German – Windhoek Observer

13 Dec

German-Namibian Joint Declaration antiquated model of international law

ObserverObserver MoneyContext of Transitional and Restorative Justice, German, Namibian

Staff Writer THE Joint Declaration between the Namibian government and its German counterpart is based on an antiquated model of international law and more than anything meant to force the Ovaherero and Nama into submission, says UK-based Reparations Specialist and Scholar-Activist, Esther Stanford-Xosei. She was among panelists from the Diaspora of the United Kingdom and Botswana, joining descendants of the victims of the Ovaherero and Nama genocide in Namibia to observe the International Day of Commemoration and Dignity of the Victims of the Crime of Genocide, and of the Prevention of this Crime, last Thursday, 9 December. Thereby interrogating the…

23 Oct

Beginning of the beginning; beginning of the end; end of the beginning or end of the end?

ObserverUncategorisedGerman

Is this the beginning of the beginning; beginning of the end; end of the beginning or end of the end? One cannot but pose and ponder this question with regard to Genocide, Apology and Reparations with a particular focus on the current debate in the National Assembly on the Joint Declaration between the Namibian government and its German counterpart. Because since the ongoing debate on this vexed question, it has never been clear which way the debate is ultimately headed, and where and how the debate, and the whole question of GAR may be concluded eventually in the best wishes…

30 Sep

USA, Germany donate nearly 400 000 vaccines doses to Namibia

ObserverObserver MoneyCOVAX Facility, German, Government of Namibia

Kandjemuni Kamuiiri THE Government of the Federal Republic of Germany, through the German Embassy in Windhoek donated 200 000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine, while the United States of America’s donating through the COVAX Facility up to 100 620 doses of Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine to the Government of Namibia. The handover of the AstraZeneca vaccines took place on Monday at the Minister of Health and Social Services, Kalumbi Shangula’s boardroom. According to Shangula the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) supported Namibia to expand the capacity of the Namibia Institute of Pathology (NIP) to be able to conduct testing for COVID-19 diagnosis,…

22 Sep

Descendants march to parliament protesting against genocide debate

ObserverObserver MoneyGerman, Nama, Namibian government, Ovaherero, Ovambanderu

Eba Kandovazu More than a hundred descendants of the survivors of the 1904-1908 genocide of the Ovaherero, Ovambanderu and Nama today took to the streets of Windhoek to demonstrate against tabling of a motion to discuss the Joint Declaration between the Namibian government and its German counterpart. The motion to discuss the Joint Declaration was tabled by the Minister of Defense and Veteran Affairs, Frans Kapofi, in the National Assembly today. The march, spearheaded by various political parties such as the Landless People’s Movement(LPM), Rally for Democracy and Progress (RDP}, Popular Democratic Movement(PDM), Namibia Economic Freedom Fighters(NEFF),National Unity Democratic Organisation(Nudo),Swanu…

11 Jun

Secret ballot not on genocide … if Parliament has to vote on agreement?

ObserverObserver MoneyGerman, Kazenambo Kazenambo, Namibia, Namibian Parliament, Professor Peter Katjavivi, Speaker

Andrew Kathindi Parliament may have to vote on the genocide agreement the government of Namibia and it the German counterpart are due to sign before it is eventually debated in the Namibian Parliament and thereafter ratified. If there should be no consensus after the debate and a vote is necessary. Meaning the august house would then have to decide whether to go for a secret ballot or not to allow for conscience voting, if members of the same political party may be divided on the issue. Former Swapo Party of Namibia Parliamentarian and former deputy minister, Kazenambo Kazenambo, explaining the…

18 May

‘Rushed’ genocide deal questioned

ObserverObserver MoneyGenocide, German, Nama, Namibia, Ovaherero

Kandjemuni Kamuiiri Concerns have been raised around the agreement reached between Namibia and Germany over the Nama and Ovaherero genocide reparations. This is amid concerns the imminent deal was rushed and might not come out in the best interest of Namibia after almost six years of negotiations. According to political analyst, Henning Melber, the announced agreement set to be signed in two weeks’ time, will be in the best interest of Germany, as it brings the negotiations to a close ahead of the country’s elections scheduled for September. “This might not have been in the best strategic interest of the…

26 Jun

The ‘opening’ moment of truth is approaching

ObserverNational NewsGerman, Namibia

As the government continues with the plan to move towards the total lifting of the state of emergency in Namibia, a moment of truth for decision-makers is coming. Do we open faster to save parts of the economy or slow down? Namibia is not the only country dealing with this dilemma. Business executives with access to high offices are screaming because their net worth of millions is dropping. Their lifestyles are threatened and they are closing ranks to stop the downward trend. At the same time, these investors, business people and captains of industry are the engine that runs the…

05 Jun

Trustco secures N$345m loan

ObserverUncategorisedCovid-19, German, Trustco, Trustco Finance, Trustco Group Holdings Limited

Staff Writer Trustco Finance, a subsidiary of Trustco Group Holdings Limited has secured a US$20 million (approximately N$345 million) loan from Deutsche Investitions Und Entwicklungsgesellschaft, a German development finance institution. The loan approval is, however, subject to a final agreement currently being drafted. The bulk of the facility will be used to provide student financing, offered by Trustco Finance, as well as enhancing the educational facilities offered by the Institute for Open Learning (Pty) Ltd (“IOL”), while funding will also be made available to existing students to restructure and refinance their existing obligations as part of the group’s COVID-19 relief…

05 Jun

Namibia declined N$192m reparations offer

ObserverObserver MoneyGerman, president Hage Geingob

Staff Writer President Hage Geingob made a startling revelation on Thursday when answering questions after delivering his state of the nation address that his government turned down a N$192 million dollar settlement offer from the German government as part of reparations. “They offered Euro 10 million and we said that is an insult,” he said. The revelations by the President means the country could be gunning for more in compensation and comes after German minister for economic cooperation and development Gerd Müller in September last year said the reparation negotiations between the two countries could soon be finalised. Geingob also…

08 May

N$220m informal settlements windfall

ObserverObserver MoneyGerman, Government, National Planning Commission, Shack Dwellers Federation of Namibia

Staff Writer The German government will contribute over N$220 million towards addressing the country’s informal settlement problem. The funding will be provided under a wider N$700 million grant aimed at improving the living conditions in the country’s sprawling informal settlements. It will also seek to improve access to land title for the residents. “To address the urgent need for action in the informal urban settlements, Germany also committed N$100 million for technical cooperation for sustainable and inclusive urban development as well as N$120 million for financial cooperation (grants) for the promotion of urban infrastructure. These projects are aimed at supporting…