Opinions

Diplomacy in the 21st century: a Pan-Africanist analysis of the legitimacy crisis and the path to a just global order

Diplomacy in the 21st century: a Pan-Africanist analysis of the legitimacy crisis and the path to a just global order

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…
Read More
Africa, the benign second class capitalist denialist

Africa, the benign second class capitalist denialist

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.…
Read More
Growing wealth through micro-investments

Growing wealth through micro-investments

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…
Read More
Essential rules and lessons for every man in 2025

Essential rules and lessons for every man in 2025

Hanhote Hotty Ndinomolo In most cases, we are worried about things that are less important, such as what people are going to say, losing friends or doubting ourselves. All that does not really matter. However, there are essential values, basic principles and rules that every man should live by, silently; in private or public. In a group or when alone. Talk to God often. No one is comparable to God. He is our father, Alpha and Omega. He is always ready to listen; he will not judge nor tell the next person. Read your bible. I like the books of…
Read More
Maybe God Will Judge Us by How We Treat Our Animals: Noah’s  Ark, Part ll 

Maybe God Will Judge Us by How We Treat Our Animals: Noah’s  Ark, Part ll 

Mauricio Adelino The Bible has long emphasized treating animals with kindness and respect. In the story of Noah’s Ark, God commanded Noah to save each species, highlighting the intrinsic value of all creatures. Proverbs 12:10 reinforces this, stating, "The righteous care for the needs of their animals." In Namibia, where animals play integral roles—whether as companions, livestock, or working animals—we have a profound responsibility to ensure their welfare. This biblical directive resonates deeply in our society, where animals are central to both rural and urban life. As a veterinary student deeply invested in the welfare of domestic animals in Namibia,…
Read More
Celebrating World MSME Day 2025: A Namibian Perspective on Progress and Possibilities

Celebrating World MSME Day 2025: A Namibian Perspective on Progress and Possibilities

Hasekiel Johannes On 27 June 2025, the world gathers once again to commemorate World Micro-, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (MSME) Day. This annual event, declared by the United Nations General Assembly in 2017, is more than just a symbolic occasion. It is a global call to recognise the indispensable role of MSMEs in job creation, economic growth, innovation, and sustainable development. For Namibia, a nation forged in unity and freedom since its independence in 1990, this day carries particular resonance as we reflect on our journey and the ongoing work to empower local enterprises. As a proud member of the…
Read More
Irony of common wealth of  exploiters and exploited in the Commonwealth

Irony of common wealth of  exploiters and exploited in the Commonwealth

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…
Read More
The US-Africa summit in Angola: rehearsing sovereignty or repeating subordination?

The US-Africa summit in Angola: rehearsing sovereignty or repeating subordination?

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…
Read More
Letting go to lead better

Letting go to lead better

Mufaro Nesongano Letting go is hard. Whether in life or leadership, most of us wrestle with it. We hold on to stories, memories, and familiar ways of doing things, especially when those things once brought us success or comfort. But there comes a time when we must recognise that what once helped us grow might now be holding us back. As someone who has spent more than two decades in media, public relations and strategic communication, I have come to appreciate the power of storytelling not just outwardly, but inwardly too. A recent conversation with a friend made me reflect…
Read More

Economic leakage in Namibia: When wealth enters but doesn’t circulate

Dr. Penny Tuna Magdalena Uukunde A Diplomatic Reflection on a Nation Full of Potential but Caught in the Performance Loop Namibia is not short of vision. We are not short of policies, frameworks, or even goodwill. From industrialization plans to procurement reform, youth development charters to tourism strategies on paper, Namibia shines. But what do we have to show for all this brilliance if the wealth we generate enters but fails to circulate? We are experiencing economic leakage not just in the literal sense of capital outflows or expatriate profit repatriation, but in a deeper, more systemic way. Talent leaks.…
Read More