The developed relationship, through the cooperation in this project, has resulted in a better understanding of the provision of high level services to citizens of Vetlanda Municipality by the Namibian counterpart and the difficulties the Kavango Region faces in the delivery of similar services to its citizens in the Kavango Region. Mutual understanding has been developed and will continue to develop during this project.
Local Government staff of Kavango Regional Council will continue to receive training and education by their counterparts of Vetlanda Municipality. To prepare for these capacity building programs Vetlanda staff has visited the Kavango Regional Council / Okavango River Basin area and will continue to do so in the future.
Both the capacity building programs and visits have contributed to develop mutual respect for the way both regions function and ideas for improvement exchanged.
Kavango Regional Council is dealing with a number of social issues (HIV/ AIDS, teenage pregnancies, orphans, informal settlement, etc.) which are no big issues in Vetlanda Municipality. The way the Kavango Regional Council deals with these issues has been a new experience for Vetlanda Municipality officials. Both the Kavango Regional Council and the Vetlanda Municipality have therefore gained knowledge, insights and a better understanding of the cultural diversity which have been mutually beneficial and this will continue during this project.
The Kavango Regional Council also has to deal with the impact of global climate change; especially floods have caused a lot of damage in the last few years. For Vetlanda Municipality officials it has been a very good experience to witness the effects of global climate change on a region in a developing country and the way the Kavango Regional Council is dealing with the flood disaster.
It is also so that the Rescue Service department within Vetlanda Municipality can give high level services to citizens of Vetlanda Municipality because of long time development and good supply of equipment. The Rescue Service departments in the Town Councils within Kavango Region have solve problems in a different and maybe sampler way that can be of use for the Swedish counterpart.