Young Namibians have been encouraged to play a greater role in driving Namibia's sustainable development, with this year's Sustainable Development Awards focusing on youth empowerment.

The Environmental Investment Fund (EIF) has approved 26 institutional grants worth more than N$3,7 million, benefiting individuals across various priority sectors.

Of the approved grants, 8 are youth-led projects and 11 are female-led.

The Environmental Investment Fund (EIF) has successfully raised more than N$700 million in the past seven years for projects that bring clean water, renewable energy and farming support to communities.

The Environmental Investment Fund (EIF) is hosting a workshop aimed at speeding up access to climate finance from the Green Climate Fund.

The Onyeka Yepumba Farmers Association in the Omusati Region recently inaugurated its new office at Etunda in Ruacana Constituency after receiving N$3 million from the Environmental Investment Fund (EIF) as a booster to cater for farming equipment.

The private sector has a crucial obligation to play at the forefront of the fight against climate change.

These were the remarks made by the President of the Namibia Chamber of Commerce and Industry (NCCI) at the Business Breakfast Session themed 'The Road to COP27' in Windhoek.