Welcome to Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung!

 

Freedom, justice and solidarity are the basic principles underlying the work of the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (KAS). The KAS is a political foundation, closely associated with the Christian Democratic Union of Germany (CDU). As co-founder of the CDU and the first Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany, Konrad Adenauer (1876-1967) united Christian-social, conservative and liberal traditions. His name is synonymous with the democratic reconstruction of Germany, the firm alignment of foreign policy with the trans-Atlantic community of values, the vision of a unified Europe and an orientation towards the social market economy. His intellectual heritage continues to serve both as our aim as well as our obligation today.

 

In our European and international cooperation efforts we work for people to be able to live self-determined lives in freedom and dignity. We make a contribution underpinned by values to helping Germany meet its growing responsibilities throughout the world.

 

We encourage people to lend a hand in shaping the future along these lines. With more than 70 offices abroad and projects in over 120 countries, we make a unique contribution to the promotion of democracy, the rule of law and a social market economy. To foster peace and freedom we encourage a continuous dialog at the national and international levels as well as the exchange between cultures and religions.

 

Human beings in their distinctive dignity and with their rights and responsibilities are at the heart of our work. We are guided by the conviction that human beings are the starting point in the effort to bring about social justice and democratic freedom while promoting sustainable economic activity. By bringing people together who embrace their responsibilities in society, we develop active networks in the political and economic spheres as well as in society itself. The guidance we provide on the basis of our political know-how and knowledge helps to shape the globalization process along more socially equitable, ecologically sustainable and economically efficient lines.

 

We cooperate with governmental institutions, political parties, civil society organizations and handpicked elites, building strong partnerships along the way. In particular we seek to intensify political cooperation in the area of development cooperation at the national and international levels on the foundations of our objectives and values. Together with our partners we make a contribution to the creation of an international order that enables every country to develop in freedom and under its own responsibility.

 

In order to achieve its socio-political goals, the Windhoek office of the Konrad Adenauer Foundation works together with a partner organization (WAD) as well as with various co-organisers in so called ‘self-initiated measures’.

 

Women's Action for Development (WAD) was created by the Konrad Adenauer Foundation as a self-initiated measure in 1994. In May 2001 WAD was registered as an independent organization. WAD aims at enabling the women of Namibia to improve their living conditions through self-help activities and to assert their rights in society. On a local level WAD members form self-help groups which are guided towards helping their members to increasingly become integrated in the economic cycle and to give them the opportunity of achieving their realised income. For this purpose the six regional training centres offer a wide range of educational and training possibilities. On a regional level WAD members select "Regional Women's Voices", who ensure that women's concerns are addressed and discussed with those responsible, and that appropriate solutions to problems and issues are found. In November 2002 the ‘National Women’s Voice’ was created in the presence of the Namibian Prime Minister. It adopts current themes in their broader context to introduce them into a socio-political debate.

 

The self-initiated measures of the KAS offices play an increasingly important role. Through such instruments, pressing problems and questions can be immediately addressed. KAS in Namibia cooperates closely with the office of the Ombudsman and an educational institution (TUCSIN), in order to focus on measures dealing with good governance, the rule of law and political parties.

 

Regional integration in Southern Africa (SADC) is a further focal point of KAS work in the region. Together with the Trade Law Centre for Southern Africa (tralac), the development of regional integration is observed and documented.

 

A further task of the Windhoek office is to support Angola's democratic development. With this goal in mind the foundation cooperates with the Ombudsman of Angola, as well as the Instituto de Desenvolvimento e Democracia (IDD). Furthermore, measure have been initiated which aim at establishing a training centre in the Kwanza Sul province.