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Niël Terblanché The Namibian government has officially received a donation of 1 360 metric tonnes of rice from China as part of efforts to support the country’s nationwide drought relief programme for 2024/25. The handover ceremony, held in Windhoek on Wednesday, is seen as a continued partnership between the two nations in addressing food insecurity. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Works and Transport, John Mutorwa, acknowledged the donation, stating that it was made possible following a bilateral meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Namibian President Nangolo Mbumba during the 2024 China-Africa Cooperation Forum Summit. He expressed Namibia’s gratitude,…

Niël Terblanché The government has reaffirmed its commitment to nationwide connectivity with an investment of N$145 million into the Universal Service Fund (USF). The minister of information and communication technology, Emma Theofelus, announced the funding at the launch of the USF by the Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia (CRAN) on Wednesday. She said the fund is aimed at bridging the digital divide by supporting the expansion of network infrastructure in underserved areas, ensuring that the nation has access to reliable communication services. Theofelus said the investment would be used to construct network towers and deploy digital infrastructure to achieve full…

Erasmus Shalihaxwe A parliamentary investigation has found that Uranium One Group, a mining company exploring uranium in the area of Leonardville in the Omaheke region, drilled 70 exploration boreholes without the required permits. The company also drilled seven boreholes for hydrogeological studies without authorisation, violating the Water Resources Act 11, 2013. A report by the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Natural Resources, Economics, and Public Administration revealed that the company failed to follow permit conditions. According to the report, the boreholes were not properly cased off and grouted, raising concerns about groundwater contamination. “The two committees managed to hear the presentation…

Moses Magadza  A Zimbabwean youth leader representing the African Women Leaders Network (AWLN) has called on African Union (AU) Member States to urgently ratify the AU Convention on Ending Violence Against Women and Girls (EVAWG) to achieve lasting change and ensure the safety and empowerment of women and girls across Africa. Speaking at a side event during the ongoing 69th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW69) in New York on Monday, councillor Chioniso Michelle Murinda acknowledged the role of AWLN in nurturing young female leaders across the continent. “Since 2017, AWLN has been a transformative platform…

Erasmus Shalihaxwe The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Natural Resources chairperson Tjekero Tweya called on the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources to increase the seal harvesting quota from 50 000 to 200 000 to protect the fishing industry.  The committee’s report, released on Tuesday, revealed that the seal population has grown to 1.6 million, up from 680,000 in 1970. Seals consume large amounts of fish, which make up 70% of their diet, posing a threat to the fishing industry.   The report found that seal rights holders have not fully used their quotas. Harvesters have focused mainly on bull seals for…

Sakeus Iikela A South African Member of Parliament has called for urgent action to implement a bilateral agreement on preserving the Nama language between Namibia and South Africa. Speaking in Windhoek on Monday, Newrene Klaaste, Speaker of the Northern Cape Provincial Legislature, warned that without concrete efforts between the two countries, the language – a vital part of the region’s cultural heritage – could disappear. “Our bilateral agreements with Namibia include education and the preservation of the Nama language. It is crucial that we assess the progress of this agreement. The fear we have is that if we do not…