Zimbabwe to host headquarters of IATF’s new independent entity

Zimbabwe to host headquarters of IATF’s new independent entity

Staff Writer  Africa’s premier trade and investment event, the Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF), will now operate as an independent, permanent African institution with its headquarters in Harare, Zimbabwe.  The new entity, the Intra-African Trade Fair Company (IATFCO), was unveiled during IATF2025 in Algiers to make the fair sustainable, scalable and aligned to the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). The decision followed a rigorous selection process and approval by the IATF Advisory Council.  IATF is held every two years and is co-convened by Afreximbank, the African Union Commission and the AfCFTA Secretariat. Zimbabwe was selected as the host country from…
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Govt injects N$10m to rescue premiership league  

Allexer Namundjembo  The government has announced a N$10 million injection into the Namibian Premiership Football League (NPFL) after Debmarine Namibia confirmed it would not renew its sponsorship.  The announcement was made in parliament on Thursday by the deputy minister of sports, Dino Balloti, delivering a ministerial statement on behalf of Minister Sanet Steenkamp. Debmarine has invested N$49 million in the premiership over the past three years, according to Balloti.  He added that the company has put more than N$112 million into sport over the last seven years but is no longer in a financial position to continue its support. “This…
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‘We don’t need ICC’  

‘We don’t need ICC’  

Allexer Namundjembo Namibia does not need the International Criminal Court (ICC), political analyst Sackaria Johannes has said in support of a motion for the country to withdraw from the court. Johannes’ comments came after Affirmative Repositioning (AR) leader and member of parliament Job Amupanda tabled a motion in the National Assembly on Tuesday calling for Namibia’s withdrawal from the ICC. “Bearing in mind that, for me, the ICC is a biased institution. If you look at history, most of the people who were prosecuted there and found guilty are Africans. But we have some world leaders who have committed war…
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Otjozondjupa governor accused of blocking Okahandja land allocations

Otjozondjupa governor accused of blocking Okahandja land allocations

Allexer Namundjembo The Otjozondjupa governor, John Khamuseb, has been accused of interfering in Okahandja Municipality’s land allocation activities.  The accusation was made by Okahandja deputy mayor Asser Aupindi in a letter to Khamuseb last week. In the letter seen by the Windhoek Observer, Aupindi alleged that Khamuseb personally contacted the municipality’s chief executive officer and instructed him to halt all land allocation activities within the town’s jurisdiction. “Such interference is not only unwarranted but also hampers the efforts to ensure service delivery to the residents,” the letter reads. “Taking into consideration that you were not elected.” The letter stressed that…
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Sankwasa defends cost of government-built houses 

Sankwasa defends cost of government-built houses 

Justicia Shipena Urban and Rural Development minister Sankwasa James Sankwasa says government houses built on government-owned land should not be called expensive.  He made the remark at the handover of 52 houses in Okakarara on Thursday under the National Housing Enterprise’s (NHE) national housing programme. The programme aims to deliver 10,000 housing units annually for the next five years as part of efforts to formalise informal settlements. “There is therefore no reason for anyone to say houses built by the government, on government land, are not affordable because the land is expensive,” he said. Sankwasa urged local authorities to lower…
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Namibia presses UN to tackle land degradation

Namibia presses UN to tackle land degradation

Justicia Shipena  Namibia has called for the implementation of the Namib Declaration on the United Nations (UN) Convention to combat desertification. The call was made by President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah as she delivered her maiden speech at the 80th session of the UN General Assembly in New York on Wednesday. Nandi-Ndaitwah asserted that this is crucial for achieving a world free from land-degradation. The declaration aims to reverse land degradation and to mitigate the impacts of drought.  Nandi-Ndaitwah said climate change continues to harm livelihoods and ecosystems.  “Climate change is scorching our lands and drying up our rivers. Global instability is…
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Non-banking sector now worth N$474 billion

Non-banking sector now worth N$474 billion

Allexer Namundjembo The chief executive officer of the Namibia Financial Institutions Supervisory Authority (Namfisa), Kenneth Matomola, says favourable market conditions, lower interest rates, and moderate inflation helped push the value of the non-banking financial sector to N$474.1 billion in the 2024/25 financial year.  This figure represents growth of 14.3% compared to the previous year’s 4.2% decline. “Our regulated entities continue to demonstrate financial stability and resilience, underscoring the effectiveness of our oversight and operational efficiency initiatives,” Matomola said on Thursday at the launch of the 2025 annual report in Windhoek. The report shows that NAMFISA’s regulatory portfolio has expanded to…
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Rural parliament warns against neglecting the boy child

Rural parliament warns against neglecting the boy child

Renthia Kaimbi Delegates at the eighth session of the Rural Women Parliament with Men as Partners have passed a resolution calling for urgent support and empowerment of the boy child, describing him as increasingly vulnerable and left behind. The session, held under the theme “Breaking Barriers”, addressed issues ranging from infrastructure to healthcare.  The resolution on the boy child, however, became one of the most pressing points of discussion.  It highlighted a shift toward recognising that rural youth face complex challenges that require a balanced approach. The chairperson of the National Council, Maria Mwala, said the gathering had “confronted the…
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Moongo seeks answers on use of Gambling Fund proceeds  

Moongo seeks answers on use of Gambling Fund proceeds  

Allexer Namundjembo Popular Democratic Movement (PDM) lawmaker Winnie Moongo has asked the minister of environment, forestry and tourism, Indileni Daniel, to explain how the Gambling Trust Fund is being monitored to ensure transparency and accountability.  The fund was created under section 25 of the Gaming and Entertainment Control Act of 2018 to reduce the social and economic effects of gambling. It is used to support rehabilitation programmes and public education. The Gambling Board of Namibia manages the fund in trust. In a notice of questions in parliament on Thursday, Moongo said that despite the objectives of the act, concerns remain…
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YOUTH SPOTLIGHT | From Namibia to Japan: Loide’s Teaching Journey

YOUTH SPOTLIGHT | From Namibia to Japan: Loide’s Teaching Journey

When most Namibians dream of life after graduation, their thoughts rarely drift as far as the bustling streets of Tokyo or the quiet countryside of Japan, but for Loide Mpinge, a young Namibian who studied education at the Hifikepunye Pohamba Campus in Ongwediva, the classroom has taken on a whole new meaning thousands of kilometres away.  Now living in Japan, she spends her days teaching English to Japanese learners beyond the rules of grammar and punctuation and also to speak and connect across cultures. Hers is a journey of courage, determination and the willingness to take a leap of faith.…
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