World & Region

International stories with Namibia and SADC relevance.

World & Region

African Union welcomes UN resolution on accurate African map representation

The News

The African Union has welcomed a UN General Assembly resolution calling for more accurate representation of Africa on world maps, arguing that the commonly used Mercator projection distorts Africa's actual size. The AU Commission chair called on international institutions, schools, publishers and digital platforms to adopt maps that provide more accurate representation of global land areas.

19 hours ago · The Namibian →

Yesterday

African Union welcomes UN resolution on accurate African map representation
The African Union has welcomed a UN General Assembly resolution calling for more accurate representation of Africa on world maps, arguing that the commonly used Mercator projection distorts Africa's actual size. The AU Commission chair called on international institutions, schools, publishers and digital platforms to adopt maps that provide more accurate representation of global land areas.
19 hours ago · The Namibian →

Friday 4 September

Amnesty: Namibia leaves drought-displaced Angolans unprotected
Amnesty International reports that Namibia's immigration and refugee frameworks fail to protect vulnerable Angolan women and children displaced by drought, leaving them facing arrest, deportation, and lack of access to healthcare, education, shelter, water, and documentation. The organisation characterises the situation as a human rights crisis driven by climate-related disaster rather than irregular migration.
4 September 2026 · Windhoek Observer →

Thursday 3 September

South African researchers clean polluted river water for irrigation
University of Cape Town researchers are treating 36,000 litres of polluted Stiebeuel River water daily using stones, heat-treated wood and sand—without chemicals—to make it safe for irrigating vegetable plots in an informal settlement. The Water Hub project, established in 2018, removes about 99% of toxins and could serve as a model for food security in the context of climate crisis.
3 September 2026 · The Namibian →
Malian singer Salif Keita cancels South Africa concerts
Malian musician Salif Keita has cancelled his upcoming concerts in South Africa in response to anti-migrant protests and xenophobic violence in the country. According to AFP figures, more than 160,000 people have left South Africa since late May following the unrest.
3 September 2026 · The Namibian →

Wednesday 2 September

N$49.4 million frozen in accounts over SA coal mining
A Namibian High Court judge has confirmed a property preservation order freezing N$49.4 million in eight bank accounts belonging to Jacobus and Elza Jordaan and their entities, following allegations of illegal coal mining at their farm in South Africa's Mpumalanga province from November 2021 to September 2023.
2 September 2026 · The Namibian →
Government backs Cuba solidarity but distances self from N$700k donation
Namibia's government reaffirmed its support for lifting the US embargo on Cuba but clarified that N$700 000 raised by Namibia-Cuba solidarity groups is a private initiative, not a government contribution. The Ministry of International Relations and Trade encouraged citizens to support the fundraising campaign while maintaining Namibia's advocacy for Cuba on bilateral, regional and multilateral platforms.
2 September 2026 · The Namibian →
Namibia's president urges unity at Zambian inauguration
President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah attended Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema's second-term inauguration in Lusaka, where she urged him to use his renewed mandate to unite the country, strengthen democracy, and ensure all citizens benefit from national resources. Hichilema promised to move Zambia from economic stabilisation to growth and extended unity to those who voted against him.
2 September 2026 · New Era →
Duane Davis convicted in 1996 Tupac Shakur murder case
Duane 'Keffe D' Davis has been convicted in Las Vegas for the 1996 drive-by shooting death of rapper Tupac Shakur, closing a case that remained unsolved for 30 years. The conviction has renewed attention on the similar unsolved 1994 murder of Notorious B.I.G., Shakur's East Coast rival, who was killed in a drive-by shooting in Los Angeles.
2 September 2026 · The Namibian →
Zambian president vows economic growth in second term
Hakainde Hichilema, sworn in for his second term, pledged to shift focus from economic stabilisation to delivering tangible progress through job creation, expanded growth, and development reaching households across Zambia. He called on citizens to produce more domestically, increase exports, and support businesses while assuring international partners of Zambia's commitment to peace, democracy and regional stability.
2 September 2026 · The Namibian →

Tuesday 1 September

Namibian president attends Zambian leader's second-term inauguration
President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah joined regional and international leaders in Lusaka for the inauguration of Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema for his second five-year term. Hichilema pledged to shift his administration's focus from economic stabilisation to growth and expanding opportunities.
1 September 2026 · Informanté →
Southern Africa, China to deepen pharmaceutical manufacturing ties
Southern Africa is deepening collaboration with China on pharmaceutical manufacturing, technology transfer and health security through a SADC-China strategic exchange taking place from 31 August to 4 September 2026 in South Africa. The initiative brings together SADC, UNAIDS, the Global Health Innovation Institute, governments and pharmaceutical companies to strengthen the region's capacity to produce medicines and health technologies.
1 September 2026 · Informanté →
Africa must fund own peace efforts, president says
President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah called for African countries and the private sector to increase funding for conflict resolution rather than relying heavily on external support. She highlighted the adoption of the Luanda Plan of Action at an African Union summit as a framework that specifies responsibilities, timelines, and funding requirements for peace programmes.
1 September 2026 · New Era →
Namibian president attends Zambian leader's second-term inauguration
President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah travelled to Lusaka to attend the inauguration of Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema for his second term, joining other SADC leaders and international dignitaries at the ceremony at National Heroes Stadium.
1 September 2026 · Informanté →
Kushner firm withdraws from Fifa World Cup investment plan
Investor Joshua Kushner said his firm Thrive Capital "would not have gotten involved" in Fifa's failed plan to sell stakes in the World Cup for $20 billion if it had foreseen the backlash and political fallout within global football. Fifa Forward Enterprise, which would have raised $4.2 billion for poorer football nations, collapsed amid criticism from Uefa and others who called it a secretive deal benefiting investors.
1 September 2026 · The Namibian →

Monday 31 August

Namibia rejects US health data-sharing deal over privacy concerns
Namibia's government has rejected a US proposal for health data and specimen-sharing worth over N$145 million per year for HIV and tuberculosis programmes, citing sovereignty and privacy violations. The US withdrew the biological specimen component in November 2025, though data-sharing negotiations continue.
31 August 2026 · The Namibian →
Namibia's president backs African self-financing of peace efforts
President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah has returned from an African Union summit in Angola where leaders emphasised strengthening Africa's capacity to prevent and resolve conflicts and finance its own peace and security priorities. The summit adopted an action plan linking continental activities to required financial resources and underscored the need for African governments to take greater responsibility for peace initiatives rather than depend on external support.
31 August 2026 · Informanté →
Nandi-Ndaitwah attends AU summit on conflict prevention
President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah joined African leaders in Luanda, Angola, for the 21st Extraordinary Session of the African Union Assembly of Heads of State and Government, which assessed the continent's peace and security situation and considered measures to strengthen mechanisms for conflict prevention and resolution.
31 August 2026 · Informanté →
Namibia joins founding members of Global AI Commission
Namibia has secured a place as a founding member of the AI for Good Global Commission, launched in July by the International Telecommunication Union and chaired by Rwandan President Paul Kagame and Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff. ICT minister Emma Theofelus said the membership gives Namibia a seat at the global table where AI governance norms and standards are being shaped.
31 August 2026 · Windhoek Observer →
Dutch court sentences man to life for Rwanda genocide role
A Dutch court has sentenced a 66-year-old Dutch-Rwandan man to life imprisonment for his involvement in the 1994 Rwandan genocide.
31 August 2026 · Namibian Sun →
Iceland votes against restarting EU membership talks
Iceland has voted against resuming talks on joining the European Union, 13 years after they were halted. According to public broadcaster RUV, 52.8% of 225,031 voters rejected the move.
31 August 2026 · Namibian Sun →