Windhoek Observer

Hertta-Maria Amutenja The Namibia National Students Organisation (Nanso) has condemned a new U.S. visa policy that requires student and exchange visa applicants to make their social media accounts public.  Nanso says the rule threatens freedom of expression and political independence for Namibian youth. “It’s quite a terrible policy, because it takes away the right of self-expression of our students. Ideally, there must be separation between your academic, professional, and personal life and that must not be used against you,” said Nanso president Dorthea Nangolo in an interview with the Windhoek Observer. She warned that the policy could be used to…

Justicia Shipena  President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah says the sixth National Development Plan (NDP6) is complete and will be launched soon. Although she did not give an exact date, Nandi-Ndaitwah hinted that the plan will be launched this month.  “I will launch it soon because all the work is done. I expect you to be familiar with the seven priorities of our government. Similarly, I expect you to be familiar with the eight critical economic enablers to effectively champion development in your respective regions,” she said during the appointment ceremony of regional governors at State House on Tuesday. The launch comes after…

Justicia Shipena  Namibia has been downgraded from an upper-middle-income to a lower-middle-income country, according to the World Bank’s latest income classification update released this week. Namibia is the only country whose classification moved downward in the 2024 update.  The downgrade follows changes in Gross National Income (GNI) per capita, which the World Bank uses to group countries into four categories, low, lower-middle, upper-middle, and high income.  Every year on July 1, the World Bank makes these updates using the previous year's GNI data and the Atlas method, which smooths exchange rate fluctuations. The World Bank said Namibia’s GNI per capita…

Hertta-Maria Amutenja The Grootfontein municipality says it will take firm action against shebeen and bar owners who violate noise regulations and public order laws.  This follows complaints from residents about growing lawlessness in the town. “We are concerned about the bars and loud music from bars. In fact, on Monday, we had a very serious meeting and we are going to take strict measures against shebeen owners and other places of entertainment that are not adhering to the laws,” said acting chief executive officer of the municipality, Indileni Lungameni. Lungameni said the municipality has approached the Namibian Police Force to…

Hertta-Maria Amutenja Minister of health and social services Esperance Luvindao has urged 52 health scholarship recipients to remain focused and disciplined as they begin their academic studies. Speaking at the pre-service scholarship award ceremony on Wednesday, Luvindao stressed the importance of staying committed, especially as many students will be far from home and familiar support systems. “You are embarking on a journey in a new environment, potentially far from home and far from familiar family and friends support systems. It is vital that you remain focused on your primary objective,” she said. Luvindao warned students against falling into negative social…

Hertta-Maria Amutenja Air Connect Namibia has announced the launch of a new nonstop flight route between Zurich and Windhoek, set to begin in June 2026. The route will operate twice weekly and will be serviced by Edelweiss, Switzerland’s leading leisure airline. “This is more than just a new flight, it’s a strategic bridge between Europe and Namibia. We are thrilled to welcome Edelweiss to Namibia. This connection elevates our country’s status as a global tourism and investment destination, and we are committed to ensuring the route’s long-term success,” said Bisey /Uirab, chief executive officer of the Namibia Airports Company and…

Justicia Shipena Namibia and Angola have agreed to work together to recover proceeds from money laundering and step up efforts to fight financial crimes.  The two countries’ Financial Intelligence Units signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) during the third Meeting of the SADC AML-CFT Committee held recently in Luanda, Angola. The agreement focuses on cooperation in tackling money laundering, terrorism financing, and the financing of weapons of mass destruction. It also enables both institutions to collaborate more closely on tracking cross-border financial flows. The MoU outlines joint capacity-building initiatives and aims to align financial intelligence analysis and investigative techniques . …