Also known as: the African Union summit · African Union summit · African Union Assembly of Heads of State
Continental organization that hosts specialised technical committees and high-level meetings on issues including social development, reparations, and Ebola response.
Key points drawn from coverage. Tap a point to see the original sentence.
The Namibian
African Union declared 2026 the Year of 'Assuring Sustainable Water Availability and Safe Sanitation Systems to Achieve the Goals of Agenda 2063'
“The African Union declared 2026 the Year of "Assuring Sustainable Water Availability and Safe Sanitation Systems to Achieve the Goals of Agenda 2063", and this lofty ask is a call to arms.”
Africa Day is a call to business, not just governmentsThe Namibian
African Union had headquarters built by an external power
“The deeper question is why the central house of African unity had to be built by an external power in the first place.”
China, the West, Gaddafi and the Crisis of African OrderThe Namibian
the African Union gained permanent membership in the G20
“This commitment is backed by India's expanded diplomatic presence across the African continent and a consistent push for a more representative global order – a goal most notably realised through India's successful advocacy for the African Union's permanent membership in the G20.”
Namibia and the New Era of India-Africa PartnershipThe Namibian
African Union has been asked by Ghana to discuss mistreatment of Africans in South Africa
“Ghana has also written to the African Union, asking it to discuss the issue, saying it posed a "serious risk to the safety and well-being" of Africans in South Africa.”
Ghana to evacuate 300 from South Africa over anti-immigrant protestsNew Era
African Union endorsed the summit co-hosted by Kenya and France
“President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah delegated Witbooi to represent Namibia at the summit, which is co-hosted by Kenya and France with the endorsement of the African Union.”
Nam pushes for investment-led partnershipsInformanté
African Union endorsed the summit co-convened by Kenya and France
“The summit, co-convened by Kenya and France with the endorsement of the African Union, will bring together African Heads of State and Government, the President of France, representatives of international financial institutions, development agencies, private sector leaders and policy experts.”
Vice President Lucia Witbooi to represent Namibia at Africa Forward Summit in KenyaWindhoek Observer
African Union is asked to discuss xenophobic attacks in South Africa
“Ghana has formally asked the African Union (AU) to discuss xenophobic attacks in South Africa, citing concern over repeated violence against foreign nationals.”
Ghana seeks AU talks on xenophobic attacksNew Era
African Union made a request to the Ministry of Education to host a Continental Curriculum Framework workshop
“Cabinet endorsed the request from the African Union (AU) for the Ministry of Education, Innovation, Youth, Sports, Arts and Culture to host a workshop on the Continental Curriculum Framework for Africa in Windhoek, Namibia, from 18 to 22 May 2026.”
Cabinet briefsThe Namibian
African Union has helped legitimise the 'solutions' framing of Africa's climate role
“The African Union's communications have helped legitimise this framing, as have declarations from the first two Africa Climate Summits.”
Africa Isn’t the World’s ‘Climate Solution’New Era
African Union supported resolution to criminalise slavery proposed by Ghana's president
“The resolution, proposed by Ghana's president John Dramani Mahama and supported by the African Union, Caribbean Community (Caricom) as well as various Asian countries, seeks to address historical wrongs affecting Africans and people of the diaspora in a manner that promotes justice, human rights, dignity, healing and claims for reparations.”
Namibia in historic UN vote to criminalise slavery … as US, Israel oppose resolutionNamibia's Pan-African Parliament delegation, led by Deputy Speaker Phillipus Katamelo, has commenced Permanent Committee sittings ahead of the First Ordinary Session of the Seventh Parliament, scheduled to begin on 27 July 2026 in Midrand, South Africa. The committee meetings, running until 25 July, form part of preparations to review matters under the various PAP committees' mandates.
22 July 2026 · Windhoek Observer →
Namibia's Pan-African Parliament delegation, led by Deputy Speaker Phillipus Katamelo, has commenced Permanent Committee sittings ahead of the First Ordinary Session of the Seventh Parliament, scheduled to begin on 27 July 2026 in Midrand, South Africa. The committee meetings, running until 25 July, form part of preparations to review matters under the various PAP committees' mandates.
22 July 2026 · Windhoek Observer →
Namibia will host the Sixth Ordinary Session of the African Union Specialised Technical Committee on Social Development, Labour and Employment from 27 to 31 July in Windhoek. The summit focuses on investing in and expanding social protection systems across Africa, and the article urges Namibia to use the event to address broader questions about structuring African economies to create jobs.
20 July 2026 · Windhoek Observer →
Windhoek will host the Sixth Ordinary Session of the African Union Specialised Technical Committee on Social Development, Labour and Employment from 27 to 31 July, bringing together African government ministers and stakeholders to address high unemployment, poverty and weak social protection systems across the continent.
20 July 2026 · Windhoek Observer →
Prime Minister Dr Tjitunga Elijah Ngurare has reiterated Namibia's call for the lifting of the United States embargo on Cuba, stating the Cuban people deserve to live in peace, harmony and with human dignity. He also reaffirmed Namibia's support for the self-determination of Palestinian and Western Saharan peoples.
18 July 2026 · Informanté →
President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa co-chaired the Fourth Session of the Namibia-South Africa Bi-National Commission in Pretoria, where the two countries committed to strengthening economic cooperation, expanding trade and investment, and advancing joint development initiatives in areas including energy security and infrastructure development.
17 July 2026 · Informanté →
South African companies invested approximately US$1.2 billion (about N$19.5 billion) in Namibia between 2023 and 2025, creating around 4,900 jobs, according to the South African Presidency ahead of a Bi-National Commission summit between the two countries.
16 July 2026 · Informanté →
The Lobito Corridor railway, linking mineral-rich DRC regions to Angola's port, is a key development focus for Angola, DRC, Zambia and partners including the US, which committed US$200 billion for infrastructure and pledged to mobilise an additional US$600 billion. The DRC's untapped mineral deposits are valued at over US$24 trillion.
12 July 2026 · The Namibian →
Pan-African Women's Organisation president Eunice Iipinge defended the appointment of Chinese businesswoman Stina Wu as special economic adviser, saying the honorary position was based on Wu's business credentials and commitment to women's economic empowerment, and arguing that criticism centred on nationality was misplaced because Pawo works with international partners.
9 July 2026 · The Namibian →
The Eastern Africa Editors Society has demanded the withdrawal of military personnel from Ugandan media premises and the reopening of TV stations, newspapers and radio outlets closed by army chief Muhoozi Kainerugaba, who stated he does not believe in a free press. EAES president Fitihawok Yewondwossen called the closures an assault on press freedom and democratic governance.
29 June 2026 · The Namibian →
Southern African Customs Union leaders, including Namibia's president, approved a N$5 billion Regional Innovative Funding Mechanism to support development projects across member states and called for a 15-year extension of the U.S. African Growth and Opportunity Act beyond December 2026 to protect market access and jobs.
26 June 2026 · Informanté →
The African Union has declared 2026–2035 the Decade of Reparations and called for a global reparations fund to address colonialism and slavery; Reform UK responded by threatening visa restrictions for residents of African countries, including Nigeria and Ghana, demanding European accountability.
22 June 2026 · Windhoek Observer →
At a high-level conference in Accra, President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah said the UN resolution on the Transatlantic Slave Trade marks the beginning of a long journey toward truth, healing and restorative justice for Africans and the diaspora, linking it to Namibia's own pursuit of restorative justice.
20 June 2026 · Informanté →
President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah told a UN conference in Accra that Africa seeks justice and healing for slavery and colonialism, not revenge. She linked the discussion to Namibia's own genocide reparations struggle against Germany for killings of Ovaherero and Nama between 1904 and 1908, emphasizing that lasting reconciliation requires truth, acknowledgement, and dignity.
19 June 2026 · New Era →
President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah spoke at a High-Level Consultative Conference on Reparatory Justice in Accra, Ghana, emphasizing that Africa is not asking the world to carry its pain but to acknowledge that the pain existed. She stated that reconciliation without acknowledgement is impossible and that no people should have to convince others that their suffering was real.
19 June 2026 · Windhoek Observer →
President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah is participating in a high-level international conference in Accra, Ghana, from 17–19 June 2026, aimed at developing practical steps to implement a United Nations resolution on the trafficking and enslavement of Africans. The conference brings together heads of state, ministers, and civil society representatives to advance discussions on reparatory justice, historical recognition, and restitution.
18 June 2026 · Informanté →
President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah travelled to Ghana to present the Ovaherero and Nama genocide at a High-Level Consultative Conference on slavery and colonial injustices, where Namibia advocated for a comprehensive framework to address colonial dispossession and genocide committed between 1904 and 1908.
18 June 2026 · New Era →
The Southern African Development Community reaffirmed its commitment to supporting continental efforts to contain the Ebola outbreak affecting the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda, while strengthening preparedness and response measures across the Southern African region. SADC Executive Secretary Elias Magosi participated in a High-Level Virtual Meeting of African Heads of State and Partners convened by the African Union to mobilise resources and coordinated action, which resulted in pledges of financial and in-kind support from African countries and development partners.
18 June 2026 · Informanté →
President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah is attending a High-Level Consultative Conference on reparatory justice in Accra, Ghana on 18–19 June 2026, hosted by Ghana's President as African Union Champion for Reparations. The conference brings together African leaders and stakeholders to discuss implementation of a UN resolution recognising the transatlantic slave trade and enslavement of Africans as crimes against humanity, and aims to develop a Global Post-Adoption Framework for reparatory justice and restitution.
17 June 2026 · Informanté →
President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah will travel to Ghana on Wednesday for a high-level conference on reparatory justice for the transatlantic slave trade, where heads of state and policymakers will discuss operationalizing a UN resolution recognizing the trade as crimes against humanity. Namibia will draw on its experiences with colonial dispossession and the genocide against Ovaherero and Nama communities (1904–1908), and the president will then undertake a state visit to Tanzania from 20–21 June to strengthen bilateral cooperation.
16 June 2026 · The Namibian →
Justice Minister Fillemon Wise Immanuel told the International Labour Conference in Geneva that artificial intelligence can support decent work without job losses if governments prioritize retraining over retrenchment. He cited Namibia's Social Security Commission, which introduced digital tools affecting 65 positions but retrained rather than laid off workers.
9 June 2026 · Windhoek Observer →
Ambassador Julia Imene-Chaduru led Namibia's delegation to the 2026 Korea–Africa Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Seoul, where African and Korean officials agreed to deepen cooperation on trade, investment, technology, infrastructure, agriculture, and sustainable development, while addressing geopolitical challenges and Africa's role in global supply chains.
8 June 2026 · Informanté →
Namibia observed its second Genocide Remembrance Day to reflect on the 1904–1908 genocide against the Ovaherero, Nama, Damara, and ≠Nkhoen San peoples. The commemoration emphasises the need for truth-telling, restorative justice, and Germany's full acknowledgment of responsibility for the genocide.
4 June 2026 · The Namibian →
Minister of Education, Innovation, Youth, Sport, Arts and Culture Sanet Steenkamp warned that Namibia risks future instability if young people are excluded from governance, economic opportunities and decision-making. She noted that 37% of Namibia's population is under age 15 and that youth should be treated as partners in governance and development rather than as a problem to manage.
27 May 2026 · Windhoek Observer →
Namibia marked Africa Day with renewed calls for continental unity and self-reliance. President Nandi-Ndaitwah emphasized that African nations face economic disruptions, climate change, disease outbreaks and geopolitical uncertainty, and urged strengthening regional cooperation, intra-African trade, and investment in local institutions.
25 May 2026 · The Namibian →
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.
24 May 2026 · The Namibian →
Africa Day is celebrated annually on 25 May to commemorate the 1963 founding of the Organisation of African Unity, now the African Union, marking the continent's progress and cultural heritage. The article questions whether the celebration holds meaning for ordinary Africans, noting that while the AU envisions an integrated, prosperous and peaceful continent, many Africans regard the day as merely another public holiday marked by political speeches.
24 May 2026 · The Namibian →
An opinion piece argues that Africa Day should prompt businesses, not just governments, to engage with the continent's development priorities, particularly water security—critical to food, health, and industry—and the African Continental Free Trade Area's goal of intra-African trade.
22 May 2026 · The Namibian →
Swakopmund will host the Africa Economic Leadership Council conference and expo from 28 to 30 May to promote domestic investment and intra-African trade opportunities under the theme 'Unpacking the AfCFTA and Access to Markets'. President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah and African Continental Free Trade Area secretary general Wamkele Mene are expected as guests of honour, with about 100 exhibitors and 200 delegates anticipated.
20 May 2026 · The Namibian →
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.
19 May 2026 · The Namibian →
India has supported Namibia's independence since 1946 and hosted Swapo's first embassy abroad in 1986. The Fourth India-Africa Forum Summit in New Delhi (28–31 May) will align India's development vision with Africa's Agenda 2063 and strengthen the relationship through business and ministerial meetings.
16 May 2026 · The Namibian →