NAMIBIA: BUDGET TRANSPARENCY

UNCLAS WINDHOEK 000135

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

EEB/IFD/OMA JULIA JACOBY

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAID ECON PREL WA
SUBJECT: NAMIBIA: BUDGET TRANSPARENCY

REF: STATE 28885


1. (U) The Namibian government makes its annual budget
publicly available on an annual basis. Responses to specific
questions about the budget are keyed to the questions in
paragraph three of reftel.
Question 1. Is the central government expected to receive or
is it already receiving U.S. foreign assistance funded using
FY 09 funds?
Yes. The Namibian government is receiving U.S. foreign
assistance funds in FY09, and will in FY10 as well.
Question 2. Is the host country's budget publicly available?
Yes. The Namibian Ministry of Finance publishes its budget
on-line. The FY09/10 budget is available at
http://www.mof.na/budget.htm
Question 3. Are incomes and expenditures included in the
publicly-available budget?
Yes. Government revenue (incomes) and expenditures are
included in the publicly-available budget. The Namibian
government's publicly-available budget generally reflects
accurately government incomes and expenditures.

2. (U) The Open Budget Survey (www.openbudgetindex.org) gave
Namibia a score of 47 percent on its scale of budget
transparency, placing Namibia slightly above the median
score. The Open Budget Survey report states that the
Namibian government gives "significant information to the
public, meaning citizens have a comprehensive picture of the
government's plans for taxes and spending for the upcoming
year." The report, however, criticizes the Namibian
government for making it difficult to "track spending,
revenue collection and borrowing during the year." The
report also notes that annual accountability reports are
incomplete, and that it is not clear whether suggested
improvements, from previous accountability reports, have been
implemented.
MATHIEU