Windhoek Observer

Allexer Namundjembo The Popular Democratic Movement (PDM) has urged the Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN) to strengthen its staff to avoid errors that undermine trust in the electoral system.  PDM secretary-general Manuel Ngaringombe said the recent error made during the Rundu local authority election should not have happened.  “It is not something that anyone expects, that an error of that kind should occur,” he said.  This comes after the ECN admitted it made a seat allocation error in the Rundu election and has now launched an urgent self-review application in the Electoral Court.  The commission said one seat was wrongly…

Justicia Shipena  More than one million tourists visited Namibia in 2024, showing a strong rebound for the country’s tourism sector after years of Covid-19 disruptions. The Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism reported 1 257 093 arrivals, an increase of 45.5% compared to 2023. A separate inbound tourism report also shows that total foreign arrivals reached 1 444 174, reflecting a 37% rise and renewed global confidence in Namibia as a travel destination. Launching the tourist statistical report 2024 in Windhoek on Wednesday, environment and tourism minister Indileni Daniel said the growth reflects the sector’s resilience.  “This increase in tourist…

Justicia Shipena   Japan has committed N$48 million to a new agriculture project aimed at helping drought-affected farming communities build resilience through adaptive, climate-smart practices.  The funding was announced on Tuesday in Windhoek during an exchange-of-notes and signing ceremony. The event was attended by Japan’s ambassador to Namibia, Shinichi Asazuma, and officials from the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Land Reform, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the National Planning Commission (NPC). The project, titled Enhancing Resilience in Farming Communities Affected by Drought Through the Promotion of Adaptive Agriculture, will run for two years until…

Renthia Kaimbi A joint technical committee will guide a new academic partnership between the Fisheries Observer Agency (FOA) and the International University of Management (IUM), following the signing of a five-year Memorandum of Understanding yesterday.  The agreement sets out a structured plan to strengthen the country's marine resource management through education, training, and research. The joint technical committee will define technical details, monitor progress, and determine funding needs for planned activities. FOA chief executive officer Stanley Ndara signed the MoU alongside IUM vice chancellor Osmund Mwandemele.  Ndara said the agreement is the first between the two institutions and will be…