Blog – Page 32 – Windhoek Observer

14 Aug

Namibia joins outcry over Israel’s Gaza city takeover

National News

Justicia Shipena Namibia has called on the international community not to stand by as a “humanitarian catastrophe of potentially monumental proportions” unfolds in Gaza City. This follows the Israeli Security Cabinet’s approval of a plan to take control of Gaza City. Namibia says the move will worsen an already severe humanitarian crisis marked by hunger, deprivation, and the risk of forced starvation. The executive director in the ministry of international relations, Penda Naanda, said Namibia welcomes the condemnation of the plan by members of the international community. He said Namibia is guided by its constitution, advocating for peaceful dispute resolution…

14 Aug

Monetary committee leaves repo rate at 6.75%

Observer Money

Allexer Namundjembo The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of the Bank of Namibia (BoN) has maintained the repo rate at 6.75%. The decision was made during its fourth bimonthly meeting of 2025, held on 11 and 12 August. The committee said the decision aims to safeguard the peg between the Namibian dollar and the South African rand while supporting domestic economic activity. This follows the South African Reserve Bank’s decision in July to cut its repo rate to 7.00%, reducing the interest rate gap between Namibia and South Africa to 25 basis points. “After a thorough review of domestic, regional, and…

14 Aug

Standard Bank counts on supportive economic climate

Observer Money

Chamwe Kaira Standard Bank Namibia Holdings expects the economy to remain relatively favorable for business, despite persistent global and local risks. Internationally, growth may be held back by high debt levels, geopolitical tensions, and weak external demand. “Nonetheless, easing global inflation and a gradual pivot towards more accommodative monetary policies may offer some relief to financial markets and emerging economies,” the group said in its results for the six months ended 30 June. The profit after tax rose from N$505 million in the same period last year to N$556 million. Locally, the bank sees growth supported by the recovery of…

14 Aug

Petrofund inks two new oil and gas training deals

Observer MoneyThe Petroleum Training and Education Fund (Petrofund)

Justicia Shipena The Petroleum Training and Education Fund (Petrofund) has signed two new Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) to boost skills development in the country's oil and gas sector. The agreements were signed during the ongoing Namibia Oil and Gas Conference in Windhoek. One MoU was with global engineering firm McDermott, and the other was with FirstRand Namibia, which includes RMB Namibia, FNB Business, and FNB Retail. The MoU with FirstRand Namibia marks the first local contribution by a Namibian business to Petrofund for upstream oil and gas capacity development. Petrofund's chief executive officer, Nillian Mulemi, said the initiative came entirely…

14 Aug

Namibia among top global FDI improvers

National News

Staff Writer Namibia is among the most improved countries in attracting foreign direct investment (FDI). This comes as the country ranked first in Africa and second globally in the 2025 Greenfield FDI Performance Index. Namibia climbed 10 places from the previous year, outperforming its expected share of FDI projects by almost eight times, the index stated. The index measures how effectively countries attract greenfield FDI projects relative to the size of their economies. El Salvador, Iceland, Moldova, Kyrgyzstan, Laos and Namibia are among the countries that showed the biggest improvement. While smaller economies see amplified changes in rankings from shifts…

14 Aug

Nedbank Group acquires ikhokha

Observer Money

Nedbank Group has announced that it has entered into a binding agreement to acquire 100% of fintech innovator iKhokha Proprietary Limited for a cash consideration of approximately N$1.65 billion (subject to certain adjustments upon conclusion), a move that marks a significant milestone in Nedbank’s strategy to deepen its support for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) through digital innovation and inclusive financial services. The iKhokha transaction is subject to customary regulatory approvals and is expected to conclude in the coming months. The acquisition of iKhokha will strengthen and scale Nedbank’s positioning in the SME market. The acquisition will result in iKhokha…

14 Aug

The RedForce Conundrum: A Debt Crisis Without Easy Answers

Editorial, Featured, Opinions

The decision by Minister of Urban and Rural Development James Sankwasa to cancel all RedForce contracts with local authorities has ignited a heated national debate. On one side, municipalities insist that external debt collectors are essential to keep their finances afloat. On the other, residents reject the very idea of private companies hounding them for overdue payments. It is a messy situation, but one fact is undeniable: many residents of our towns are in arrears for municipal services, water, electricity, refuse collection, for a variety of reasons. Some are genuine hardships; others are simply a refusal to pay. The rule…

14 Aug

Young African FC eyes CAF glory

Sports

Erasmus Shalihaxwe Young African Football Club says it is determined to make Namibia proud in the Confederation of African Football (CAF) Confederations Cup when they face Royal Leopards Football Club from Eswatini. Club chairman and head coach Mali Ngarizemo said, as the only Namibian club in the competition, they are committed to representing both the club and the nation. “The entire club is buzzing with excitement as we prepare for this historic encounter. We understand the magnitude of the challenge, but we are fully committed to giving our absolute best on the continental stage. Our journey in the Debmarine Namibia…

13 Aug

Fury and praise collide over ‘Jesus’ funeral

Main

Renthia Kaimbi Human rights activist Phil ya Nangolo has called on President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah not to grant former Namibia Defence Force (NDF) chief Solomon ‘Jesus’ Hawala a state funeral or any official honours. Hawala died on Monday, 11 August 2025 at the age of 89. Nangolo, who leads NamRights, said Nandi-Ndaitwah should “refrain from according ‘Jesus’ a state or any official funeral at all.” He pointed to unresolved allegations from the liberation struggle era, saying NamRights has lodged a submission with the International Criminal Court to investigate Hawala and others over the disappearance of hundreds of Namibians during exile. He…

13 Aug

Embattled NYC board chair quits

National News

Renthia Kaimbi The interim executive chairperson of the National Youth Council (NYC), Beverly Silas-!Garas has resigned, effective 19 August 2025. Her resignation ends an eight-month interim leadership that began in December 2024, during which the NYC faded legal disputes, protests, frozen funding, and allegations of political interference. Silas-!Garas submitted her resignation letter on 11 August 2025. She said the decision coincides with the end of her two-month extension, which she did not request. “I have given my reasons to the minister [Sanet Steenkamp], and therefore will not disclose them publicly. It's a decision I made with a sober mind without…