The new developments in China-Africa friendship and the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, as well as China’s commitment to multilateralism and cooperation and a “big year” for engagement with the United States featured prominently as Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi took quest …
… The bridge serves as a vital infrastructure component in the North-South Corridor (NSC), a crucial trade route from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), through Zambia and Zimbabwe, to the port of Durban in South Africa. …
If you’re looking for a reason to be optimistic about Africa’s future, here’s one: In 2026, the continent’s economic growth is expected to outpace Asia’s for the first time in modern history, according to the International Monetary Fund. …
Swakopmund, Namibia, 5 March 2026 ___________________________________________________________ It is with profound honour and gratitude that I address you as your host for the 90th Executive Committee Meeting of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) Africa region. …
… Research Through my work as a fellow at the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, researching and analysing institutional reform processes, the issue became clear. …
… nalyst Ndumbah Kamwanyah said the impact is not limited to the Middle East. “From a global perspective, a military confrontation involving the United States and Israel against Iran carries significant economic implications, particularly for energy-dependent regions such as Africa …
… The hard-hitting Namibian, popularly known as ‘John-John’, enters the bout ranked number seven in the world by the WBO and currently holds the WBO Africa Super Middleweight title. …
… On Africa’s role, the ambassador said Iran values its relations with African countries and expects them to condemn what he termed aggression by the US and Israel, noting that many African nations have historically supported Iran in multilateral forums. …
An opinion piece argues that growing private healthcare in Africa is not evidence of state failure but rather meets patient demand for speed and reliability that stretched public systems cannot guarantee. The piece notes that non-state providers have long filled gaps in healthcare access, particularly in rural and township communities, and suggests the focus should be on why Namibians increasingly choose private care.
An opinion piece argues that growing private healthcare in Africa is not evidence of state failure but rather meets patient demand for speed and reliability that stretched public systems cannot guarantee. The piece notes that non-state providers have long filled gaps in healthcare access, particularly in rural and township communities, and suggests the focus should be on why Namibians increasingly choose private care.
Yango Group has announced the launch of Yango Tech in Africa, offering artificial intelligence and digital infrastructure solutions to businesses, city authorities and public-sector organisations across sectors including mobility, healthcare, financial services and retail.
Windhoek's rollout of a cashless parking system requiring KPI-issued or bank cards has caused confusion and frustration among motorists, many of whom lack access to these payment methods. The article argues that rapid digital transitions without adequate consultation disproportionately affect those outside the formal banking system.
The article compares Singapore's transformation from a poor, resource-scarce nation in 1965 to one of the world's wealthiest economies today, suggesting Namibia can learn from Singapore's approach to governance and development despite different challenges.
An opinion piece argues that while traditional leaders' concerns about communal land reform deserve respect, Namibia cannot allow defence of custom to obstruct economic transformation. The article contends that current customary systems leave communal land residents trapped in poverty, unable to use land productively or secure financing, and vulnerable to inconsistent allocation practices.
An opinion piece questions whether African leaders have acted as a unified front to address the continent's problems as envisioned by Ghana's founding president Kwame Nkrumah at the 1963 founding summit of the Organisation of African Unity, and examines whether Africa has gained true control of its mineral wealth or remains dependent on external powers.
An opinion piece argues that private education has historically complemented public schooling in Namibia and across Africa, and that families increasingly choose private schools because they seek accountability and predictable standards, even though the public system's failings—not private schools—are the real issue.
Namibia maintains second place in Southern Africa's startup ecosystem rankings after South Africa, ranking 94th globally and 10th in Africa according to the 2026 StartupBlink Global Startup Ecosystem Index, though it dropped nine places globally from 2025 despite recording 8.2% ecosystem growth.
Namibia has dropped nine places to 94th globally and slipped from 8th to 10th in Africa in the StartupBlink Global Startup Ecosystem Index 2026, with annual ecosystem growth of 8.2% falling below the global average. The country retained its position as southern Africa's second-ranked startup ecosystem behind South Africa, and Windhoek remains its only city ranked in the world's top 1,000 startup ecosystems.
An opinion piece argues that while foreign powers do pursue their interests in Africa, the deeper problem is Africa's lack of disciplined structures, weak institutions, and fragmented leadership that allow resources to be negotiated away, and that Africa must stop waiting for rescue and instead build order.
Prime Minister Elijah Ngurare called on African countries to stop exporting raw minerals and instead process them locally to create jobs and achieve economic independence. He said Africa must assert ownership of its resources without fear and develop its own technology infrastructure.
World Health Organization country representative Dr Richard Banda called for urgent investment in safer walking and cycling infrastructure, stating that road crashes continue to claim lives and leave many with permanent injuries in Namibia and across Africa. He said pedestrians and cyclists are among the most vulnerable road users due to poor infrastructure and unsafe conditions, and called for stronger law enforcement, lower speed limits in pedestrian areas, and improved emergency response systems.
Vice President Lucia Witbooi called for stronger economic cooperation between African countries, saying African economies have traded more with the rest of the world than with one another. She urged businesses and governments to work together to drive industrialisation, innovation and intra-Africa trade, citing the African Continental Free Trade Area as a major opportunity to transform Africa into an integrated market.
Namibia's trade and international relations minister, attending a ministerial meeting in Nairobi, reaffirmed Africa's demand for two permanent seats on the UN Security Council, together with additional non-permanent seats, as part of the Committee of Ten's push for UN system reform.
Vice President Lucia Witbooi announced that Namibia will end the export of raw marine products by 2030, aiming instead to process, package and brand marine products locally. Under the sixth National Development Plan, the government wants 60% of marine products to undergo secondary and tertiary processing inside the country by 2030, supported by investments in infrastructure and skills development including a proposed Franco-Namibian Marine Institute.
The European Union has extended its strategic partnership roadmap with Namibia to 2030, with new investments focused on renewable energy, critical raw materials and industrial development. Bilateral trade between Namibia and the EU reached N$17.6 billion in 2025, with Namibian exports to European markets supporting more than 46 000 jobs across the country.
Former Botswana president Festus Gontebanye Mogae, aged 86, died in Gaborone over the weekend. Namibian President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah and current Botswana President Duma Gideon Boko paid tribute to Mogae as a distinguished statesman and principled leader whose presidency strengthened regional cooperation through SADC.
An analysis argues that violence against African migrants in South Africa is a symptom of deeper economic frustration, but misplaced anger that diverts from the core issue of unequal wealth ownership and economic control since the end of apartheid.
Namibian choreographers and film-makers are invited to submit productions to the 2026 JOMBA! Digital Open Horizons platform, a screen-dance showcase held during South Africa's annual JOMBA! Contemporary Dance Experience in Durban from 27 August to 8 September, which seeks experimental choreography across Africa.
Recent oil and gas discoveries in the Orange Basin, with an over 80% exploration success rate, position Namibia to avoid reliance on imported fuel and build local refining capacity—a lesson highlighted by recent fuel price shocks tied to Middle Eastern conflicts.
An opinion piece argues that Namibia must recognize and support its grassroots creative workers—photographers, filmmakers, and others working without formal employment—as essential to building a thriving creative economy, rather than waiting for individual talent to emerge.
President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah reaffirmed Namibia's commitment to press freedom on World Press Freedom Day 2026, noting the country ranks 23rd globally and second in Africa for media freedom. She emphasized the responsibility of government, media, and citizens to safeguard a free press amid misinformation and geopolitical tensions, and called for continued journalistic professionalism and integrity.
According to the 2026 World Press Freedom Index, Namibia ranked 23rd out of 180 countries globally and second in Africa, rising from 28th position in 2025 with a score of 76.97. The country performs strongly in security and legal framework but faces economic pressures on independent media, though journalists operate with constitutional protections despite occasional political pressure and verbal attacks from officials.
Twelve people died from malaria in Omusati region in the first four months of 2026, with the region recording 7,410 confirmed cases out of 57,180 nationally, according to statistics released by Omusati governor Immanuel Shikongo during World Malaria Day commemoration. Countrywide, 61 people have died and 3,067 were hospitalised, with the governor describing the figures as alarming.
Fossil fuel dependency exposes countries to geopolitical shocks and rising prices that erode household budgets and strain economies; accelerating clean energy adoption through renewable sources and green technologies can address both climate instability and cost pressures while creating jobs and strengthening energy security. The article argues that developing nations require greater international financing support to enable this transition.
President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah commissioned a new National Governing Council of the African Peer Review Mechanism, with Namibia tasked to spearhead efforts tackling youth unemployment across Africa. The country's approach involves youth development funding, apprenticeships and education support, though Namibia itself faces a youth unemployment rate of around 44.4% according to census-based figures.
The UN General Assembly adopted a resolution on 25 March recognising the transatlantic slave trade as a crime against humanity, with 123 votes in favour and 52 abstentions. Namibian subject experts say the vote bolsters local calls for justice regarding colonial-era genocide and reparations, and could pressure countries such as Germany to reconsider responses to demands of Namibians affected by the 1904 to 1908 genocide.
On Swapo's 66th anniversary, party leader Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah stated that while the party's liberation struggle history is important, it alone cannot carry the party forward as people now expect tangible improvements in jobs, housing, healthcare, and education. Political analysts noted Swapo's waning electoral support over recent elections due to corruption and declining leadership quality, though the party remains the country's strongest with functional regional structures.
President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah appointed former ambassador Wilfried Emvula as chairperson of the National Governing Council of the African Peer Review Mechanism in Namibia, with ten members inaugurated for a term to January 2030. The council, established under the APRM Statute, will provide strategic oversight and ensure transparency in governance reforms aligned with Namibia's development plan and Africa's Agenda 2063.