Staff Reporter TWO of Namibia’s neighbours, Angola and Zambia, have been listed among 10 African countries at risk of Ebola exposure as an outbreak spreads in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). …
… He said two more escapees were rearrested on Wednesday, bringing the total number of recaptured inmates to four. “Escapees, namely Amukwaya Matheus and Kronelius Shitaleni, were rearrested and two pistols were recovered at the border with Angola,” Basson said. …
… He said Namibia has a small population of 3 000 dairy cows, with about 1 500 at Mariental’s super farm. “We have 236 and the rest can be found in small pockets at various farms,” Murangi said, adding that most dairy cows have been sold to Botswana and Angola as farmers abandoned …
… POSSIBLE SCENARIOS The best case scenario: demand for large stones (four carats and above) stabilises and even grows, allowing producers like Botswana, Namibia, Angola and South Africa to maintain revenue. …
Progress has been recorded for a new five-year project aimed at ensuring water supply security and community resilience across the Cuvelai and Kunene River Basins in northern Namibia and southern Angola. …
Staff Writer The Namibia Statistics Agency (NSA) and Angola’s National Statistics Institute have signed a Memorandum of Understanding aimed at improving cooperation in statistics, governance and public policy planning. …
… The concerns follow the interception of a fishing vessel by the Ministry of Defence and Veterans Affairs through the navy during a routine patrol near the northern maritime border with Angola on Sunday. …
… Why can’t Dinapama expand to Angola or Zambia?” she asked. The visit highlighted the importance of supporting local industries that create jobs, develop skills and contribute to Namibia’s economy. …
… Brenda Kunda of Zambia secured the executive committee’s reserved women’s seat, while Linda Zwane of South Africa and Irene Gonçalves of Angola were co-opted onto the executive committee. …
President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah has urged Namibian business leaders to familiarise themselves with the Africa Continental Free Trade Area to expand trade beyond Namibia's borders. The Invest in Africa Trade Expo and Business Summit, held in Swakopmund from 28 to 30 May, brought together over 200 policymakers, investors, and enterprise delegates to promote intra-African trade and unlock AfCFTA opportunities, amid concerns that Africa currently conducts only 16% of its trade within itself.
Why it matters
President urges businesses to leverage African free trade area; trade expo signals Namibian push to expand intra-continental commerce beyond borders.
President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah has urged Namibian business leaders to familiarise themselves with the Africa Continental Free Trade Area to expand trade beyond Namibia's borders. The Invest in Africa Trade Expo and Business Summit, held in Swakopmund from 28 to 30 May, brought together over 200 policymakers, investors, and enterprise delegates to promote intra-African trade and unlock AfCFTA opportunities, amid concerns that Africa currently conducts only 16% of its trade within itself.
The Sisa Namandje Foundation has announced Anna Kaunawoye Mekondjo Thomas as the latest beneficiary of its Injured But Not Fallen Ex-PLAN Combatants Project, which has supported more than 20 seriously injured liberation war veterans since commencing in May 2025. Each beneficiary receives a once-off payment of N$10,000 as a token of appreciation for their sacrifices.
De Beers Group has intensified efforts to boost demand for natural diamonds through a new phase of its global 'Desert Diamonds' marketing campaign, aiming to distinguish natural stones from synthetic alternatives and capitalize on growing consumer interest. Namibia produced 556,000 carats in the first quarter ending 31 March 2026, and diamonds remain critical to the country's economy.
JA Africa and the ExxonMobil Foundation have launched the 2026 STEM Africa 2.0 program to equip 4,000 young Africans aged 14 to 17 with skills in science, technology, engineering, mathematics and artificial intelligence. The initiative builds on a partnership that has already reached over 10,000 young people in Angola, Mozambique, Namibia and Nigeria.
The US State Department is reportedly cutting visa-issuing consulates and embassies on the African continent, including Namibia's, according to the Associated Press. The closest remaining visa-processing hubs would be South Africa's consulates in Cape Town and Johannesburg, or Angola's Luanda consulate.
Two inmates who escaped from police holding cells in Onandjaba last month are still at large; police suspect they may have crossed into Angola. Four of the six escapees have been rearrested, and three of five stolen firearms have been recovered.
A 43-year-old former construction worker from Oshakati partially lost his eyesight to cataracts and qualified for a government disability grant in 2020, which was stopped last year. While fighting to have the grant reinstated, he has taken up traditional blacksmith skills learned from the San community in Angola, crafting and selling bows, arrows, axes and knives to support his family.
The SADC renewed the board of directors of the Regional Fisheries Monitoring Control and Surveillance Coordination Centre in Maputo, retaining Namibia's Stanley Ndara as chairperson for a second term. The board's priorities include strengthening the centre's sustainability, reducing donor reliance, and rolling out a Regional Register of Fishing Vessels.
Stanley Ndara, chief executive of Namibia's Fisheries Observer Agency, has been reappointed as chairperson of the SADC Regional Fisheries Monitoring Control and Surveillance Coordination Centre for a second term. SADC ministers responsible for fisheries made the decision at a meeting in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe on 29 May.
The Livestock Producers' Organisation vice-chairperson has called for stronger regional cooperation among Southern African countries to fight Foot and Mouth Disease, arguing no country can successfully combat the disease in isolation. He stressed that Namibia's FMD-free status brings responsibility to support neighbouring countries facing outbreaks, noting that disease does not recognise borders.
Two of Namibia's neighbours, Angola and Zambia, are among ten African countries at risk of Ebola exposure as an outbreak spreads in the Democratic Republic of Congo, which has recorded about 750 suspected cases and 177 deaths. The May 2026 outbreak involves the Bundibugyo strain, for which there is no vaccine and mortality rates can reach up to 50 per cent.
TransNamib's northern railway line, which runs from Tsumeb through Ondangwa to Oshikango and received N$1.17 billion in investment, faces severe infrastructure and capacity challenges including the need for rail upgrades, limited rolling stock capacity, and regulatory gaps. The government is demanding board accountability over frequent derailments on the line.
The Namibian Police have rearrested four of six trial-awaiting inmates who escaped from Onandjaba police holding cells in Omusati on Sunday; two escapees remain at large, and three of five stolen police firearms have been recovered.
The governor of Kavango East is reviving the government's idle Uvhungu-Vhungu dairy farm, which has been non-operational for 16 years. About 70% of the resuscitation work is complete, with plans for joint ventures and approximately N$160 million needed to make the farm operational.
Natural diamonds face pressure from cheaper laboratory-grown synthetics, prompting African producers, particularly Botswana, to withhold inventory from the market to signal scarcity and protect long-term value rather than compete on depressed prices.
A same-sex couple in Botswana has filed a court case seeking the right to marry after being told it was illegal when they attempted to register their intent at a local government office. Hearings are scheduled for 14 and 15 July; if successful, Botswana would become the second African country to legalise same-sex marriage after South Africa in 2006.
A five-year project aimed at water supply security and community resilience across the Cuvelai and Kunene River Basins in northern Namibia and southern Angola has recorded progress, with 2025 as a foundational year focused on technical studies, decision-making frameworks, and community-level interventions including pilot site selection for water harvesting and conservation agriculture.
Namibia's Statistics Agency and Angola's National Statistics Institute have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to improve cooperation in statistics, governance and public policy planning, covering areas including macroeconomic data, labour statistics, censuses, digital transformation and data science.
Stakeholders warn that existing penalties are failing to deter illegal fishing in Namibian waters, following the interception of a vessel with 22 crew members and amid concerns over losses from bycatch, which increased sharply since 2020 despite monitoring systems in place.
The Namibian Navy apprehended the foreign vessel Fu Yuan Yu 9878 near the Angolan border for illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing, with the vessel fully loaded with fish and its Automatic Identification System disabled. The 22-member crew, comprising four Chinese and 18 Angolan nationals, was detained, and a Ministry spokesperson stated the government is committed to protecting Namibia's fisheries resources and enforcing its regulations.
Dinapama Managing Director David Namalenga has criticized Namibia's procurement practices for enriching importers at the expense of local manufacturers, arguing that tender policies should prioritize job creation and support for local businesses. He called for procurement reform to measure employment impact and warned that constant changes in tender allocation hinder company growth.
Namibia Football Association president Robert Shimooshili confirmed Namibia's joint bid with South Africa, Botswana and Zimbabwe to co-host Afcon 2028. Shimooshili, newly elected to Cosafa's executive committee, said the NFA has agreed to co-host pending final government approval, though infrastructure upgrades including an approved stadium will be necessary.
The Road Fund Administration says the proposed toll gate system, first introduced in 2021 to generate N$500–750 million annually for road maintenance, has not yet been approved by government and will not be implemented until that process is complete. The proposal has faced opposition from political parties, transport unions, and taxi associations.
The Namibian Navy's flagship NS Elephant intercepted the foreign-flagged fishing vessel FU YUAN YU 9878 on 17 May 2026 for allegedly engaging in illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing activities within Namibia's sovereign waters, including unauthorised harvesting without a valid permit or quota allocation.
The Ministry of Home Affairs says Angolan nationals, including children on Namibian streets, do not qualify for refugee status under Namibian law and international conventions, as they left Angola seeking socio-economic opportunities rather than fleeing persecution.
Fisheries, environment and oceans ministers from Angola, Namibia and South Africa approved a five-year Strategic Action Plan for 2023–2028 to strengthen sustainable management of the Benguela Current Large Marine Ecosystem, with key commitments including regional cooperation, scientific research, data sharing and combating illegal fishing.
The Ongoma Music Awards, launched in early 2026 by Namibian musician Ndawana Ndume, aims to support emerging artists with recognition and industry experience. The awards have attracted 87 nominees including four international artists from Zambia and Angola, positioning the initiative as a regional platform for African musicians.
The Benguela Current Convention approved a new strategic action plan at its ministerial conference in Luanda, aimed at strengthening marine protection, combating illegal fishing, and promoting sustainable blue economy across Angola, Namibia and South Africa. Namibia handed the BCC chairpersonship to Angola during the meeting.
Namibia's Cabinet has approved Memoranda of Understanding with Tanzania on correctional and prison services, with Angola on satellite communications to improve network coverage, and with South Africa on labour relations. The agreements provide for joint projects, training exchanges, and collaborative initiatives across these fields.
Namibia has four finalists announced for the African Union Sports Council Region 5 Regional Annual Sports Awards, a prestigious ceremony scheduled for 23 May in Luanda, Angola, honouring athletes, journalists and sports personalities across Southern Africa.