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Niël Terblanché The Namibia School of Diplomatic Studies (NSDS), established through a partnership between the Ministry of International Relations and Cooperation and the University of Namibia, is aimed at strengthening Namibia’s diplomatic capabilities. The school took the country a step closer to strengthening its diplomatic corps with the graduation of the first cohort of students on Monday. Peya Mushelenga, the minister of international relations and cooperation, during the graduation ceremony reiterated the importance of diplomacy in advancing the country’s foreign policy and international standing. “Diplomatic academies have played a crucial role in shaping global diplomatic practice for over two centuries,…

Niël Terblanché TransNamib, state-owned rail operator, in a decisive move to reinforce ethical business practices, introduced a dedicated Whistleblower Line, aimed at promoting transparency, accountability, and good governance within the organisation. Announcing the initiative on Monday, TransNamib’s chief executive officer, Desmond van Jaarsveld, said the new platform would provide employees, customers, and stakeholders with a secure and confidential avenue to report unethical conduct, fraud, corruption, or misconduct. “The Whistleblower Line is an independent and anonymous reporting channel that allows individuals to share concerns without fear of retaliation. TransNamib encourages all stakeholders to use this platform responsibly to help maintain the…

Erasmus Shalihaxwe The National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Natural Resources has recommended increasing Agribank’s funding scheme for resettled farmers to at least N$1 million. This recommendation follows a study by the committee, conducted between May and August 2023, which highlighted the financial challenges faced by resettled farmers.  The committee’s report, released last week, found that many resettled farmers struggle to run their farms productively due to insufficient start-up capital. The committee also recommended that the resettlement policy consider issuing farmers with title deeds, which could be used as collateral to access loans from financial institutions. Currently, resettled farmers do not…

Allexer Namundjembo  Supreme Court judge Shafimana Ueitele was granted a land tax exemption by the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform on the basis that he falls within the category of a former disadvantaged person as articulated under Article 23 of the Constitution. This explanation was given by the agriculture minister Calle Schlettwein in parliament last week when he was responding to questions posed to him by Popular Democratic Movement parliamentarian, Hidipo Hamata. “Secondly, it is justified as the implementation of policies and programmes aimed at redressing social, economic, or educational imbalances in Namibian society arising out of past…

Niël Terblanché The newly inaugurated DRC Police Station in Swakopmund’s DRC informal settlement is set to stand as a beacon of safety and justice, bringing essential law enforcement services closer to the people who reside in the sprawling informal settlement.  Officially opened on Thursday by Albert Kawana, Minister of Home Affairs, Immigration, Safety and Security, the facility will also increase security in the growing community. Kawana said that the new facility was constructed in just six months. “The state-of-the-art police station is a result of a public-private partnership, with Rössing Uranium Limited funding the project and the Swakopmund Municipality donating…