National News

Niël Terblanché A group of 90 young Namibians, made their mark at the World Youth Festival (WYF) in Sochi, Russia where they delved into various fields, including business, media, international cooperation, culture, science and education programmes. The WYF, initiated by a decree from Russian President Vladimir Putin, is renowned as the globe’s most significant youth gathering, drawing in thousands of young leaders from Russia and beyond. The group of young Namibians was accompanied by the Deputy Minister of Sport, Youth, and National Service, Emma Kantema-Goamas. The festival serves as a crucial platform for discussing and addressing the world’s most pressing…

Niël Terblanché On the occasion of International Women’s Day, Namibia’s Deputy Minister of Gender Equality, Poverty Eradication and Social Welfare, Ui/O/OO Royal Kxao, stressed the importance of women’s participation in the forthcoming electoral processes. Speaking at the official opening of the workshop that is aimed at bolstering women’s engagement in the political arena, the Deputy Minister reiterated the theme of this year’s celebration, “Inspire Inclusion. Invest in Women: Accelerate Progress,” which stresses the imperative of fostering an inclusive society where women’s contributions are recognized and valued. Namibia, poised for its Presidential and National Assembly elections in November 2024, with the…

Niël Terblanché In an effort to reinforce environmental conservation efforts, the Ministry of Environment, Forestry, and Tourism has reiterated its commitment to discouraging the use of plastic shopping bags across Namibia, a policy aimed at mitigating the detrimental effects these items have on the ecosystem. Pohamba Shifeta, the Minister of Environment, Forestry and Tourism shed light on the renewed effort during the inauguration of the Fourth Sustainable Development Awards He said that getting rid of plastic bags altogether is a significant step in the nation’s journey towards ecological preservation. The genesis of this environmentally conscious campaign dates back to 2019…

Ministry of Environment and Tourism earned N$9.3 million in 2022/2023 in 2022/2023 financial year from gaming and gambling activities. The ministry plans in the 2024/2025-2026/2027 financial years to secure approval for staff structure and budget in order to operationalize the Gambling Board of Namibia and Lotteries Board of Namibia. Tourism contribution to national GDP is estimated to reach a total N$46.8 billion during 2024/2025 – 2026/2027 financial years, according to the ministry. A total number of 1600 of applications for Environmental Clearance Certificates were received, of which 946 Environmental Clearance Certificates were issued for various activities. 150 sites were inspected…

The Ministry of Labour, Industrial relations and Employment Creation, achieved 48% of the targeted 67% of the prevention and settlement of industrial disputes, and workplace protection target in 2023. The ministry said a total of 4917 cases were handled through labour dispute resolution mechanism of which 2336 (48%) were resolved and 2 580 were still pending due to postponements. Conciliation remains the preferred method of resolving disputes, with 1 765 (76%) of the disputes resolved through conciliation, while 571 (24%) were resolved through arbitration, according to the ministry. The Employment Equity Commission received a total of 1 043 reports of…