Key points drawn from coverage. Tap a point to see the original sentence.
March 2026
The Namibian
Southern African Development Communityheld38th heads of state and government summit in August 2018 in Windhoek
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“In addition to commemorating Southern Africa Liberation Day, we are reminded of the 38th Southern African Development Community heads of state and government summit held in August 2018 in Windhoek, Republic of Namibia, where the region's leadership approved the establishment of a regional working group of curriculum experts tasked with determining the requirements for teaching southern African liberation history and its integration into the school curricula of member states.”
Southern African Development Communitywill be worked with by Namibia topromote peace, justice, and a fair global order
Source
“We will continue to work within the Southern African Development Community, the African Union, and the United Nations to promote peace, justice, and a fair global order.”
SADChas intra-regional trade in manufactured goods that increased from19% to 22%
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“Magosi noted that intra-SADC trade in manufactured goods has increased modestly from 19% to 22%, reflecting gradual progress in regional market integration.”
Namibiawill continue advancing its interests throughthe Southern African Development Community
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“He noted that Namibia will continue advancing its interests through regional and continental platforms such as the Southern African Development Community and the African Union, as well as global institutions like the United Nations.”
Southern African Development Communityset60% standard for debt-to-GDP ratio
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“The goal of this budget is to put our debt-to-GDP ratio on a downward trajectory towards the 60% Southern African Development Community standard and restore a positive primary fiscal balance for the 2026–2027 term.”
Southern African Development Community (SADC) regionfacesan ongoing FMD threat
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“The campaign is being implemented in collaboration with the Livestock and Livestock Products Board of Namibia (LLPBN), the FMD Support Fund, and various Namibian farmers' unions and associations, in response to the ongoing FMD threat within the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region.”
The Southern African Development Community (SADC)benefits fromthe bridge's spillover benefits and alignment with Infrastructure Vision 2027
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“According to regional reports on trade, the Kazungula Bridge aligns with the SADC Infrastructure Vision 2027 and the SADC Protocol on Trade, which aim to boost intra-regional trade.”
Southern African Development Communitygovernsregional fisheries agreements for Zambezi-Chobe river system
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“The Zambezi-Chobe river system is shared with neighbouring countries such as Zambia and Botswana, making enforcement complex and requiring cross-border cooperation under regional fisheries agreements within the SADC framework.”
Southern African Development Communityhas enabled through signed agreementsNamibia to look beyond borders for judges from comparable jurisdictions
Source
“Due to these systemic constraints, Shivute added that Namibia is looking at a number of alternatives, including looking beyond its borders for judges from comparable jurisdictions, and that agreements signed with some SADC countries have made this possible.”
Southern African Development Community (SADC)conducteda mission to assess impacts of recent floods in South Africa
Source
“A team from the Southern African Development Community (SADC), accompanied by South African officials, conducted a mission this week to assess the impacts of the recent floods in South Africa.”
The Southern African Development Community has called for urgent regional action to strengthen food security and agricultural resilience, citing threats from global supply chain disruptions, climate change, and livestock diseases. SADC deputy executive secretary Angèle N'Tumba warned that worsening climate shocks and geopolitical conflicts—including the Middle East conflict disrupting fertiliser and fuel supplies—are placing millions at risk of hunger.
Why it matters
SADC warns of region-wide hunger risks from supply disruptions and climate crises, directly threatening Namibian food security.
The Southern African Development Community has called for urgent regional action to strengthen food security and agricultural resilience, citing threats from global supply chain disruptions, climate change, and livestock diseases. SADC deputy executive secretary Angèle N'Tumba warned that worsening climate shocks and geopolitical conflicts—including the Middle East conflict disrupting fertiliser and fuel supplies—are placing millions at risk of hunger.
Shanapinda, who led Telecom Namibia for six years, has been appointed to lead an organisation responsible for promoting regulatory harmonisation and cooperation among communication regulators in the Southern African Development Community. A new chief executive will be recruited once Telecom Namibia's new board starts on 3 June.
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 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.
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 Namibia Airports Company is pursuing new regional and international air routes following Air Botswana's suspension of the Windhoek-Gaborone service in August 2025. NAC says it operates across six African countries excluding Botswana and three European destinations, and remains positive about restoring direct connectivity between Windhoek and Gaborone.
Southern African Development Community (SADC) foreign affairs ministers will gather in South Africa from 22 to 24 May to map a unified regional response to changing global geopolitical dynamics, global power competition, and technological and economic shifts. Discussions will focus on regional integration, industrialisation, trade, infrastructure, energy, agriculture and food security.
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.
Famous Brands reported declining profits from SADC operations, with revenue from the region falling 6% to R423 million and operating profit dropping from R51 million to R29 million, driven by weakening consumer spending in Botswana, Zambia and other regional markets. In Namibia, the company operates Debonairs Pizza, Steers, Wimpy, Mugg & Bean, Fishaways and Milky Lane.
An opinion piece celebrates Dr Sam Shafiishuna Nujoma's role as founding father and his transformation of SWAPO into a national liberation movement against apartheid colonialism, noting his personal sacrifices including years in exile and political persecution.
American business advisory company Andersen Global has launched in Namibia following a merger with Windhoek Taxation and Advisory to form Andersen Namibia. The firm, one of the world's largest independent tax and advisory organisations with over 16,000 professionals across 170 countries, will provide integrated tax, advisory, accounting, and consulting services to businesses and institutions in Namibia and the Southern African Development Community region.
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.
Southern Africa is entering a new minerals cycle driven by the energy transition and demand for critical minerals, giving Namibia and the SADC region a chance to capture deeper industrial value through local processing. Success requires more than regulation — it demands reliable electricity, water, environmental systems, skilled technicians, infrastructure, finance and customers.
President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah has paid tribute to former Botswana president Festus Mogae, who died on Friday at age 86, describing him as a distinguished statesman and principled leader whose contributions to regional unity and development will be remembered across Africa.
President Nandi-Ndaitwah expressed condolences on behalf of Namibia following the death of former Botswana President Festus Mogae, aged 86, whom she described as a distinguished statesman and Pan-Africanist who strengthened bilateral ties between Namibia and Botswana.
Foreign direct investment into Namibia reached N$151 billion between 2021 and 2024, more than triple the N$50 billion recorded from 2009 to 2020, but much investment has gone into capital-intensive exploration. Legal experts say the challenge now is to convert foreign investment into tangible improvements like job creation, with the Sixth National Development Plan positioning oil and gas and mining as strategic drivers of economic transformation focused on value addition and beneficiation rather than raw resource exports.
Major General Anne-Marie Nainda has been appointed Acting Inspector General of the Namibian Police Force for one year, effective immediately, replacing Joseph Shikongo. She brings decades of experience in national and international policing, including roles as Deputy Inspector-General, INTERPOL Executive Committee member representing Africa, and previous assignments in regional command and INTERPOL specialized positions.
Namibia Airports Company chief executive Bisey /Uirab says the country has sufficient fuel capacity to bridge short-term supply constraints amid geopolitical tensions affecting shipments through the Strait of Hormuz. Fuel suppliers at Namibian airports are contractually required to maintain reserves of Jet A1 and FGas.
The Minister of International Relations and Trade opened the Ondangwa Trade and Industrial Exhibition, committing to strengthen economic diplomacy and market access for Namibian producers and service providers on the continental and global stages.
Namibia, Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo have jointly launched a user-pays principle levy of 90 cents per tonne on all cross-border cargo along the Walvis Bay-Ndola-Lubumbashi corridor, effective 1 April. The levy is intended to address infrastructure gaps, border inefficiencies and procedural bottlenecks while funding sustainable maintenance and operations.
Transport ministers from Namibia, Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo launched the user pays principle funding model at the Wenela Border Post in the Zambezi region, designed to ensure fairness and efficiency by requiring direct users to pay for services. The model supports the Walvis Bay-Ndola-Lumbumbashi Agreement and aims to facilitate movement of goods, services and persons through simplified controls and harmonised requirements.
The African Development Bank's Electricity Regulatory Index measures how effectively African countries regulate their electricity sectors across governance, regulatory substance, and outcomes. In the 2022 ERI report, Namibia achieved a score of 0.618, placing 13th out of 43 African countries, emerging as one of Africa's most promising regulatory success stories.
The Pan-African Parliament in South Africa this week is electing a new bureau after resolving a 15-year argument about leadership representation. In May 2017, the PAP passed a resolution to introduce regional rotation of the presidency, addressing a pattern in which only east, west, and central African leaders held the top position during the institution's first 18 years.
The Zimbabwean Ambassador to Namibia outlined SADC's regional security architecture at the Namibia Command and Staff College, covering the Protocol on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation, the Mutual Defence Pact, and the Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation. The lecture addressed conflict prevention, collective defence, peacekeeping, and peacebuilding, as well as integrating human security with traditional state security approaches.
The Africa Economic Leadership Council will hold a three-day Invest in Africa Trade Expo and business summit in Swakopmund from 28 to 30 May, aiming to connect African entrepreneurs and businesses and unpack opportunities in sectors including oil and gas, natural resources, and minerals beneficiation as part of the African Continental Free Trade Area agreement.
The Southern Africa Regional Ramsar Initiative, launched across 12 SADC countries, aims to promote protection and sustainable use of wetlands while attracting financial and technical resources for the region. Namibian conservation experts welcomed the move, citing threats to wetlands like the Cuvelai-Etosha Basin from overfishing, pollution, illegal hunting, and sand mining.
The government has confirmed plans to expand Hosea Kutako International Airport, including construction of a third terminal, as part of efforts to increase capacity and position Namibia as a regional aviation hub. The upgrades will include improving air navigation systems and expanding passenger handling capacity, with the government exploring public-private partnerships to finance the infrastructure.
The final draft of Namibia's cybercrime bill contains multiple shortcomings including undefined terms around computer viruses, cyberbullying, and obscene images that could lead to unconstitutional restrictions on free speech and inadequate victim protection. The author argues the bill should be improved before parliamentary submission, citing concerns that key provisions lack clarity, may inhibit online speech, and could create practical enforcement problems.
The Namibian and Angolan governments have finalised a N$4-billion agreement to build the Angola-Namibia Interconnector, a 160km transmission line linking Angola to the Southern African Power Pool for the first time. Namibia is solely financing the project through its National Energy Fund and expects to receive 300MW of firm power.