Blog – Page 649 – Windhoek Observer

02 Nov

Namibia will not be signing new agreement with the EU

National News

Martin Endjala Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah said Namibia will not be signing the new partnership agreement between the European Union (EU), the Organisation of the African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS) in its current form. The agreement was set to be signed on 15 November 2023. Nandi-Ndeitwah announced this in Parliament yesterday, saying that due to concerns raised in 2021 by the government regarding several provisions in the New Partnership Agreement that are of fundamental concern to Namibia. “In this regard, the Attorney-General Festus Mbandeka was asked to provide a legal opinion…

02 Nov

Sign language should be a mandatory subject in schools

National NewsSign language should be a mandatory subject in schools

Martin Endjala Bernadette Jagger, the Deputy Minister of Gender Equality, Poverty Eradication and Social Welfare, says sign language must be part of school curricula and become a mandatory subject in the Namibian school system. “It is believed that teaching sign language in schools, not only develops the confidence of deaf children to make friends and express themselves more, but hearing children will also gain the skills to communicate more with them,” she said. Jagger said this while contributing to a motion tabled recently in parliament by Deputy Minister Alexia Manombe-Ncube of Disability Affairs on recognising Namibian sign languages in the…

02 Nov

Vulnerable households receive assistance on World Food Day

National NewsVulnerable households receive assistance on World Food Day

Niël Terblanché In commemoration of World Food Day, the Capricorn Foundation, in partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform (MAWLR), extended a helping hand to 200 vulnerable households in the Kavango East region of Namibia. The foundation contributed N$62,000.00 to provide food parcels to those in need, demonstrating their commitment to addressing food insecurity in the country. World Food Day (WFD), is observed annually in mid-October and is a global initiative led by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations to combat world hunger and raise awareness about food challenges worldwide. In Namibia, the…

02 Nov

Swakopmund gears up for K2G NextGen showcase

National News

Niël Terblanché Swakopmund is poised to become a hub of entrepreneurial innovation as Micro, Small, and Medium (MSM) enterprises from across the country prepare to converge for the highly anticipated second edition of the K2G NextGen Entrepreneurs Showcase. The K2G NextGen Entrepreneurs project is dedicated to empowering youth and women-owned MSM enterprises, providing them with tailored opportunities to expand market access and support capacity building, thus helping drive economic activity in their respective regions. Slated for later this week, the event in Swakopmund will be hosted by the Namibia Investment Promotion and Development Board (NIPDB) and follows the success of…

02 Nov

BIPA might write off N$275m in penalties

MainBIPA might write off N$275m in penalties

Martin Endjala According to the Business Intellectual Property Authority’s records, non-compliant businesses have collectively accumulated a total of an estimated N$275 million in penalties for the period from 2012 to 2022. This is the sum that could potentially be waived if all non-compliant registered businesses opt to participate in BIPA’s annual duty penalty programme launched recently. The programme is set to come into effect from 15 November 2023 until 31 March 2024. BIPA Chief Executive Officer Vivienne Katjiuongua, made the announcement yesterday, saying the initiative aims to alleviate the financial burden on business entities by waiving penalties and additional fees…

01 Nov

Namfisa gears up to tackle consumer credit loopholes

Observer MoneyNamfisa gears up to tackle consumer credit loopholes

Martin Endjala The Namibia Financial Institutions Supervisory Authority (Namfisa), has embarked on a public consultation across all regions to engage various stakeholders to get inputs on the Consumer Credit Bill to help ensure that the bill speaks to the needs of the people. During a recent media engagement in Windhoek, Namfisa Deputy Chief Executive Officer Market Conduct and Operations, Johannes Smit said consumer protection is paramount in deliberations and it underpins the very essence of the Consumer Credit Bill. “We must remember that this bill when enacted, will be a powerful tool that can either help individuals realise their dreams…

01 Nov

Walvis Bay Harbour set to benefit significantly from new EU deal

Observer MoneyWalvis Bay Harbour set to benefit significantly from new EU deal

Niël Terblanché The European Union (EU) has pledged about N$20 billion Euros in support of an ambitious initiative to enhance the development of Namibia’s main port in Walvis Bay. Namibia’s main harbour is, amongst others, viewed as a crucial gateway to the Walvis Bay – Maputo Corridor. This initiative is part of the EU-Africa Global Gateway Investment Package, which seeks to bolster eleven strategic corridors, including this vital transport link. The momentous partnership was unveiled by the President of Namibia, Hage Geingob, and the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, on the eve of the Global Gateway…

01 Nov

NFA Announces Eligible Candidates for Executive Council Elections

SportsNFA Announces Eligible Candidates for Executive Council Elections

The Namibia Football Association (NFA) in a media release has unveiled the two en bloc list of eligible candidates who will be vying for the eight positions in the Executive Council, in accordance with the revised statutes of the NFA. The upcoming elections are set to take place on Friday, November 17, 2023. Mr Robert Shimooshili, the current NPFL Chairperson and Mr Patrick Kauta, are the two leaders who will be vying for the Presidential position, whoever wins, his lists of nominees will be elected as the new Executive Council for a period of four years. The full list of…

01 Nov

FIFA World Cup qualifiers provisional squad

Sports

The Namibia Football Association, Head Coach Collin Benjamin, unveiled a provisional list of 37 players for their upcoming FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Equatorial Guinea and São Tomé. The qualifiers are scheduled as follows:Namibia vs. Equatorial Guinea on November 15, to be held in Malabo.Namibia vs. São Tomé on November 21, to be held in Agadir. The list of the provisional squad,Goalkeepers: Loydt Kazapua, Ndisiro Kamaijanda, Jonas Mateus; Defenders: Ryan Nyambe, Ivan Kamberipa, Erasmus Ikeinge, Lubeni Haukongo, Simon Elago, Kennedy Amutenya, Given Mutuezu, Denzel Haoseb, Charles Hambira, Ananias Gebhardt, Riaan Hanamub, Edmund Kambanda, Aprocius Petrus; Midfielders: Ronald Ketjijere, Devin Somseb,…

01 Nov

Swapo Party School aims to secure accreditation by 2024

National NewsSwapo Party School aims to secure accreditation by 2024

Stefanus Nashama After eight years of existence, the Swapo Party School continues to operate without accreditation from the Namibia Qualifications Authority (NQA). According to Charles Mubita, the Rector of the Swapo Party School, the accreditation process with the NQA and a twinning agreement with the University of Namibia was unfortunately interrupted due to the impacts of COVID-19. However, Mubita announced that the process to finalize accreditation with the NQA has now resumed, and the school aims to successfully complete it before the end of February 2024. During the weekend, the school celebrated its second intake graduation ceremony, where 69 students…