CHAMWE KAIRA
The government has announced that the Directorate of Agriculture and Land Reform is gearing up for the project involving the extension of Namibia’s Continental Shelf margin beyond 200 nautical miles. In preparation for this endeavor, which includes readiness to defend Namibia’s claim before the United Nations Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (CLCS), a contract worth N$16 million has been secured with a Brazilian firm. Among the objectives of this agreement is the training of the Namibian team and the revision of Namibia’s claim of subsea territory, spanning approximately 1,062,935.85 square kilometers.
The continental shelf refers to that part of the ocean floor which is generally shallower than the deep sea and roughly corresponds to the outline of the continent. Its width can vary significantly, ranging from narrow sections where the ocean bed drops off close to land, to expansive areas extending hundreds of kilometers, such as Namibia’s Walvis Ridge.
Determining the contours of the continental shelf involves several definitions, and the approval granted by the Limits Commission may encompass all or only part of the claim, depending on technical considerations. A successful full claim by Namibia would expand the country’s territory by over a million square kilometers. Even if only the minimum claim is approved, Namibia’s sea territory stands to increase by just under 300,000 square kilometers.
In addition to the continental shelf project, the Surveyor-General’s Office is planning various activities, including the acquisition of materials, supplies, and surveying-related hardware and software. These resources will support the reaffirmation of international boundaries between Zambia and Angola, as well as the actual reaffirmation of the Singalamwe – Katima Mulilo segment of the Namibia/Zambia border.
Furthermore, the directorate reported the registration of 28,145 deeds, along with other deed documents and sectional titles, in the past financial year.
