ADSWAC Project | Due diligence mission, March 7 - 11, 2022, Namibia

The organization of a due diligence mission by the OSS as the Project Implementation Entity is one of the main activities scheduled as part of the preparation for the official launch of the ADSWAC project - Resilience building as climate change adaptation in Drought-Struck South-Western African communities - Angola and Namibia. It also involves a Know Your Customer (KYC) process, with the overall objective of assessing the financial management practices, the legal adherence, the institutional and the technical capacities of DAPP Namibia (Development Aid from People to People) as the national executing entity. 

In this regard, the due diligence mission was held from March, 7 - 11, 2022 in Namibia. This mission included a number of investigations and review of procedures to make sure they comply with the AF and OSS standards by DAPP Namibia in the activity execution. 

The main objectives of the mission were to:  

• Evaluate the technical and financial performance of the executing entities; 
• Establish and build collaboration with the local authorities such as traditional and political appointees; Assess the capacities to undertake the project activities and consider the gender, environmental and social aspects and requirements; 
• Ensure the compliance of the project EEs with the regulations and standards set forth (financial, environmental and social communication) in Namibia;
• Review the proposed actions to mitigate potential risk associated with the project during all phases of its life cycle. 

The mission was complemented by project potential sites’ verification and conducted a Knowledge, Attitude and Practices (KAP) survey of the communities established in the KAVANGO East region in Shambyu and Mayana villages and in the KAVANGO West region in Nkurenkuru constituency. The OSS delegation got first hand contact with local authorities, and beneficiaries of the project to build a clearer picture of the intervention sites and to ensure that communities are aware of the activities and their objectives. The mission also undertook interviews with farmer groups, water point management groups, women groups, fishermen, traditional and local authorities to understand and align the project activities to the communities’ expectations.