Chinese Ambassador to Namibia Zhang Yiming (L) and Namibia's Minister of Sports, Youth, and National Service Erastus Uutoni attend the handover ceremony of the Chinese-funded National Youth Training Center in Reinfontein, Namibia, Sept. 13, 2019. A Chinese-funded training center was officially handed over to the Namibian government on Friday in Reinfontein, in the Otjozondjupa Region. The second phase of the National Youth Training Center project was completed last month. The two-phase project started in May 2015 and involved a total funding of over 190 million yuan (about 26.84 million U.S. dollars). (Xinhua/Wu Changwei)

REINFONTEIN, Namibia, Sept. 13 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese-funded training center was officially handed over to the Namibian government on Friday in Reinfontein, in the Otjozondjupa Region.

The second phase of the National Youth Training Center project was completed last month.

The state-of-the-art center consists of academic buildings, laboratories, workshops, a multi-functional hall, dormitories for teachers and students, canteens, clinics, and sports ground.

Namibia's Minister of Sports, Youth, and National Service Erastus Uutoni, who officiated at the handover, praised the Chinese government for its continued support for Namibia's social and economic development.

The two-phase project started in May 2015 and involved a total funding of over 190 million yuan (about 26.84 million U.S. dollars), Chinese Ambassador to Namibia Zhang Yiming said.

"An additional 7.3 million yuan (about 1 million dollars) worth of furniture and teaching equipment was donated by China to supplement this project," he said.

The idea of constructing the center was proposed by Namibia to enhance the capacity to provide professional and vocational training to the local youth, Zhang said.

"Training and imparting of professional knowledge and skills to the youth is among the prime prerequisites in achieving the great long-term goal of industrialization," he said.

Speaking at the same occasion, the chairperson of the National Youth Service (NYS), Mandela Kapere, said infrastructure and investment is a key priority of the country's National Development Plans.

"Thanks to China, we now have modern facilities that will assist NYS to carry out its mandate," he said.