National News – Page 139

14 Aug

60 IPC and LPM members flock to Swapo

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Stefanus Nashama The Swapo Party welcomed 60 members from the Independent Patriots for Change (IPC) and the Landless People’s Movement (LPM) on Wednesday. Swapo’s secretary general, Sophia Shaningwa, and her deputy, Uahekua Herunga, welcomed them at the Swapo headquarters in Windhoek. Shaningwa received the membership cards and assured the new recruits that she would deliver the old cards to their respective former political parties. “We are not going to tear them up. They did not belong to us. Of course, the members now belong to the Swapo Party. And they handed over the properties of IPC that will be returned…

14 Aug

EU-Namibia advances fight against illicit financial flows

info_e12wt4csNational NewsAna Beatriz Martins, Beneficial Ownership Framework, FATF grey list

Erasmus Shalihaxwe Officials from various local institutions are currently undergoing anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing training. This training aims to enhance the country's ability to combat money laundering and terrorist financing. The three-day workshop began in Windhoek on Wednesday and is organised by the European Union Global Facility project in collaboration with Namibia's Financial Intelligence Centre. Ana Beatriz Martins, the EU Ambassador to Namibia, stated that the training will assist Namibian competent authorities in establishing an effective Beneficial Ownership Framework (BO) and fostering strong coordination among all relevant stakeholders. “Money laundering, terrorist financing, and the proliferation of illicit financial flows…

14 Aug

Preparations intensify ahead of the 79th UN General Assembly Session

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Niël Terblanché The United Nations headquarters in New York are currently in full preparation for the upcoming 79th session of the UN General Assembly, which starts on 10 September. The general assembly brings together world leaders to address pressing international issues. Various preparatory meetings and discussions are taking place in the lead-up to the high-level week, starting on 22 September. These include sessions focused on finalising agendas and strategies for key topics such as the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), climate action, and global security challenges. In this regard, the minister of international relations and cooperation, Dr. Peya Mushelenga, announced that…

14 Aug

Creative economy poised for growth

info_e12wt4csNational NewsDr Itah Kandjii-Murangi, Namibia and Estonia

Niël Terblanché Dr Itah Kandjii-Murangi, the Minister of Higher Education, Technology and Innovation, stressed the fundamental role of education, digital technologies, and heritage preservation in fostering the creative economy. Kandjii-Murangi said this during the opening of the 2024 Creative Entrepreneurship Academy conference, which is hosted under the theme "The Role of Education in Preserving and Digitising Cultural Heritage." “This project seeks to equip Namibian youth with the necessary knowledge in product development, entrepreneurship, the circular economy, and digital technologies,” she said. The conference is a collaborative initiative between Namibia and Estonia, funded by the Estonian Centre for International Development (EstDEV),…

14 Aug

NTB “Reason to Visit Namibia Roadshow,” kicks off

info_e12wt4csNational NewsCharmaine Matheus, Loide Paulus

Martin Endjala The Namibia Tourism Board (NTB) on Tuesday launched the “Reason to Visit Namibia Roadshow,” which aims to showcase all the unique attractions Namibia offers visitors. NTB's acting chief executive officer, Charmaine Matheus, made the announcement in Botswana. According to Matheus, the roadshow will occur in three cities in Botswana from August 13 to August 15, 2024. “This initiative aims to showcase the diverse attractions and unique experiences Namibia has to offer travellers, solidifying its status as a premier travel destination in Southern Africa. The roadshow, according to her, aims to educate potential travellers, travel agents, and local partners…

13 Aug

Nandi-Ndaitwah advised to pick competent people, not loyalty, ahead of the electoral college

info_e12wt4csNational NewsBen Mulongeni

Erasmus Shalihaxwe Political commentator and Swapo veteran Ben Mulongeni advised Swapo vice president, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah that if she wants to govern effectively, she should choose her top 10 candidates at the party's electoral college based on their competence rather than their loyalty. Mulongeni shared this opinion during an interview with the Windhoek Observer on Tuesday, where he discussed the upcoming party electoral college or POT. Mulongeni believes that loyalty alone does not lead to success or benefit the country. “We have already seen how loyalty has been messed up during campaigns. Imagine telling people that if they don’t vote for…

13 Aug

Agriculture ministry sets aside N$62 million to transform farming

info_e12wt4csNational NewsFifth National Development Plan (NDP5), Harambee Prosperity Plan

Martin Endjala The Ministry of Agriculture, Water, and Land Reform has declared its intention to provide subsidies to farmers in various regions through its agriculture program. The estimated funding for this initiative is approximately N$62 million. According to Jona Musheko, the ministry's spokesperson, these subsidised production programs are not new and are implemented annually. The program has already started and will continue until next year. “The subsidies are as high as 65% and 50% minimum. Three are available in all regions, apart from the dairy, which started as a pilot and is now slowly moving to other regions. We have…

13 Aug

Namibia demands reform of UNSC to correct Africa’s exclusion

info_e12wt4csNational NewsUnited Nations Security Council

Niël Terblanché International relations minister, Peya Mushelenga wants the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) to address the historical exclusion of Africa from permanent membership. Mushelenga was speaking at the UNSC high-level debate on international peace and security that took place in New York on Monday. "Africa cannot continue to stand as a passive spectator in the global political field," he said while stressing that the current geopolitical power distribution sidelines an entire continent from crucial decision-making processes. Mushelenga stressed that the reform of the UNSC is not a request for favours but a legitimate plea for justice and equality. “Maintaining…

13 Aug

Taxi union leader accuses Supreme Court of stalling multimillion-dollar lawsuit

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Stefanus Nashama Werner Januarie, the President of the Namibia Transport and Taxi Union (NTTU), has accused the Supreme Court of not giving a satisfactory explanation for not reinstating his N$74 million claim against the government. Januarie, speaking with the Windhoek Observer on Tuesday, expressed frustration with the court’s inability to set a hearing date for the case. “The problem is that the Supreme Court has not determined the date on which the matter will be heard,” he said. The Supreme Court's decision led to the removal of the matter from the court roll, according to the court documents. Since then,…

13 Aug

Lüderitz port expansion to transform energy and trade landscape

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Niël Terblanché Namibia is advancing its plans to expand the Port of Lüderitz, integral to the country’s strategy for enhancing support to industries such as oil, gas, and green hydrogen production. The Namibian Ports Authority’s (Namport) executive of port engineering, Elzevir Gelderbloem, has stressed that the Robert Harbour quay wall extension project will undergo rigorous inspections, including underwater surveys. In a report by nambusinessexpress.com Gelderbloem said that the expansion of the Port of Lüderitz is not just about increasing capacity; it is about positioning the port as a key logistics hub for Namibia’s oil, gas, and green hydrogen industries. According…