… Maersk, Hapag-Lloyd, and CMA CGM, have opted for longer southern routes to bypass the Suez Canal and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait following heightened regional tensions, including Houthi attacks in the Red Sea and recent U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran affecting the Strait of Hormuz …
… Iran’s military renewed its threats on Sunday against the region’s infrastructure after US president Donald Trump vowed to “obliterate” power plants in the Islamic Republic if the Strait of Hormuz was not swiftly reopened. …
TEHRAN – Iran yesterday threatened to attack key infrastructure across the Middle East if US President Donald Trump follows through on his vow to “obliterate” the Islamic republic’s power plants unless the Strait of Hormuz swiftly reopens. …
… Oil prices rose more than five percent yesterday afterseveral countries pushed back on Trump’s demand they help protect shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, a waterway that is key to the transit of crude and liquefied natural gas. …
… Its military response has been wide-ranging, targeting US and Israeli military bases as well as energy installations and “soft targets” in the Gulf Coastal Countries (GCC). ‘GEOPOLITICAL RISK’ Iran has blocked the Strait of Hormuz (through which 20% of global fuel passes and thro …
… Trump warned attacks could expand to energy infrastructure if the Islamic Republic interferes with transit through the Strait of Hormuz, which has been effectively closed since the US-Israel operations began on 28 February.Japan releases oil Japan said yesterday it was beginning …
… arks come as global oil markets remain unsettled by escalating tension involving Iran and the US, which have driven crude prices above $100 (about R1 700) a barrel and renewed concerns about potential supply disruptions through critical transit routes such as the Strait of Hormuz …
Escalating Middle East conflict and global oil supply disruptions have driven up international crude prices, with petrol increasing by 60c and diesel by 160c per litre as of 2 September. The closure of the Strait of Hormuz, which handles about 25% of the world's oil supplies, has caused oil prices to spike to around US$120 a barrel.
Escalating Middle East conflict and global oil supply disruptions have driven up international crude prices, with petrol increasing by 60c and diesel by 160c per litre as of 2 September. The closure of the Strait of Hormuz, which handles about 25% of the world's oil supplies, has caused oil prices to spike to around US$120 a barrel.
Namibian fuel prices are set to increase effective 2 September 2026, with ULP95 rising 60 cents per litre and both diesel grades rising N$1.60 per litre, driven by geopolitical volatility and disruptions in global oil markets stemming from Middle East tensions.
Namibia's energy ministry will increase petrol prices by 60 cents per litre to N$25.08 and diesel by N$1.60 per litre effective September 2, citing volatile international oil markets and a 30-cent increase in road user charge levies to fund feeder road projects.
The Ministry of Industries, Mines and Energy has announced fuel price increases effective from midnight 2 September 2026: ULP95 will increase by 60 cents per litre, while Diesel 50ppm and Diesel 10ppm will each increase by 160 cents per litre. The revised pump prices at Walvis Bay will be N$25.08 per litre for Petrol 95, N$27.86 per litre for Diesel 50ppm, and N$27.96 per litre for Diesel 10ppm.
Vivo Energy Namibia detected and quarantined off-spec Jet A-1 fuel destined for Hosea Kutako International Airport, causing aviation fuel shortages that forced some long-haul flights to reroute to Angola. The Namibia Airports Company says it is coordinating with fuel suppliers and stakeholders to manage the situation.
The Namibia Airports Company says it is closely monitoring Jet A-1 fuel supply challenges at Hosea Kutako International Airport and is working with fuel suppliers, government authorities, airlines and other aviation stakeholders to manage the situation and minimise disruptions. Airport operations are continuing and contingency measures are being considered where necessary.
According to The Namibian, escalating conflict between the US and Iran has sent global energy prices soaring and disrupted maritime chokepoints critical to petroleum supply in southern Africa, causing measurable increases in fuel, food, and transport costs that are eroding household incomes across Namibia.
Iran says it has reached an agreement with Oman on a shipping route through the Strait of Hormuz, though details remain undisclosed. The Iranian foreign ministry cautioned that a deal would not guarantee safe passage, citing the US blockade of Iranian ports as a security threat.
US President Donald Trump announced that negotiations with Iran will begin on Monday after he called off what he described as "massive" strikes. Trump said Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Qatar had urged him to hold off, believing a deal was possible on issues including the Strait of Hormuz and Iran's nuclear programme.
Saudi Arabia, after months of attempting neutrality in the US-Iran conflict, has begun striking Iranian proxy militias in Iraq following attacks it attributes to those groups. The Kingdom now faces a choice between continued deterrent strikes or de-escalation efforts.
The US military launched "heavy" strikes against Iran on Wednesday in retaliation for Iran's ballistic missile attacks on American forces in the region, hitting dozens of Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps targets. The latest hostilities follow previous joint US-Saudi strikes on Iranian proxies in Iraq and come amid reports of Saudi Arabia seeking de-escalation.
US ambassador Mike Waltz told Fox News that President Trump has paused attacks on Iran for a second consecutive night to give diplomacy more space, following nearly two weeks of daily strikes and tit-for-tat attacks. An Iranian army spokesperson said Tehran had halted "retaliatory" attacks in response, though Waltz said the president is keeping all options on the table.
Yemen's Houthi fighters have attacked shipping in the Red Sea, forcing vessels to divert from the narrow Bab El Mandeb strait that connects Europe to Asia. The attacks occur amid ongoing US-Iran strikes and fears of a broader regional conflict, with two Saudi vessels hit by missiles this week and the Houthis claiming to have turned back ten others.
The US launched fresh attacks on Iranian military targets on Sunday, killing one person and injuring four according to Iranian state media. Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps responded by striking US military bases in Kuwait, Jordan and Bahrain, while the two countries dispute control of the Strait of Hormuz and the future of their June interim agreement.
Namibia's inflation, which peaked at 4.4% in June, is expected to moderate in the second half of 2026 following fuel price cuts in July. However, economists warn that electricity tariffs, administered price increases, and food costs pose upside risks.
Namibia's fuel prices will decrease effective 3 July 2026: petrol 95 by N$1.00 per litre to N$22.48, and all diesel grades by N$4.00 per litre (diesel 50 ppm to N$24.26, diesel 10 ppm to N$24.36 at Walvis Bay). The Minister of Mines attributed the reductions to softer international oil prices, improved supply chains, and NAD appreciation against the USD.
Crude oil is the single most important commodity for Namibian macroeconomic conditions. Global oil price surges—driven by Middle East disruptions and supply constraints—cascade quickly into domestic fuel price increases, as demonstrated by April-May 2026 fuel price hikes of 19.9% for petrol and 43.9% for diesel.
Southern African Customs Union leaders, including President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, have approved establishment of a R5 billion regional development fund to finance cross-border industrial and infrastructure projects across all five member states. The fund will be financed from the SACU Common Revenue Pool during the 2027/28 and 2028/29 financial years.
The Bank of Namibia's governor reports that the Monetary Policy Committee increased the repo rate by 25 basis points in response to rising inflationary pressures driven by oil infrastructure damage and shipping disruptions from Middle Eastern conflict. As a small open economy, Namibia remains vulnerable to external shocks transmitted through global markets.
US President Donald Trump announced that Washington and Tehran reached an agreement to reopen the Strait of Hormuz without toll fees and remove the US naval blockade of Iran. Brent crude subsequently dropped nearly 5% to US$83.17 per barrel.
US Vice-President JD Vance says Donald Trump may decide to release a preliminary memorandum of understanding between the US and Iran before Friday, when the deal is formally signed in Geneva. The MOU, described as "about a page and a half" and "very general," has already been electronically signed by Trump, Vance, and Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf.
Petroleum oils, including diesel and petrol, accounted for 18.1% of Namibia's goods imports in April, the highest share of any product. The country imported goods worth N$14.2 billion but exported only N$9.8 billion, creating a N$4.4 billion trade deficit, with petroleum mainly sourced from Nigeria, Oman and Sweden.
The closure of the Strait of Hormuz and resulting rise in global oil prices are expected to push inflation higher in Namibia and South Africa over coming months, though analysts say the impact will be temporary and unlikely to trigger a prolonged inflation cycle. Namibia's inflation rose from 2.1% in March to 3.1% in April as fuel prices increased, and is expected to climb further.
VunaNexus, a Swiss startup, has developed a process to recycle human urine into a certified mineral fertiliser called Aurin. The technology, installed at the European Space Agency's Paris headquarters, uses special toilets to divert urine into a treatment system that removes micropollutants and concentrates nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus before pasteurisation.
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.
The blockade of the Strait of Hormuz is disrupting a quarter of the world's fertiliser supply, which the UN estimates could raise fertiliser prices 15–20% and push at least 45 million people into acute hunger. The article argues that dependence on fossil fuels for fertiliser production poses a greater threat to global food security than climate change.
According to the International Renewable Energy Agency, utility-scale solar and onshore wind power now cost about US$40 per megawatt-hour globally in 2025, less than half the cost of new gas turbine plants at over US$100 per megawatt-hour, as renewable costs have fallen and fossil fuel prices have risen.
Rising fuel prices and global supply shocks, driven by conflict around the Strait of Hormuz, are pushing mining companies to rethink operations. Husab mine has introduced a trolley line system that allows trucks to switch from diesel to electricity on steep ramps, reducing fuel consumption and improving efficiency.
President Trump dismissed Iran's response to US proposals to end the war as "totally unacceptable." Iran's proposal, sent via Pakistan as mediator, included an immediate end to the war on all fronts, a halt to the US naval blockade of Iranian ports, guarantees against further attacks on Iran, compensation for war damage, and emphasis on Iranian sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz.
Following the Israel–US joint attack on Iran in February, oil prices rose above US$100 per barrel, with Namibia's government raising fuel prices in April by N$2.50 for petrol and N$4 for diesel. While temporary levy cuts and National Energy Fund subsidies have cushioned consumer impact—absorbing approximately N$500 million in April alone—further food and logistics inflation is expected as second-wave effects reach Namibia.