facts

Director: Teofilus Nghitila
Deputy Director(s): Christine Mukumba, Climate Change
Dr. Freddy Sikabongo, Environmental ImpactAssessment

The mission of the DEA is to actively promote and maintain the welfare of the people by adopting policies aimed at the “maintenance of ecosystems, essential ecological processes and biological diversity of Namibia and utilisation of living resources on a sustainable basis for the benefit of all Namibians, both present and future…”.

Offices: Head office – Windhoek; the EEIS Unit has offices in Katima Mulilo, Keetmanshoop, and Ongwediva, and Environmental Education Centres at Okatjikona (Waterberg Plateau Park) and Namutoni in Etosha National Park.

Employment figures: Posts – 32 ( 32 filled )

DEA Functions:

Promote sustainable development
Protect biological diversity
Improve environmental awareness
Encourage democratic environmental planning and management
Involve Namibia in regional and global environmental issues, programmes and treaties

Annual budget –
      Projected budget for 2010-2011 – N$20,672,000
      Projected budget for 2011-2012 – N$27,649,000
      Projected budget for 2012-2013 – N$29,585,000

Contact details -

Director: Mr. Teofilus Nghitila
Tel: +264 61 284 2751
Fax: +264 61 240 339
Email: tnghitila@yahoo.com

Deputy Director (Climate Change): Mrs. Christine Mukumba
Email: cmukumba@met.na

Deputy Director (Environmental Impact Assessment): Dr. Freddy Sikabongo
Tel: +264 61 284 2710
Email : freddy@met.na

Enviromental Affairs