Opinions

PAUL T. SHIPALE (with inputs by Folito Nghitongovali Diawara Gaspar) There are realities whose poignancy transcends mere numerical quantification. Namibia’s recent downgrade by the World Bank’s classification - a global singularity, being the only state to transition from upper - middle - income to lower - middle - income status in 2025 does not constitute a mere statistical datum. It represents, rather, the visceral cry of an economic paradigm in the process of disintegration, an echo vehemently amplified by intellectual contributions in this prestigious journal.  This imperative cry demands an introspection that transcends the coldness of econometric language, delving into…

PAUL T. SHIPALE (with inputs by Folito Nghitongovali Diawara Gaspar) Abstract As President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah marks 100 days in Office and is expected to announce a new round of ambassadorial and high commission appointments, with envoys scheduled for deployment in September this year, this article seeks to interrogate diplomacy in the 21st century which confronts a multifaceted crisis of legitimacy and effectiveness, characterized by inherent contradictions between economic interests and discernible discrepancies in geopolitical practices.   The article explores the evolution of contemporary diplomacy, with a particular focus on economic diplomacy, and critically analyzes its impacts, especially on African countries.  It…

Kae Matundu Tjiparuro With the world on the brink of the Third World War (WWIII), African political leaders were meeting in the Angolan capital of Luanda. Presumably to find and foster business links with business people from the United States of America (USA). Oblivious to the war ongoing, which was then in its 12th day between Israel and Iran, was nothing but a capitalist war America waging in the Middle East, with Israel as its proxy. One of the many wars Capitalist and Imperialist America has ever been waging all over the world since the dawn of Capitalism and Imperialism.…

Ivan Heigan For many first-time investors, especially those with a limited income, building wealth can seem so out of reach. Many believe it takes a lot of money to start investing, making it something only wealthy people can do. Micro-investing tears down the barriers that come with traditional investing and helps more and more people grow their money. Micro investing is an investment strategy where one invests a small amount of money, into stocks, funds, or other financial instruments. You can buy a fraction of a whole share of the company's stock instead of necessarily needing to buy a whole…

Kae Matundu-Tjiparuro Last week Namibia hosted the Commonwealth Business Summit which took place parallel to the ministers of trade meeting. “Namibia hosts historic Commonwealth Summit to bolster trade”, screamed a headline in one of the dailies in an apparent bid to invoke a sense of pride, if not in itself as a publication for whatever reason, and equally in the club of illusive and aspiring capitalists, but no doubt in the general Namibian public. Least the Namibian workers, as if the Commonwealth means and would ever mean anything to the workers. Not to mention the fact that if they have…

PAUL T. SHIPALE (with inputs by Folito Nghitongovali Diawara Gaspar) A Summit of Symbols and Struggles: The Unsteady Choreography of Power Under the gleaming banner of “Sustainable Partnerships for Inclusive Growth”, the 2025 US-Africa Business Summit in Luanda projected itself as a pivot point in global diplomacy. Presidents shook hands, investment pledges were declared, and corridors buzzed with the language of opportunity. Yet, beyond this theatre of polished speeches and protocol smiles, the summit revealed the unsteady choreography of a continent negotiating its space between the aspiration for autonomy and the persistence of subordination.Each African head of state arrived not…