Blog – Page 5 – Windhoek Observer

22 Jan

Over 50 Japanese companies invest in Namibia

National News

Renthia Kaimbi Namibia is now home to about 54 Japanese companies. Minister of international relations and trade Selma Ashipala-Musavyi revealed this during high-level talks in Tokyo, Japan. She said their presence reflects the growing economic ties between Namibia and Japan. Ashipala-Musavyi met Japan’s foreign minister, Toshimitsu Motegi, on Wednesday. The two discussed ways to strengthen bilateral relations, deepen economic cooperation, and support Namibia’s industrialisation drive. The talks focused on aligning Japanese investment with Namibia’s current national priorities under the leadership of President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah. "The presence of around 54 Japanese companies in Namibia is a clear testament to the country’s…

22 Jan

Hardap to get more school hostels

National News

Justicia Shipena The government plans to build more school hostels in the Hardap region to improve access to education for learners from remote communities. Education, Innovation, Youth, Sports, Arts and Culture minister Sanet Steenkamp said hostel development is a priority to address long distances to schools, learner dropouts and growing pressure on rural education systems. She spoke on Tuesday at the inauguration of the Namaqua Kalahari Children’s Hope Hostel in Gochas. She described the facility as a model for future education infrastructure in sparsely populated regions. “The vastness of the region and the spreading of communities into small villages place…

22 Jan

OBSERVER COASTAL | Erongo governor urges councillors to focus on service delivery

National News

Renthia Kaimbi Erongo governor Natalia |Goagoses has urged regional councillors in Erongo to place the improvement of basic services at the centre of their work. Goagoses made the call on Wednesday during the opening of the Internal Induction Workshop for regional councillors, hosted by the Erongo Regional Council at the Seaside Hotel in Swakopmund. The workshop brought together newly elected councillors and senior officials to align political leadership with the council’s administrative work. She said regional councillors carry heavy responsibility as the level of government closest to communities. “Regional councils are not abstract institutions. When communities experience progress, stability, and…

22 Jan

OBSERVER COASTAL | Special needs school opens new campus in Swakopmund

National News

Renthia Kaimbi Stepping Stone Special Education School has opened its new campus in Ocean View, Swakopmund. The school, the country’s first registered private institution for neurodivergent and visually impaired children, has moved into a purpose-built facility designed to support learners with specialised needs. The relocation allows the school to expand its services and respond to a growing waiting list. Founded in 2015 by Almarie Mostert, the school has grown steadily from a small initiative into a key learning space for children who require specialised support. The new campus creates room for this growth and improves access to tailored education. A…

22 Jan

A new chapter in Namibia–Cuba solidarity: from liberation to life-saving medicines

Editorial, Featured, Opinions

When Namibia and Cuba announced that they are exploring the establishment of a pharmaceutical manufacturing plant in Namibia, the news was more than a routine bilateral development. It was a powerful reminder that some friendships in international relations are not transactional but historic, principled and enduring. From the battlefields of southern Angola to today’s boardrooms and policy tables, the relationship between Namibia and Cuba has been forged in solidarity, sacrifice and shared purpose. This latest initiative is not merely about producing medicines; it is about continuing a legacy of cooperation that has helped shape Namibia’s very existence. Namibians do not…

22 Jan

A Think Tank or just another structure?

Featured, Opinions

Reflections on Swapo’s newly appointed Think Tank Paul T. Shipale (with inputs by Folito Nghitongovali Diawara Gaspar) The recent appointment of the ruling party’s think tank has reignited a familiar and uncomfortable national conversation about governance, accountability, and policy effectiveness. This is not an abstract academic debate. It speaks directly to long-standing concerns about how ideas are translated into action and whether Namibia’s political system is equipped to confront its structural challenges with honesty and intellectual courage. These concerns were already articulated in our earlier analysis, “A Transformative Agenda for Namibia’s Invisible Workforce: From Informal to Formal.” The central proposition…

22 Jan

Council can borrow money: meaning and implications

Opinions

Lazarus Kwedhi During the induction workshop for newly elected Local Authority Councillors, the Minister of Urban and Rural Development, Hon. Sankwasa James Sankwasa, raised concern about the inability of Local Authority Councils to provide affordable land and housing to residents and the general public. He cited their inability to generate sufficient revenue from their own sources or to find alternative funding sources, other than relying on central government. As such, Hon. Sankwasa informed and reminded councillors of their power and obligation to find other sources of funding for housing purposes, which may include land servicing. The minister’s statement finds its…

22 Jan

Discovery is the easy part: why capital discipline determines frontier offshore success

Opinions

Fernando Y. G. Sylvester Frontier offshore discoveries have an outsized effect on perception. Markets react within hours. Governments issue statements. Partners congratulate one another. Value appears to be created instantly. Yet, in our experience, much of that value quietly erodes in the 24 to 36 months that follow. Not because the geology was wrong. The hydrocarbons remain exactly where they were found. Value is lost because the decisions made after discovery are premature, misaligned, or based on assumptions that cannot survive contact with reality. At Nautilus Mining & Energy, we have observed the same pattern across basins, operators, and decades.…

22 Jan

DBN rolls out new five-year plan to boost development impact

Observer Money

Chamwe Kaira The Development Bank of Namibia (DBN) has entered a period of strategic transition with the implementation of a new five-year integrated strategic business plan aimed at strengthening the institution’s resilience, adaptability and long-term development impact. Board chairperson Evangelina Nailenge said the strategy marks an important step in repositioning DBN as a future-focused development finance institution while reinforcing its role in supporting Namibia’s economic and social progress. She said the plan is built on four strategic pillars: financial sustainability, people and culture, market positioning, and developmental effectiveness. Nailenge said DBN’s governance framework remained sound during the period under review,…

22 Jan

Declining diamond revenues pose challenge to growth outlook

Observer Money

Chamwe Kaira The Development Bank of Namibia (DBN) has flagged several downside risks to the Namibian economy despite a positive growth outlook, according to its Integrated Annual Report for the 2024/25 financial year. The bank said one of the main risks is reduced diamond export earnings, driven by declining global diamond prices and growing competition from lab-grown alternatives. It also warned that possible trade disruptions linked to rising protectionist policies, together with inflationary pressures caused by ongoing global conflicts, continue to increase economic uncertainty. Fiscal pressures remain a concern, with declining revenues from the Southern African Customs Union (SACU) and…