Government Information
Bulletin
Republic of Namibia
eenhana gets historical shrine for war victims
Many Namibians have lost their lives in the war for national resistance and liberation during the colonial rule that lasted over 100
years. Many of the victims have been buried in shallow graves and others have never been buried. There have been discoveries of
skeletons and human remains in various parts of the country, in recent years, especially in the north.
I n 2005, human remains were discovered
during the construction of the oxidation
ponds at the town of Eenhana. This site was
formerly the military base of the South African
Defence Force (SADF)’s 54 Battalion during the
apartheid regime.
The remains discovered are suspected to be
those of members of the Peoples’ Liberation
Army of Namibia (PLAN), a military wing of
the South West Africa Peoples Organization
(SWAPO) and civilians, suspected to be
members of the Eenhana population. Among
the remains found were the skeletons of young
people and children.
The Eenhana area was known to be a key
military infiltration point with the highest
number of atrocities, deaths, skirmishes and
gun battles during the war between PLAN
and SADF fighters. SADF had established its
54 Battalion in Eenhana in early 1970s with
the aim to prevent residents from leaving the
country into exile and to intercept guerrilla
forces crossing into Namibia from Angola.
The discovery of the human remains in Eenhana
and elsewhere in the Ohangwena region had
stimulated a debate as to what is needed to be
done to ensure that the remains are reburied
with respect and dignity in a shrine to become
a symbol of the history of the war for national
liberation. As a result, the Cabinet Committee on
Overall Policy and Priorities (CCOPP) deliberated
on the matter and consultations with regional
and local authorities were held after which
CCOPP took a decision that the human remains
found at Eenhana, Enghandja, Epuku and
elsewhere around Ohangwena region should be
reburied to establish a Regional Shrine to serve
as a historical monument that would remain for
the future generations to see and respect.
honorary Ranks to
IN ThIs Issue
Veterans
Page 4
Government Information Bulletin August 2007
A model of the newly built shrine at Eenhana
To effect the Cabinet decision, a study was
undertaken by the Technical Committee of the
National Heritage Council, under the umbrella
of the Ministry of Youth, National Service, Sport
and Culture (MYNSSC), to find out what events
led to the presence of the discovered human
remains, investigate how the local people would
like to commemorate and remember those
who sacrificed their lives during the liberation
struggle and instilling a sense of ownership of
the project among the community of Eenhana
and the region. The exercise was also aimed at
ensuring that the community will care, maintain
and sustain the project beyond 26 August
2007.
Data collection was done by interviewing
Ohangwena regional and local authorities,
including the Governor and the Mayor of the
town of Eenhana, elderly residents who lived
in the area before the arrival of the SADF 54
Gifts to state
executives, state
Property
Page 15
August 2007
Battalion and who remained in Eenhana to date,
retired teachers, nurses and soldiers who were
involved with the colonial SADF and community
members who were arrested from their homes
and held as prisoners in the Eenhana base.
Nurses who worked at a local hospital which
was located adjacent to the SADF military camp
at Eenhana, reported that they used to hear
screams from the SADF camp. They suspected
it came from people subjected to torture with
electric shocks during morning hours. They
also told of the terrifying circumstances of
the tortured people who sought medical help
afterwards.
Due to the people’s protests against the location
of the SADF military base close to the houses,
hospital, school and the church, the camp was
relocated to the site where it was situated up
to the time of independence. From that time
on, strict rules to ensure that civilians did not
enter the military base were applied, except for
a few nurses who accompanied patients to the
military hospital/sick bay. But these nurses and
patients were blindfolded when they entered
the base and on their way out.
In the 1980s, after Koevoet was formed, the
South West African Territorial Force (SWATF)
– a subsidiary of SADF, often tied bodies of
the victims on the spare wheels of the vehicles
and exhibited them to the civilian population
of Eenhana town, telling them they were PLAN
fighters. The campaign was aimed at scaring 1
the population and discouraging people,
who provided food, medicine, clothing and
information, from rendering support to PLAN
combatants and young people from escaping
the country into exile.
The community used to see the bodies carried
into the military base but people have no
Continues on pg 18
hishongwa high
Commission to
Botswana
Page 20
 Government Information Bulletin August 2007
N amibians can vividly remember the
inauguration of the Heroes’ Acre in 2002
in Windhoek where some of the national
heroes and heroines have been buried and
accorded an eternal place to rest.
Namibia has fought a long and protracted
struggle against the German and South Afri-
can apartheid colonialism. Many of our people
have lost their lives in battles and perpetuated
massacres. Few of them have been buried with
dignity, but many of them remain buried in uni-
dentified shallow and mass graves throughout
the country.
During the war for liberation, we had no opportunity to bury our people
with respect. Now that Namibia is independent, we are obliged to give
our heroes and heroines great respect and lay them to rest in memo-
rable places. The Heroes’ Acre is a sacred national monument that
holds memories of all our fallen national leaders. We are also aware of
the existence of other shrines and monuments erected throughout the
country in recognition of those brave sons and daughters of our land
who resisted and fought colonialism and foreign domination.
In 2005, human remains believed to be those of members of the
People’s Army of Namibia (PLAN), the military wing of SWAPO and
members of the civilian population, were discovered at Eenhana town
and elsewhere, in the Ohangwena region. In recognition of the role
played by the PLAN fighters and the Ohangwena community in the
struggle for freedom and independence of our country, the Cabinet
has decided that the remains be buried in a dignified grave on which
a Shrine will be erected to keep our memories and those of the future
generations alive.
The Shrine will be in recognition of women and men who sacrificed
their lives for the freedom of our motherland as they supported the
struggle with resolute minds and spirits, determined to bring about
change forever. It will be a symbol of the resilience of the people of
the Ohangwena region, in particular and the nation as a whole.
Now that we are free and independent, our heroes and heroines are
resting in peace, and in peace we will commit ourselves to the fight
against poverty, by exploring and exploiting our natural resources
such as diamonds, oil and gas. In its endeavour to develop the nation,
the government is committed to capacity building so that Namibia can
exploit and create wealth and add value to its resources.
Rural electrification is a visible and notable element in the develop-
ment of our nation as it spreads into smaller towns and villages. Elec-
tricity is not only important in the provision of light but it accelerates
development by all measure.
Access to information is an important factor in the creation of a knowl-
edge-based society. The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting is
conducting a Service Delivery Survey to examine how our services
reach the people. The country is also promoting the use of Informa-
2 tion, Communication Technologies (ICTs) to fight poverty and under-
development.
Gender-based violence must also be fought tooth and nail, if our coun-
try is to enjoy peace and stability that our heroes and heroines have
sacrificed their lives for.
Government Information Bulletin: Publicising Government
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established through Cabinet Decision Number communities, the public is invited to send
13 /04.07.06/002 as an official information
th
comments and suggestions on Government
bulletin to publicise the Government’s projects, programmes and policies, which will
programmes, policies and activities for the then be covered in the Bulletin.
benefit of Government institutions and the
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the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. E-mail
Contents
Eenhana gets historic Shrine for war victims....................
From the desk of the Minister............................................
1
2
Shrine to boost development at Eenhana.......................... 3
Road map towards the formation of the
United States of Africa....................................................... 3
Honorary ranks to these veterans...................................... 4
Protect rights of children................................................... 4
Government’s position on demands for compensation
by the Committee on the Welfare of Ex-combatants......... 5
NDP3 on track.................................................................... 5
“Africans themselves should ensure safety of
their skies,” says President Pohamba................................ 6
Gender-Based Violence put on the agenda........................ 6
SADC reviews progress on regional integration................ 7
Fisheries responding to Seal harvesting............................ 8
Namibia’s 3rd Report on CEDAW....................................... 9
Namibian Standards Institution (NSI) established............ 9
5th Land Reform Advisory Commission inaugurated......... 10
Namibia earns N$20 million annually from oil
exploration activities.......................................................... 10
Africa Day of Public Service and Administration
in annual calendar............................................................. 11
Information Service Delivery Survey on............................ 11
Etosha Centenary – Grand milestone of a great jewel....... 12
Home Affairs closer to the people...................................... 13
Lighting up villages despite shortage in electricity
generation capacity............................................................ 13
Kalkrand Community opens centre of empowerment....... 14
A descent shelter preserves dignity................................... 14
Accountability and transparency needed in all
government business......................................................... 15
Namibia and Italy sign animal health agreement.............. 16
“Use of ICT a miracle” says Nandi-Ndaitwah.................... 16
Conference addressed ICT development in the country.... 17
Centre to rescue and search for lost and sinking
vessels established............................................................. 18
Twyfelfontein: now a World Heritage Site......................... 19
Hishongwa appointed Nam’s diplomatic
envoy to Botswana............................................................. 20
The Bulletin is distributed free of charge to rural
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wdeetlefs@mib.gov.na. and printing
 Government Information Bulletin August 2007

Shrine to boost development at Eenhana

Since the discovery of the human remains at Eenhana town in 2005, consultations have been taking place between the
Ministry of Youth, National Service, Sport and Culture, through the National Heritage Council (NHC), Eenhana Town
Council and the Office of the Governor of the Ohangwena region to come up with concrete plans as to what needs to
be done to be able to find an eternal place for the bones.

The ground for the Shrine Eenhana Soccer Field close to the Shrine Preparing the ground for the burial place for the
human remains discovered in 2005 at Eenhana

A decision was taken to shift the burial place

from the site where the bones were discov-
ered because of the unsuitability of the place.
The site is close to an oxidation pond, which
was being constructed at the time of the dis-
covery of the bones and it is also close to the
military base.
As a result, the town council decided to donate
four hectares of land, about two kilometers
east of the town, where the remains would be
reburied. With the Cabinet’s decision to give a
proper burial to the remains, it was also decided
that a Shrine will be erected on the mass grave
as a memorable symbol to preserve the history
of the people’s participation in the struggle for
liberation.
The Eenhana Town Council and the people
of the region saw the importance of not only
to erect a symbol of history but to keep the
place alive as a tourist attraction and a cen-
tre for appropriate entertainment. It was found
that the site was strategically located along the
road, leading to the Trans Caprivi Highway. It
may, therefore, attract visitors from across the
Ohangwena region and those travelling from
places such as Caprivi, Okavango and other
places in the northern regions, who would want
to see the shrine. Once the road that connects
Ohangwena and Kavango regions is developed
and in full swing, as envisaged by the govern-
ment, the place will be more accessible to tour-
Construction of the Ohangwena
Shrine underway
ists. The town council has a big plan to develop
the place into a live hub of activities. The space
opposite to the shrine will be turned into a for-
est reserve and the site will also be developed
into a recreational central park. A museum is
also planned to be built for the preservation of
artifacts and other items of importance to the
historical background of the people and places
of the Ohangwena region.
An open space close to the site, currently used
as a soccer field, will be developed into a sport
complex with an open market, nearby, for local
traders. The work to construct the sport com-
plex will start this year while the park construc-
tion will commence in 2008.
The Town Council Chief Executive Officer, Mr.
Walde Natangwe Ndevashiya said the shrine
will not be isolated or be left to turn into a white
elephant but will be developed into a place of
attraction for both the local people and tourists
visiting the region from elsewhere.

Road map towards the formation of the United 3

States of Africa
African leaders’ who attended the 9th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the African Union (AU) in Accra, Ghana from 1 - 3
July 2007 agreed to rationalise and strengthen the regional economic communities and harmonise their activities towards
the creation of the continent’s common market. The leaders also agreed to speed up the stages set in the Abudja Treaty, es-
tablishing the African Economic Community with a reviewed timeframe to accelerate economic and political integration. The
meeting furthermore agreed to conduct an audit of the Executive Council, as well as other organs of the AU in accordance
with the terms of reference adopted by the 10th Extraordinary Session of the Executive Council that took place in Zimbali,
South Africa in May 2007.

A ccording to Namibia’s Ministry of Foreign Af-

fairs, the Accra Declaration saw the need
to establish a ministerial committee to examine
the identification of the Union Government con-
cept and its relation with national governments,
as well as the area of competence and the im-
pact of the establishment of the union govern-
ment on the sovereignty of member states.
The committee also has to look at additional
sources of financing the activities of the Union,
definition of the relationship between the Union
Government and the regional economic com-
munities and the elaboration of the road map
together with timeframes for establishing the
Union Government.
It was also agreed to involve the African peo-
ples, including Africans in the Diaspora, in the
process leading to the formation of the Union
Government. The audit will be submitted to the
Executive Council to make appropriate recom-
mendations to the next ordinary session of the
Assembly.
 Government Information Bulletin August 2007

Honorary ranks to these veterans

John Otto Nankudhu Haufiku J. Nghidipo Alfons Upahee Ngeyama
Munika Erwin Mbambo-Munika Justus Shiimbashike Haita Tobias Petrus Haihonya
Jonas Nawa Shiweda Nathanael Homateni Sackey Amunyela
Mathias Ndakolo (Mbulunganga) Leonard L Dayakohamba Kasela John Kasela
Andreas S Kapulwa Gabriel Ekandjo John Bafumisi Bafumisi
Erasmus Mbatjita Nganyone (Kokauru) Festus Nghitotelwa Nghipangelwa Ben Mutelo
Eloby Amundaba Paulus Hango Jason Nghilokwa Musheko
Auguste Mukwahepo Immanuel Petrus Benyamin Mario Sikindo
Elisa Elia Haulyondjamba Tomas Shihepo Luhowa Mbote
Rahimise Wa-Kahimise Alfred N Shimwooshili Sikindo Sindimba
Philipus Nandenga (Zulu) Chris Philipus Niipele Nikodemus Nakadhilu
Lazarus Hashetu Shihepo Hamutele Leonard Kanyanda Wilhelm Hangula Naishindi
Simon Hafeni Mzee Kaukungwa John M Kafita Kapause Letus
Lucas Machinga Kulandata Kataleonga J Kaukungwa Sipune Shivute
Andrew Anyanya Bongy Intamba Steven Nghishiko Willbardt Iyambo
Frederick Mwala Matongo Philemon Kondja Kambala Natangwe Kondunda
Helao Joseph Shitjuwete Mathew Hedimbi Nauyoma John Amapindi
Lazarus Sakaria Jack S Hayoonga Juso Heita
Patric Mayumbelo Mwinga Tuvahitile M Reinford Inamutira Conrad
Wilhelma Niilenge Masule Limota Nambinga Kati Haibodi
Gaus Shikomba Joas Ipinge Vilho Andreas Shafombabi
Heita S Nakuningilila Conrad Machinga Kaela Noa Ndafenongo
Joseph Hipangerwa Office Chisozu Mandume K Mweshixwa
Johannes Shiponeni Lufumile Zebedia Mwanawina Oiva Amuthenu
Abel Haluteni Sikabelezi Dismond Sikabelezi Isak Shoome
Ekonia Ndafenongo Nestor A Iyambo Joseph Shaanika Uushona
Malakia Uushona Paulus N Mwahakumange Festus Kaapanda Kanangolo
David Shimwefeleni Eliaser Ndapopiwa Maimbo Teodor Hanyanya
Sakaria Ndeutapo Got-Pen Hailonga Hamwenye Andreas Nakale Mwahaluka
Simeon Linekela Shihunguleni Asser Mwatilifange Lamek Ithete
Johannes Musheko

Protect rights of children

Namibia joined the rest of Africa to commemorate the Day of the African Child. The day was coined to commemorate
a march by young people to protest against the apartheid Bantu education thirty one years ago. In 1976 children in
Soweto, South Africa, took to the streets to make their voices heard and as a result many innocent children were shot
and killed by the apartheid administration.

T o commemorate the day, a ceremony

was held at the Sam Nujoma Stadium in
Katutura. Themed “Combating Child trafficking”
the commemoration was aimed at reminding
the nation that children’s rights were being
violated and the situation called for action.
4 Speaking at the ceremony, UNICEF
many of them are forced by adults, who are
suppose to care for them, to work as domestic
workers. The UNICEF Representative observed
that in rural areas young boys are used as cattle
headers and work as farm labourers without
pay instead of being in school like all other
children of their age.
Speaking at the same occasion, Hon. Marlene
Mungunda, Minister of Gender Equality and
Child Welfare, said that June 16, 1976 was
when children changed history for the better,
commenting their militant stance that speeded
up the process towards freedom from the racist
apartheid rule.

Representative, Khin-Sandi Lwin noted that
many children are still without a voice and
millions of them, all over the world, are being
forced by adults into prostitution, to work as
farm workers, as house servants, beggars and
to provide cheap and unpaid labour.
“Namibia is no exception. With more and more
children becoming orphans, living without adult
care and the basic necessities, many children are
poised to become victims of child trafficking,”
Lwin said. Reports indicate that many young
girls in Namibia are working as sex workers and
Said Lwin: “Each and every one of us must
be vigilant to stop any form of exploitation of
children. Communities should help authorities
by reporting any incident of child abuse they
are aware of. Namibian children must be
protected and cared for by all of us (adults)
who are entrusted to do so.”
UNICEF called for a united effort to combat any
form of child abuse and said the organisation
will continue to work with the Namibian Police
and the relevant authorities to provide resources
for action.
“For that, we must always remember and honour
them,” Hon. Mungunda remarked, adding that
children are now living in a free country where
all people are equal and where all children are
free to go to school. “You must cherish and
appreciate your freedom,” she concluded.
Namibia is one of the countries that have ratified
the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare
of the Child of 1990 that compels governments
of the world to ensure a safe and protected
childhood for the young generations.

Government’s position on demands for
compensation by the Committee on the Welfare
of Ex-combatants
Honourable Tjiriange briefed Cabinet on the meeting he held with a group of Ex-combatants and
Ex-Freedom Fighters in Windhoek on 04th June 2007.
O n the basis of that briefing, Cabinet decided
to issue a Special Cabinet Resolution and
the content of the Resolution is as follows.
Reaffirming that the struggle for national lib-
eration was waged on voluntary and commit-
ment basis and not on the basis of rewards or
benefits;
Recalling the many sacrifices made by the gal-
lant sons and daughters of Namibia in the fight
for national liberation;
Appreciating the eventual triumph of the libera-
tion struggle;
Recognizing the great importance Govern-
ment attaches to the socio-economic plight of
the former freedom fighters, former exiles and
former political activists;
Appreciating many initiatives Government has
taken in addressing the plight of former politi-
cal activists, freedom fighters and exiles which,
inter alia, can be listed as follows:
a) In 1998, Cabinet established a Technical
Committee on Ex-Combatants in order to
identify and categorise unemployed former
PLAN combatants’ socio-economic circum-
stances and recommended measures for
their permanent and reasonable integra-
tion into the Namibian society.
b) The Technical Committee carried out na-
tionwide audits in all the thirteen regions
and as a result 8, 777 Ex-Combatants were
employed in the Public service.
NDP3 on track
The National Planning Commission team led by its Director-General, Hon. Helmut Angula, has met with international
development partners and the media to brief them on the progress with the formulation of the Third National
Development Plan (NDP3) on 9 July 2007. The NDP3 will be implemented in five years from 2007/2008 to 2011/2012
financial years. Ten thematic working groups that include the government, regional government officials, stakeholders
from the parastatals, private sector, civic organisations and international donors are at work since March and April,
this year.
T he NDP3 is focusing on the implementation
of projects and programmes guided by
the aims to achieve results, emanating from
integrating planning with financial budgets and
the performance management of the public
institutions and civil servants. The plan links
with Vision 2030, which aims at establishing
an industrialised and prosperous nation within
the national objectives, goals and targets that
help the country progress towards achieving its
vision.
The development partners were informed
that eight of the ten thematic groups have
Government Information Bulletin August 2007
Hon. Dr. Ngarikutuke Tjiriange, Minister of
Veterans Affairs
c) All Ex-Combatants who are less than fifty-
five years old and are disabled were also
enrolled with the War Veterans Trust Fund
and receive a monthly social grant of five
hundreds (N$500.00) Namibian dollars for
the rest of their lives.
d) A good number were also integrated into
the State-Owned Enterprise or taken care
of through other Government programmes
including the War Orphans Welfare pro-
gramme, Housing Project and many oth-
ers.
completed their tasks. the remaining two are
progressing well. Inputs from the regions will
soon be submitted to the National Planning
Commission to draft a discussion paper for the
planned National Consultative Session which
will convene all stakeholders to discuss the draft
in September 2007. The plan will be finalised
and will be submitted to Cabinet for approval.
It is expected that the implementation of the
NDP3 will accelerate the country’s economic
growth at the annual rate of between 5.1 to
6.4 percent. The implementation of the plan is
also expected to create jobs for Namibians and
to reduce poverty among communities. It is the
Further recalling the significant initiative tak-
en by His Excellency, President Hifikepunye
Pohamba in establishing the Ministry of Veter-
ans’ Affairs; and Noting the consultative process
being conducted by the Ministry of Veterans’ Af-
fairs with all the stakeholders, Cabinet therefore
resolved as follows;
a) That Cabinet acknowledges receipt of the
petition by the group led by Ms. Ruusa
Malulu which contains extraordinary de-
mands and which the economy of Namibia
will not be able to meet;
b) That Cabinet further acknowledges several
demands, proposals and suggestions made
by many other stakeholders, apart from the
group represented by Ms. Ruusa Malulu, in
addressing the social and economic plight
of former political activists, freedom fight-
ers and exiles;
c) That all concerned should remain calm and
give the Ministry of Veterans’ Affairs enough
time to enable it to thoroughly study the
various demands, proposals and sugges-
tions, and develop a comprehensive Action
Plan to address the needs of the designated
groups and different stakeholders.
d) That Cabinet directs the Malulu Group to
return to their homes immediately in order
not to compromise public health, disrupt
and interfere with the freedom of move-
ment of other citizens in the Central Busi-
ness Centre of Windhoek.
Signed by the Acting Secretary to
Cabinet
5
expressed hope that Namibia’s aspirations to
make rapid progress towards the achievements
of Vision 2030 will become a reality. NDP3 is
a five-year national development plan to be
implemented in efforts to pursue national socio-
economic growth aspirations of Namibians
using more practical methods of integrating
the management and measurements of results
achieved at every stage of implementation
through the use of monitoring tools. The
plan will use the current world-wide trend of
the systematic utilization of information on
implementation performance management to
guide the road maps of development.
 Government Information Bulletin August 2007

“Africans themselves should ensure safety of

their skies” says President Pohamba
With the establishment of the African Civil Aviation Agency (AFRO-CAA) on 28 June 2007, the safety and security of the
African air space will be ensured. The AFRO-CAA is a continental aviation safety agency aimed at complementing the work
or efforts of the African Union (AU), a specialised body for the aviation and other sub-regional cooperative groups in moving
African states towards a single airworthiness, flight operations, aerodrome certification/licensing, personnel examinations
and environmental code adopted by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).

T he agency which was launched in Windhoek,

is established in the spirit of mutual coop-
eration between the participating African states
for elevating the level of flight safety oversight
and to provide the safest possible air transpor-
tation system within African countries.
The agency will address the deficiencies in Af-
rican states primary aviation legislation, regu-
lations and technical standards relating to the
subjects of personnel licensing and flight op-
eration and airworthiness, certification, surveil-
lance and harmonisation of regulations.
The Afro-CAA involves participating African
states that aim at enhancing the safety of air
transport operations in Africa. The project has a
permanent status and will be manned by Flight
Safety, Airworthiness Inspectors and Personnel
Licensing Officers having the mandate of har-
monising the examination, personnel licensing,
aerodrome certification, surveillance of aircraft,
audits of maintenance organisations technical
and flight training facilities.
The establishment of an air safety agency was
necessitated by the fact that the issue of safety
in the African sky has been a worrying factor
and efforts to curb further danger is long over-
due. Safety is a necessary factor for the safety
and security of passengers and the promotion
of tourism on the continent.
The agency is expected to establish a continen-
tal hub of flight safety inspectors and training
courses to be able to produce a whole range of
certification and surveillance functions on be-
half of participating states lacking the required
manpower and resources for supplementing
their individual capa-
bilities to the extend re-
quired.
The agency will also pro-
vide on-the-job training
and the training of na-
tional inspectors through
workshops, seminars,
exchange programmes
and courses. This will
enhance the individual
safety oversight capabil-
ity of each participating
member state. President Hifikepunye Pohamba flanked by his wife,
Madam Pohamba and Hon. Usiko Nghaamwa,
The agency presents an Governor of Ohangwena region
opportunity to examine The president contented that the meeting
the causes of air accidents and develop a strat- should be critical of the current practices with
egy to reduce or eliminate accidents. The meet- a view to attaining the highest standards pos-
ing took place in the aftermath of the Kenya sible. “Indeed, in keeping with the laid down
Airways B 737-800 disaster in which nine crew international standards for the safety and secu-
and 105 passengers died. rity of passengers, this should be the priority of
all the airlines,” he added.
African states met to address the question of
safety and security concerns in the aviation President Pohamba warned against the attitude
industry. The European Union (EU) unilater- of waiting for other people from outside the
ally banned 62 airlines from the continent from continent to compel Africa to adhere to interna-
flying into EU air space. The discussions were tional safety standards, saying that “we need to
aimed at reviewing ways and means of improv- do this ourselves, with their help because this
ing safety standards in the aviation industry. is what is right to do”. He is convinced that the
AFRO-CAA “will provide us with an opportunity
Launching the AFRO-CAA, Namibian President to deal with this important matter in a system-
Hifikepunye Pohamba described the situation atic and decisive manner”.
as a worrisome development, which needs ur-
gent attention, saying that as responsible citi- All participating African states will contribute
zens of the African continent “we have a duty funds for the implementation of the agency and
and responsibility to address this matter with other contributions in cash and in kind are ex-
our partners”. pected to come from the donor community.

6
Gender-Based Violence put on the agenda
Gender-Based Violence (GBV) is one of the major challenges facing the Namibian nation and to address the issues, the
Ministry of Gender Equality and Child Welfare organised a historic National Conference on GBV that took place from
19-22 June 2007 at the Nampower Convention Centre in Windhoek.

T he Conference was organised under the

theme: “Unifying Action to Eliminate Gen-
der-Based Violence in Our Society”. Over 370
delegates from all 13 regions attended. Repre-
sentatives were drawn from different govern-
ment ministries, agencies, non-governmental
organisations, religious groups and traditional
leaders. The aim of the conference was to come
up with concrete and comprehensive action-
based strategies on how to combat GBV.
The conference was officially opened by the
Minister of Presidential Affairs Dr. Albert Ka-
wana on behalf of the President Hifikepunye
Pohamba. In his statement the President urged
all participants to seriously examine and iden-
tify the root causes of GBV in the society with
the view to eradicate it in all spheres of life. He
emphasised the importance of equal partner-
ship between men and women in all spheres of
social, cultural, economical and political life.
At the same occasion Hon. Marlene Mungunda,
Minister of Gender Equality and Child Welfare,
called upon the Namibian nation to declare war
on GBV. The Minister said the war against vio-
lence would be fought by the spirit of the Lord
and with a watertight strategy. “I am certain of
victory because this challenge is too big. We
cannot miss it. We are instruments of peace. I
prophesy that peace, care, kindness and love
will replace hatred, violence, selfishness and
anger. We will recreate our world by changing
the circumstances of our lives,” she said.
In a statement, read on behalf of Mr. Simon
Nhongo, UN Resident Coordinator, Ms. Khin
Sandi Lwin, UNICEF Representative, said that
although Namibia is often quick to state that
the elimination of gender-based violence and
crime is a national priority, the country is yet to
back its words with deeds.
She further said that medical doctors, police in-
vestigators and social workers should do their
part to handle cases of GBV professionally.

Continues on page 7

SADC reviews progress on regional integration
Namibia hosted the meeting of the Southern African Development Cooperation Integrated Committee of Ministers (SADC
ICM) in June 2007, that was officially opened by the Minister of Trade and Industry, Hon. Immanuel Ngatjizeko in Windhoek.
The aim of the meeting was to reflect on how far SADC has progressed in its mission to unite the peoples of member coun-
tries and bring the region together in the quest to achieve greater regional integration.
Hon. Immanuel Ngatjizeko, Minister of
Trade and Industry
H on. Ngatjizeko expressed his satisfaction at
the achievements that SADC has made on
social, economic and political fronts in terms of
the integration and poverty reduction, saying
that positive improvements in most of the de-
velopment indicators such as inflation, budget
deficit, debt ratio to GDP were noticeable in the
economic development of member countries.
The ICM is an arm of the SADC Council of Minis-
ters that directs the organisation’s programmes
and projects, ensuring harmonization over the
four core areas that include food, agriculture
and natural resources, infrastructure and serv-
ices, social and human development, special
programmes, trade and industry, finance and
investment of socio-economic integration.
The ICM is a forum, where ministers repre-
senting various socio-economic sectors, come
together to appreciate, monitor and oversee
Gender-Based Violence put on the agenda
Continues from page 6
The conference recommended that all
stakeholders at all levels must join a multi-
cultural approach in efforts to end GBV and to
integrate GBV programmes into the existing
forums, institutions, structures, policies and
programmes. It was further recommended
to look at the customary/traditional laws and
systems to identify the positive elements that
will help address the new challenges posed
Government Information Bulletin August 2007
the implementation of the Regional Indicative
Strategic Development Plan (RISDP).
At his stage, SADC is assessing whether the
region is on track towards achieving the Free
Trade Area by 1 January 2008. Member states
are compiling audit reports to determine tar-
iff reduction and see whether they are making
progress to meet their commitments.
The regional body is preparing for the estab-
lishment of a customs union market integration
to commence in 2010 to be followed by the
creation of a common market in 2015.
Despite the much hailed speed of progress
made in the socio-economic development in
the region, SADC is still faced with several chal-
lenges at the Secretariat, regional and country
levels in terms of implementing activities within
the new structure.
Analysts at the meeting observed that if SADC
was to deliver effectively and efficiently, there
was a need to put the entire system in motion.
There has been a problem of structural coordi-
nation under which SADC has been operating
across various sectors.
The need to create a platform to ensure cross
fertilisation of programmes and projects led to
the establishment of the ICM that is aimed at
addressing the issue of coordination, through
clusters as links, within various sectors.
ICM is also aimed at curbing the mushrooming
sectoral meetings, which resulted in divergent
directions, hence increasing costs. The work of
the ICM has not been fully operational because
of the duplication of work with other bodies
such as the council and sectoral ministers.
Currently only a few member states are hav-
ing working national committees on integra-
tion, which are vital feeders in the work of the
ICM, in place. The national committees are to
by HIV/AIDS. Participants also called for efforts
to discourage elements of culture and tradition
that make women vulnerable to violence and
abuse, noting that since poverty disempower
women, making them even more vulnerable to
GBV, sustainable and appropriate poverty alle-
viation measures were needed to be in place.
Prime Minister, Nahas Angula officially closed
the conference and congratulated the Ministry
help the work of the ICM in terms of ensur-
ing equitable participation and benefits derived
from regional socio-economic integration pro-
grammes and projects.
Hon. Ngatjizeko called for a radical change of
the operations of the ICM with a reflection on
the causes of its inability to deliver effectively
to ensure maximum outcomes.
The economic integration agenda was trig-
gered by the Windhoek Treaty of 1992 which
defined the regional road map as deepening
integration in SADC.
In 2006 the SADC Consultative Conference met
and re-affirmed priority areas as regional eco-
nomic integration, infrastructure support for
regional integration, sustainable peace and se-
curity, emergency areas of cooperation which
include sustainable food security and address-
ing the challenge of the HIV/AIDS pandemic
to be implemented on the regional integration
agenda.
For the region to realise its full potential
in intra-regional trade, there is a need for
infrastructural development aimed at unlocking
the opportunities offered by the regional trad-
ing framework.
SADC Heads of States will hold a brainstorm-
ing session during their Summit in August 2007
on the theme: ”Accelerating Implementation of
Regional Infrastructure in the SADC Region”,
to review the status of regional infrastructure
development, identification of funding gaps in
infrastructure and adoption of radical measures
to fund regional infrastructure.
Attention will also focus on the Dar es Salaam
Declaration on agriculture and food security
and on the Maseru Declaration on HIV/AIDS,
including the implementation of the cross cut-
ting issues, such as gender mainstreaming, en-
vironment as well as science and technology. 7
of Gender Equality and Child Welfare for tak-
ing the step in addressing GBV. The Premier
urged all delegates to use the experiences
from the conference and to do their best to
educate others within their communities. At
the same occasion the Premier also launched
a story booklet which contains stories of sur-
vival and resilience told by women who have
experienced GBV.
 Government Information Bulletin August 2007
Fisheries responding to Seal harvesting
The Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources has decided to respond to a barrage of letter writing spearheaded by
the Seal Alert South Africa lobby group on the issue of seal culling in the country.
T he Ministry stated that the issues raised in
the letters are outdated and have become
repetitive, saying that there is nothing new,
neither interesting because Namibia upholds
and respects the opinions of animal welfare and
conservation organisations, as partners in the
sustainability of the national heritage.
In a press statement issued in Windhoek
to react to the notion that Namibia was not
adhering to the international rules and laws
regarding the harvesting of seals, the Ministry
accused some individuals of opportunistically
using the platform as a conduct of harnessing
financial resources for the sustenance of their
livelihoods. “They are deliberately distorting
information and presenting falsified accounts of
events and facts to garnet support from those
that are not well informed,” the statement
noted.
The statement observed that the
misrepresentation of facts would affect the
majority of the under-developed world,
especially the rural poor, women, children and
the most vulnerable societies by withholding
exploitation of sustainably managed resources
such as the seals.
“Namibia is endowed with a heritage of wide
spectrum of both renewable and non-renewable
natural resources. It is worth noting that in
the livelihoods of nations of the world, their
economies and development are hinged on
the exploitation of living and non-living natural
resources,” continued the statement.
The Fisheries and Marine Resources Ministry
re-emphasised that seal harvesting, as with
all living natural resources, is conducted
in Namibia in line with the principles of
sustainable use, as advocated by the “Code of
Conduct for Responsible Fisheries” of the Food
and Agriculture Organisation of the United
Nations, the provision of which sustainable
use of resources is contained in the country’s
Constitution.
8
To ensure responsible and sustainable
management of Namibia’s living resources, the
Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources,
as a custodian of living marine resources is
obliged and mandated to make use of the best
available scientific information on the biological
status of such resources, which is an important
requirement from the United Nations Law of
Sea.
“This is exactly what we have been doing and
will continue to adhere to. This applies to seals
management as well as other mammals. As the
basis for developing our management strategies
aimed at ensuring sustainable use of our marine
resources and responsible harvesting practices,
scientific information is always gathered and
used,” explained the statement.
According to the latest biological information,
the seal stock in Namibia is currently in a
healthy condition. The Cape Fur Seal population
along the southwestern coast of Africa is not in
anyway endangered.
The most recent scientific information available
reveals that the seal population in Namibia
has enjoyed an overall recovery rate when
compared to the 1993 level. Fluctuations in
levels of stocks are normal in the management
of natural resources such as terrestrial or sea
living animals.
Namibia is accused by some of the international
civil organizations, lobbying for the protection
of seals, of adopting a cruel way of culling
seals.
Since the country’s independence in 1990, the
Ministry has been inviting entities to provide any
alternative approach for harvesting seals. The
statement noted with concern: “The request
is and was genuine. We are disturbed by the
silence to the requests we have made for years
regarding innovative, resourceful, elegant,
progressive ideas from those apprehensive
about our prudent and sustainable use of all
our marine living resources, particularly seals.
We have been waiting to hear from them after
numerous requests to provide alternatives to
the subject of their complaints. They have
failed to be useful. Based on their track record,
we wonder whether they will be at all helpful.
It is easy to talk but conservation groups have
not suggested anything. They are mindful of
that. Seal harvesting is an economic activity
and can not be done away with rather than
being supplemented or replaced by a viable
method of sustaining that niche in the Namibian
economy.”
The Seal industry in Namibia sustain about
140 direct jobs. Seal Alert S.A is encouraged
to meet people employed in the sector and
witness how the sealing industry has added
value to their lives.
The government re-iterates that it is willing
to hear from entities such as Seal Alert SA
about viable supplements to the current seal
harvesting activities and methodologies.
Critics are warned not to forget that the
process of the use of living natural resources is
preceded by terminating the life of animals by
humans and the practice is not unique to seals.
The Government explained that the world
use various methods in abattoirs with cattle,
chicken, birds, lamb and pigs, adding that
wildlife, such as game get shot from a distance,
fish and mollusks are left to suffocate in the air
and seals are shot or hit to die instantly.
“Fishing and hunting is not an activity that is
unique to Namibia or developing countries for
that matter. It is a practice for both developing
and developed countries, ”the statement
added.
In the United States of America, Fish & Wildlife
Service indicated that 13 million people enjoyed
hunting in 2001 alone. The 13 million hunters
spent 228 days outdoor, took 200 million
hunting trips and spent $20.6 billion pursuing
their passion during that year alone.
Namibia’s animal harvesting is dictated by the
abundance of the stock. “If the stock increases
or decreases, measures based on available
scientific evidence are taken to ensure balance.
We do that with seals and other species. For
example, we have investigated the mass
starvation of seals along the Namibian coast
in 2006 and concluded that unavailability of
food was the primary cause of death in our seal
population.
Prudent and sustainable management of
our seal resource has guided the Minister of
Fisheries and Marine Resources to reduce the
population of seal pubs with an amount of 5000
for 2007,” stated the Fisheries Ministry.
The Ministry has created an open door policy
to discuss issues of national, regional and
international dimensions and it is prepared
to meet people of goodwill who are willing to
engage in fruitful discussions. “We call upon
animal welfare and conservation organisations
and other interested parties to consider this
offer for an engagement with us,” added the
statement.
In 2000, the Minister of Fisheries invited
and met members of conservation groups in
Namibia for discussion to deliberate and resolve
issues of concern with the aim to come up with
propositions in the aspect of management of
seals.
The Ministry called on outside conservation
groups that did not attend the meeting to
stand up to a challenge to present alternative
approaches, regarding prudent and sustainable
management of seals.

Namibian Standards Institution (NSI)
established
Namibia will soon establish its standards testing laboratory to be known as the Namibian Standards Institution (NSI).
T he laboratory will also conduct tests on
Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning (PSP), Diarrhetic
Shellfish Poisoning (DSP) and Amnesic Shellfish
Poisoning (ASP). Failure to test for those toxins
would result in the country’s shellfish products
being denied access to international markets,
including the EU.
Namibia developed a vision of establishing the
NSI more than ten years ago. The process only
started after the Ministry of Trade and Industry
entered into an agreement with the Swedish
International Development Corporation Agency
(SIDA) to establish the ”Development of a
National Quality Infrastructure in Namibia”
on 1 December 1997. SIDA has advanced a
contribution of N$ 3.6 million at the time.
The NSI will promote standardisation and
quality assurance in industry and commerce. It
is also aimed at improving and promoting trade,
as well as liaising with regional and international
bodies with similar objectives.
Until now, few Namibians understood what
standardisation was all about. A number of
training activities on the standardisation took
place country-wide involving beneficiaries
from the public and private sectors, as well as
interested individuals. As a result, the training
sessions that were conducted up to the year
2000 proved to be invaluable to the country.
The training included the development of a
legislative framework, which has formed the
basis for the establishment of the NSI.
Namibia’s 3rd Report on CEDAW
In January 2007 Namibia submitted its 3rd report following the 1st and 2nd reports which were submitted in 1997 and
2005 respectively. The Hon. Minister of Gender Equality and Child Welfare, Marlene Mungunda headed the Namibian
delegation to the 37th Session of the Committee of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination
Against Women (CEDAW) that took place in New York from 15-19 January 2007.
A s a state party to the CEDAW, Namibia has
an obligation, in terms of Article 18 of the
convention, to submit to the UN Secretary
General a report on progress the country has
made on elimination of all forms of discrimination
against women.
The objectives of the session were to consider
reports of state parties and to engage in
dialogue regarding the constraints and progress
made in the implementation of the convention
and identify required actions that would assist
Government Information Bulletin August 2007
Several government agencies, institutions
and ministries such as Fisheries and Marine
Resources, Agriculture, Water and Forestry,
Health and Social Services and Works, Transport
and Communication, were consulted with the
view to ensuring that they formed part of the
process, as they would be directly affected
by the activities of the NSI. The Ministry of
Trade and Industry also worked closely with the
Namibian Chamber of Commerce and Industry
(NCCI), the Manufacturers Association and a
number of Small and Medium Size Enterprises
(SMEs).
The SMEs were involved with the aim to impart
experience in terms of becoming competitive
in the regional and international markets, as
their products would have to comply with the
minimum standards.
As the Standards Act, 2005 (Act No.18 of
2005) has not yet come into force, Cabinet
has directed that the NSI must be launched
as a Section 21 Company or Association not
for profit making, in terms of the Companies
Act, 1973 (Act No. 61 of 1973) pending the
enforcement of the Standards Act of 2005. A
Board of Directors of the NSI will be appointed
for a period of three years and will consists of
five members appointed by Cabinet in terms of
Cabinet decision No. 17th/12.09.06/11.
It is expected that the NSI will contribute to the
growth of the Namibian economy once it is fully
functional as the products and services would
the state parties to enhance implementation of
the convention. In her conclusion Hon. Mungunda
highlighted the country’s achievements in the
implementation including new progress made
since the submission of the 2nd and 3rd reports.
The committee raised questions mostly on the
absence of data and statistics to support the
information on Namibia’s 2nd and 3rd report.
The committee will forward their comments
and recommendation to be reported in the 4th
progress report for the year 2010.
be able to meet international standards thereby
becoming competitive. It is expected that it
will also create market access for Namibia’s
agricultural and non-agricultural products and
services.
Suitable premises have already been leased
at Walvis Bay to establish the said Biotoxins
Laboratory and the equipment have been
purchased and will be installed soon.
The NSI will be developed in two phases. The
first phase will be the appointment of personnel/
staff members, the launch of the institution
itself and the establishment of the bio-toxins
laboratory. The second phase is expected to
start after three years from the launch of the
first phase when the NSI will venture into
further areas of its competency including the
establishment of the civil, mechanical, electronic
and other engineering laboratories.
Namibia will be faced with challenges on its
journey to establish the new national standards
body. The country will first have to establish
the technical infrastructure to enable it take
over the regulatory function, which is currently
performed by the South African Bureau of
Standards (SABS). SABS is expected to withdraw
from Namibia within the next three years.
The Minister of Trade and Industry, Hon.
Immanuel Ngatjizeko is expected to launch
the laboratory soon to be followed by the
appointment of staff members.
9
Other members of the delegation were:
Namibia’s Permanent Representative to the
United Nations, Dr. Kaire Mbuende, Permanent
Secretary of the Ministry of Gender Equality
and Child Welfare, Ms. Sirkka Ausiku, Director
of Gender Equality and International Affairs, Mr.
Victor Shipoh, Mr. David Thomas of Namibia’s
Mission to the UN, Legal Adviser, Ms. Anna-Letu
Haitembu, Development Planner, Ms. Monalisa
Zatjirua; and Personal Assistant to the Minister,
Ms.Cecilia Annastasia Violet Hanse.
 Government Information Bulletin August 2007
Namibia earns N$20 million annually from oil
exploration activities
The exploration and production of oil and gas resources in Namibia has attracted huge investments resulting in
substantial revenue for the country. Namibia is a potential petroleum producing country which has attracted interest
from international oil and gas companies.
T he Ministry of Mines and Energy is
inundated with application for oil and
gas exploration and production licenses. The
Ministry has already awarded 13 exploration
and one production licenses to international oil
companies. Revenue generated from rental fees
for petroleum exploration activities amounts to
N$20 million annually.
Namibian is also benefiting from training services
the companies provide to locally recruited staff.
The exploration activities have allowed Namibia
to improve its geological working terrain and
there is hope that more discoveries of oil are
close.
5th Land Reform Advisory Commission
inaugurated
The Minister of Lands and Resettlement, Hon. Jerry Ekandjo, inaugurated the 5th Land Reform Advisory Commission
in June 2007, after he appointed the commissioners on the 30th March 2007 to serve for the next three-year term.
T he Land Reform Advisory Commission
is tasked to advice the Minister on Lands
and Resettlement. The previous commission
was engaged in researching experiences of
other neighbouring countries in terms of land
reform.
As a result, the Ministry was able to make
amendments to existing legislation and
introduce new legislation to facilitate and
improve the allocation of land rights in the
country to achieve an equitable land ownership
pattern. It was also able to adapt some valuable
10 approaches to land reform and redistribution in
relation to local circumstances.
Addressing the commission, Hon. Ekandjo told
the commissioners that they have a mammoth
and challenging task ahead regarding land
reform and resettlement.
The commission will be faced with the problem
of affordability, since prices have escalated
to substantial amounts in recent years. The
escalation of prices has placed a limitation
Namibia depends 100% on the imports of
petroleum products procured and processed in
foreign countries, especially South Africa, which
also imports 90% of its crude oil from Saudi
Arabia, Iran, and Nigeria.
Mines and Energy Minister, Hon. Erkki
Nghimtina, said that since Namibia has no
refinery of its own, there is a need to establish
one if the country wanted to meet and secure
its local demand and that of its landlocked
neighbouring countries. He said that although
the Namibian market is small, it is growing at
an accelerated rate, which will make it costly
to import all the necessary fuel requirements
on government’s ability to obtain land for
resettlement. More time has also been spent on
convincing commercial farmers to reduce the
prices of land offered to the state.
The government is faced with the issue of
expropriation since May 2003, which has proven
to be a challenging exercise. Some cases on
the identified farms for expropriation are still
pending before the high court. “And the time it
takes is long and frustrating. No wonder many
of our compatriots are getting impatient and
fed up,” Hon. Ekandjo observed.
Other challenges that are faced by the
government, with regard to land reform, and
which the commission will be expected to
address, are the human and financial resources.
For now, the Ministry will prioritise activities in
the limits of the available resources.
The Ministry reiterated its commitment to land
allocation where all people regardless of their
status will stand to benefit. “All the people of
Namibia stand equal before the constitution
in the near future. Namibia’s daily consumption
is estimated at 16 000 barrels. “Initiatives to
construct a refinery with regional focus should
be encouraged,” Hon. Nghimtina noted. Efforts
to ensure security and control of petroleum
stock are underway.
A strategic stock study has been undertaken
in 2004. The findings will be used as the basis
for developing a comprehensive strategic stock
policy. Companies are required to carry a 15
day contingency stock pile in their tanks but for
strategic purposes they fill their tanks with a
30 days stock. A plan to enforce a law making
it compulsory to provide the country with a 90
days stock is on the card.
i.e. those who have, those who have not and
those that are in between should be catered for
when the resources are being distributed,” the
Minister said.
The Minister commended the outgoing
members of the commission stating that they
have worked hard to serve the nation during
their term of office, during which time more
farms were acquired than ever in the history
of the land reform programme because of the
fast track approach that was taken without
compromising and violating the existing laws of
the country.
It was also during their term of office that
all 13 regions were instituted with regional
resettlement committees and that a decision
was taken to identify a consultant who would
come up with uniform and relevant selection
criteria.
The Commissioners will work through
resettlement committees set up in all 13
regions.

Africa day of Public Service and Administration
in annual calendar
Namibia and the whole of Africa have celebrated the thirteenth Africa Day of the Public Service and Administration
which is a continental strategy to boost public administration programmes, public sector performance and good
governance, on 22 June 2007.
A s an annual initiative aimed at raising
awareness on the provision and delivery
of value and quality public services to Africa’s
citizens, the day is also aimed at giving
recognition to the working conditions and
the quality of the public servants who devote
their lives to serving the public diligently. The
day also services to facilitate positive interest
of citizens from all walks of life in the work of
public administration.
Themed, ”Promoting good governance with
emphasis on anti-corruption and ethics”, the
day was loaded with topics meant to draw
attention to the issues of good governance,
ethics and anti-corruption efforts across the
African public sector.
In democratic societies, where good governance
flourishes, there is a culture of transparency,
accountability and a sense of responsibility
within the civil service in particular and civil
society as a whole.
Being the only place where poverty is
widespread and its people dying of starvation,
Africa and sub-Sahara Africa in particular needs
to fight the evil of corruption which hurts the
poor disproportionately. Most resources, which
are even scarce, in the sub-continent, are
diverted from intended development initiatives
into private and individual pockets. Corruption
has a history of undermining government
capacity to provide basic services and nurtures
injustices while diminishing socio-economic
peace and equality.
The Deputy Prime Minister, Hon. Dr. Libertina
Amathila saw the need for the public sector,
non-governmental organisations and the private
Information Service Delivery Survey started
The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, in line with the government policy directives on work performance,
has commissioned the Multi-disciplinary Research and Consultancy Centre of the University of Namibia to undertake
a Service Delivery Survey to see whether the services the Ministry is delivering are meeting the expectations and
aspirations of the majority of the citizens, particularly those in the remote areas who are marginalized in terms of
information provision.
The survey is in response to the call by HE
President Hifikepunye Pohamba for government
institutions to mainstream rural development in
programmes and projects, since he believes
that the most economic asset of Namibia is the
people.
Survey enumerators are already in all the
regions to administer the survey questionnaires
to obtain information from respondents on how
to improve services that the Ministry is rendering
and to determine the needs of the media in
obtaining information from the Ministry and
other government institutions and agencies.
The survey requires the cooperation of
stakeholders, such as the regional governors,
Government Information Bulletin August 2007
Hon. Dr. Libertina Amathila,
Deputy Prime Minister
sector to work together to eradicate corruption,
adding that the Anti-Corruption Commission
must position itself as a partner in the fight to
eradicate corruption, rather than being seen as
the villain.
The Deputy Premier said that the public service
in Namibia needs to do more work to enhance
ethics. “We must seriously look into the
codes of conduct available, and address their
shortcomings. Where we do not have codes
of conduct, it is important to develop them, to
assist public servants to deliver an ethic’s driven
public service,” she added.
To assist public servants in service delivery, a
pocket guide and an electronic handbook were
designed by the Office of the Prime Minister
councillors and media practitioners and houses
to give their support to the enumerators in
the quest to seek candid responses from
the people. The questionnaires also seek to
determine the relevance of information that the
Ministry disseminate country-wide, direction
on preferred languages in which different
communities want to receive the information
and get information on how the Ministry can
cater for the needs of people with disabilities.
The survey probes on what media is accessible
to the people, how to ensure that people have
access to the Information, Communication
Technologies (ICTs), how the Ministry can
improve its system of information gathering
and dissemination, to determine accessibility to
affordable ICTs and training opportunities, the
to serve as tools. Customer service charters
have also been developed as some of the
commitments and promises the government
pledged to our citizens to promote a high
level of integrity to serve the people better. A
customer service charter is one way of making
the users aware of the standard of service they
can expect from offices, ministries and agencies
and what to do if the service is not rendered as
promised.
Hon. Amathila said that the government needs
to continuously re-examine and modify existing
structures, policies, procedures, practices, and
technologies in use, to align the enablers to the
ethos of efficiency, effectiveness, accountability
and ethical public service delivery. Since the
previous celebrations of the African Day of
Public Service and Administration, the country
has embarked upon a number of public service
reform initiatives, such as the Performance
Management System (PMS) aimed at improving
service delivery in the public sector, while
enabling the public service to become efficient,
effective and accountable. The PMS allows the
government to improve communication on the
roles and relations between the various agencies
to articulate achievements. Government
ministries and agencies have also embarked
upon establishing strategic plans using the
balanced scorecard framework to measure their
work to the national development plans, as well
as Vision 2030.
The Namibian public service has been recognized
across Africa and as a result, the country is
tasked to organise both the continental and
the SADC Africa Day of Public Service and
Administration.
11
Mrs. Loini-Nyanyukweni Katoma, former
Permanent Secretary of MIB signing the
agreement with UNAM Vice-Chancellor
Continues on page 13
 Government Information Bulletin August 2007
Etosha Centenary - Grand milestone of
a great jewel
The celebration of 100 years for Etosha National Park this year is a clear testimony of Namibia’s commitment to nature
conservation and protection of ecological biodiversity for current and future generations.
Hon. Leon Jooste, Deputy Minister of
Environment and Tourism
D eputy Minister of Environment and Tourism,
Leon Jooste said in an exclusive interview
that the celebration of the centenary was a
decision by Government to showcase one of the
country’s resounding success stories.
“The Etosha centenary carries symbolic
significance showcasing Namibia’s success
story in conservation,” said Jooste. The Deputy
Minister, who is actively involved in organising
the centenary activities, described Etosha as
an embodiment of sustainable development.
According to him the Park is a great asset for
the Namibian people in realising their long term
social and economic growth. The Park gives
impetus to economic development and revenue
generation for the broader economy. Jooste
observed that “the Park provides a life changing
experience and is a major stimulus for tourism
growth in the country”.
12 “Article 95 (l) of the Namibian Constitution makes
provision for the “maintenance of ecosystems,
essential ecological processes and biological
diversity of Namibia and utilisation of living
natural resources on a sustainable basis for
the benefit of all Namibians, both present and
future….”
The Ministry of Environment and Tourism
resolved last year to observe the Centenary of
Etosha National Park to deepen awareness of
the contribution of parks in general to economic
growth and job creation. Parks contribute
between N$1 and N$2 billion to the Gross
Domestic Product (GDP) and as such are regarded
as an engine stimulating economic growth
and assisting in the achievement of National
Development Goals and the attainment of Vision
2030 targets as articulated “ namely to ensure
the development of Namibia’s ‘natural capital’
and its sustainable utilisation, for the benefit of
the country’s social, economic and ecological
well-being. The Centenary year of Etosha has
ushered new innovations into the Ministry and
drawn the attention of all Namibians to the role
of protected areas and the economic importance
of tourism. This momentum is imperative in
recognising one of the major income spinners
for the economy. Exposure of Etosha to the
domestic and internal markets is central toward
optimal use of Namibia’s favourable environment
for tourism as an untapped destination. Namibia
has maintained peace and tranquillity for 17
years since independence. The country has one
of the best infrastructures in the region, including
a good road network, reliable communication
facilities and state of the art information and
technology infrastructure, such as mobile
communication and internet.
While tourism is considered to be recording
remarkable growth, there is opportunity to
accelerate this growth which in return will
yield positive investment in the private sector,
unlocking vast economic potential. This will be an
impetus for economic growth and diversification
of economic activities for a sound future. “Our
parks should become an asset not a liability.
If we fail to turn our parks into assets and we
allow them to become an economic burden, then
we are failing to balance the economic scale,”
Jooste said. “Essentially this will render the parks
as non-viable entities in return reinforcing the
perception that they are not worthy of public
funding nor private investment,” the Deputy
Minister added.
“It is good timing for Namibia. It is part of our
long-term strategy and obviously it gives a
wonderful momentum that can be sustained
toward the World Cup in South Africa in 2010
and beyond.” Etosha National Park serves as a
reservoir for conserving natural resources, some
of which had become extinct or endangered
and are protected under the Namibian and
international statutes.
Namibia contributes significantly to global
conservation by protecting some of the world’s
fragile areas and species. The conservation of
natural resources and biodiversity is not only a
legacy for Namibians citizens but for the rest of
the world. As such, Namibia is globally renowned
and recognised as one of the leading success
stories in displaying vision and promoting
sustainable conservation techniques through
programmes such as Community Based Natural
Resource Management (CBNRM), which has
resulted in projects such as Community Based
Tourism Enterprises (CBTE), communal area
conservancies, community forests programmes
and the recently launched Wildlife Breeding
Stock Loan Scheme.
The Park is further promoting co-management and
devolution of benefits from economic activities of
the Etosha to neighbouring communities. Etosha
is not only benefiting neighbouring communities,
but neighbouring private sector initiatives.
Currently there is new investment flowing in
the private entities around Etosha National Park
resulting in major expansions of tourism facilities
in and around the Park. For the Ministry, the
centenary has been a unifying factor. “We are
all part of Etosha, all of us have some form of
involvement and we are celebrating this collective
achievement,” said Jooste. The Deputy Minister
is of the opinion that Etosha National Park has
come of age and hence the time is right to attract
more investment, particularly from Government
appropriation as a flagship park and catalyst to
economic emancipation of the Namibian people.
“It is extremely embarrassing that our parks
remain under-funded and have to survive on
meager resources,” the Deputy lamented,
confessing that parks are expensive to manage.
He stressed there was an urgency to invest
in them and to turn them from loss-making
entities to profit-making ventures and to realise
their economic value. The year-long Centenary
celebration is characterised by various rare
activities including the moonlight walks in the
Pan scheduled for August which is proving to
be a popular product. The Ministry, through its
UNDP/GEF-funded Strengthening the Protected
Area Network (SPAN) project, is rolling out
activities such as the first ever recycling project
in the Park and an exhibition of artworks and
artifacts of Etosha.
A grand commemorative ceremony is planned
for Namutoni in September, during which His
Excellency the President Hifikepunye Pohamba ,
who is also Patron of the event, , will deliver a
keynote address. The Founding President and
Father of the Namibian Nation, Dr Sam Nujoma
and the Right Honourable Prime Minister, Nahas
Angula, as well as all chambers of State will be
represented at this high profile ceremony.
Milestones within a milestone. For the first time
in the history of the Ministry, an award ceremony
was organised in July to recognise the women
and men who have contributed immensely
to the prestigious profile of Etosha and other
conservation efforts around the country. The
Centenary event was also showcased in various
international arenas, such as the ITB in Germany
and the Indaba in South Africa. At the recently
held Tourism Expo in Windhoek, Etosha Centenary
was an integral focus of various stands.
The Park also brought together scientists and
researchers at the Etosha Centennial Symposium
in June to review research work and scientific
undertakings done on Etosha over years and to
agree on future areas of deserving priorities. One
of the continuous activities featured are SPAN’s
Park Talks, which encourage public information
sharing and provide a platform for dialogue on a
bi-monthly basis. These are gaining in popularity
with stakeholders in tourism and conservation
circles and interested members of the public. The
Etosha Centenary has become a major symbol
of nation building, economic growth and social
justice.

Lighting up villages despite shortage in
electricity generation capacity
One of the amenities that drive people from rural to urban areas is the benefits offered by electricity. With electricity
people draw benefits from electric lights in their efforts to defeat darkness. With electricity people are relieved from
day-to-day burdens of cooking on coal fires. The provision of electricity to communities, including rural areas has been
one of the top priorities on the government agenda.
T he Ministry of Mines and Energy is
determined to extend rural electrification
to remote rural communities. Forty five villages
received electricity in the 2006/2007 financial
year countrywide. Initiatives to decentralise
electricity distribution to regional and local
authorities’ joint ventures, Regional Electricity
Distribution (REDs), will make it easy for people
to get access to electricity.
Three out of the five REDs such as NORED,
Erongo RED and CENORED are operational and
the Southern RED and Central RED are expected
to be operational before the end of 2007.
The REDs are forms of electricity power
decentralisation into the hands of the
regional and local authority stakeholders.
The implementation of the REDs is aimed at
improving the electricity distribution network
in the country. Once the REDs are in place,
it is envisaged that the Independent Power
Home Affairs closer to the people
The Ministry of Home Affairs and Immigration is to establish sub-regional offices in all 13 region of the country in
efforts to take services to the people.
A s a first step, the Ministry has convened a
meeting of all governors that took place
at Otjiwarongo in the Otjozondjupa region
in February, this year, with the aim to consult
regional governors on its proposal to establish
sub-regional offices country-wide.
Addressing the meeting, Home Affairs and
Immigration Permanent Secretary, Mr. Samuel /
Gôagoseb, informed the regional governors that
his Ministry decided to strategically position itself
to play the supportive role that “a mother plays
in each family”.
Information Service Delivery Survey started
Continues from page 11
kind of information people want to see on the
government website.
The Minister of Information and Broadcasting,
Hon. Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, appealed
to the media to publicise the survey and
Government Information Bulletin August 2007
Producers (IPP) will be created or established to
set up and operate electricity power generating
facilities to sell electricity to consumers.
REDs help local authorities to limit bureaucracies
existing at regional and local authority levels.
They help to ease the process of payment
of electricity accounts, increase efficiency in
attending to electricity black-outs, enhance the
ability to meet electricity bill payments, lessen
surcharge problems and increase prospects
of power emanating from the existence of
Independent Power Production.
REDs will not only benefit regional and local
authorities in terms of providing electricity, but
also by providing jobs to local communities.
The ventures will also benefit communities in
terms of providing low cost incentives resulting
from the creation of generation capacity and
elimination of disparities in the electricity power
sourcing as their capabilities will be standardised
The Ministry will identify and establish two fixed
sub-regional offices and mobile registration
areas in each region from where it will render
efficient and effective civic affairs services.
In accordance with the policy of decentralisation,
the Ministry will carry the function of civic affairs
to the rural people, ensure that every person
above the ages of 16 is registered and holds a
national identity and that every Namibian child is
registered at birth and given identity on national
records.
The involvement of the regional councils will be
to help identify some of the ongoing projects
to sensitise and motivate the population to
cooperate with the enumerators, calling on
all NBC language services to disseminate
information on the survey to ensure that the
information reaches all corners of the country.
and modernised through these joint ventures.
Efforts are being made to alleviate power
shortage in the country to prevent the country
from running out of generation capacity.
The Ministry of Mines and Energy continues to
find ways and means to develop the Kudu Gas
project and negotiations are underway between
Namibia and Angola through the Permanent
Joint Technical Commission (PJTC) to develop
the Baynes Hydro Scheme.
Currently, Namibia relies on imported electricity
from South Africa. Since SADC countries are
faced with shortages in electricity generation
capacity, Namibia is also in a vulnerable position
and may be affected negatively.
“It might be necessary for us to make some
tough choices in future to ensure adequacy,
reliability and security of power supply to the
country,” Minister Nghitina remarked.
in the region with which the Ministry of Home
Affairs and Immigration could closely cooperate
to avoid duplication and enhance synergy.
Regional Councils will also provide office space
for the establishment of the envisaged sub-
regional offices.
The Ministry will purchase mobile registration
trucks to supplement the existing regional and
sub-regional offices.
13
The regional governors applauded the Ministry’s
initiative to bring the services closer to people,
adding that such a move was long over due and
it is a welcome relief.
It is expected that the findings of the survey
will guide the Ministry on how to gather,
process and disseminate government
information to meet the needs of the majority
of Namibians.
 Government Information Bulletin August 2007
A decent shelter preserves dignity
“Let us together share a dream of an Africa free from huts and shacks as shelters but rather reliable homes being
championed by the poor people themselves. I personally pledge to work hard to ensure that this dream becomes a
reality.” These were the words of the Minister of Regional and Local Government, Housing and Rural Development,
Hon. John Pandeni, in his opening speech at the Workshop on Access to Land Incremental Housing Development by
the Poor held in Harare, Zimbabwe in June 2007.
T he workshop was attended by representatives
from shack dwellers and slum organisations
from the Southern African Development
Community countries set to commit themselves
to the welfare and wellbeing of the urban and
rural poor. Sharing the Namibian experience with
the audience, Hon. Pandeni noted that Namibia
realised immediately after independence that
the housing sector displayed the most acute
disparities between rural and urban areas and
between population groups, with the poor
having hardly an opportunity to own a house.
He said the apartheid system made no effort to
invest in housing for the African majority in rural
areas. He added that the government initiated
the process of providing decent housing for
all Namibians starting with the build-together
programme aimed at assisting the low-income
groups to have their own houses through low
interest loans.
By 2002 the National Housing Enterprise (NHE)
had constructed 12 666 affordable houses in 36
urban centres and had been tasked by Cabinet
to construct houses for the former Robben
Island prisoners, commanders of the Peoples
Liberation Army of Namibia (PLAN) and people
who were brutalised by the apartheid regime.
“As a government, we also undertook to embark
on housing programmes that are receptive to the
needs of our people in terms of affordability and
Kalkrand Community opens centre of
empowerment
The Kalkrand Community has opened a new centre that is expected to serve the people from the Hardap region,
especially from Rehoboth Rural as a forum for various development activities.
14 T he centre was inaugurated by the
Governor of the Hardap Region,
Hon. Katrina Hanse–Himarwa, on behalf
of the Minister of Gender Equality and
Child Welfare, Hon. Marlene Mungunda.
The Community Centre, which is the initiative
of the people of Kalkrand, is a haven through
which the people of the region will tap
knowledge through training workshops and will
serve as an empowerment place for orphans
and vulnerable children (OVC). The centre
will be open to all residents for any activities
taking place in the community like workshops,
conferences, meetings and also weddings.
The centre will operate in association with
the Community Library Service under the
auspices of the Ministry of Education, and it
will also accommodate staff members of the
Ministry of Home Affairs and Immigration,
twice a week, to work on national documents.
accessibility. We will also continue to mobilise
resources, with special emphasis on low cost
housing, so as to fast-track the construction of
affordable houses in rural towns, villages and
settlements,” the Minister said.
He noted that the provision of serviced plots
to increase access to housing in towns, villages
and settlements through the programme
of decentralisation is central to housing
initiatives.
The government is assisting the Shack Dwellers
Federation of Namibia (SDFN) to realise
its dream of building houses for the lower
income groups in the Namibian society. The
government contributes N$1 million to the
Twahangana Fund and is currently reviewing
the amount with the aim to improve it. SDFN
is working closely with the South Africans and
Zimbabweans and together have created links
with other organisations in Kenya, Zambia and
Zimbabwe.
Hon. Pandeni confirmed that informal shelter
development in urban areas in Namibia are not
without challenges. He said that a larger portion
of households in urban areas do not have secure
tenure yet, mainly because they cannot afford
the costs of developing land the formal way,
and the smaller local authorities do not have
funds or capacity to develop the land. “As long
The Minister advised the Community to
take the centre as their own property and to
serve voluntarily as custodians of the centre,
urging the community to devote their time
on planning for better lives rather than using
their time fighting and destroying one another.
She expressed her profound gratitude to the
Kalkrand Village Council for donating the land
on which the centre is constructed. “This
has been very encouraging, seeing the local
authorities removing cost barriers that delay
the setting up of decentralised services,’’ said
the Minister. She encouraged them and other
local authorities to continue delivering services
with open-mindedness and dedication, calling
on local councillors to have great vision to make
Kalkrand attractive and a fast growing town.
She added: ‘’as we rejoice in our collective
achievement of the successful construction
as land with basic services is not accessible and
affordable to such a large portion of the urban
dwellers, they will continue to be vulnerable,
living in unhealthy conditions and remain poor.
It is obvious thus that their dreams will only be
realised if we in government provide affordable
land and give the necessary support to their
processes. Without this support, their good
efforts will be meaningless, and we intend to
combine efforts with all stakeholders to ensure
that we achieve secure land tenure required
to improve the lives of shack dwellers in our
country,” the Minister explained.
The Minister told the audience that the SDFN
in Namibia has a success story behind it as
members continue to display responsibility in
the manner they save their money and pay for
their services. He said that they complete their
houses and they are also supporting pensioners,
sick people in their saving groups and they are
busy building the capacity of less privileged in
Namibia to manage money, encouraging regular
payments although it is not an easy task among
the poor.
Hon. Pandeni urged the government of countries
where shack dwellers federations operate,
including private sectors to support and rally
behind the development efforts initiated by the
poor themselves to enable them to continue
their work and succeed in their efforts.
of this much-needed centre, we must not
ignore the desperate deplorable situation
of our needy communities, especially
the plight of women and children must
be accentuated at such national events’’.
Hon. Mungunda observed that despite the visible
progress made in recent years with policy and
legislative arrangements on national level, it was
disheartening to see that most of the children
and women continued to be vulnerable as they
were the poorest among the poor. She indicated
that in many cases the women are faced with
obstacles and barriers of discrimination in the
societies. ‘’It is, therefore, high time for all of us
to renew our efforts and take appropriate action
with the sole objective of improving the welfare
of our children, placing them at the forefront
of our development initiatives,’’ she advised.
The Minister said the Ministry is fully aware
of the numerous kindergartens and feeding
Continues on page 15
 Government Information Bulletin August 2007

Accountability and transparency needed in all

government business
To practice true democracy, the government sees transparency and accountability as values that contribute towards
the attainment of prosperity. In democracy, openness is crucial. The government is accountable to the people it serves
and acts on behalf. People have the right to know what the government is doing. The government operations follow
ethics that serves the interests of the people who elected it into power.

T he electorate often wants to know how

their institutions operate. In democracy,
people have the right to be informed of assets
acquired and disposed off. The people witness
presentations of gifts to members of the
executive, legislative and judiciary by individuals,
private and international organizations. It is not
uncommon that people begin to insinuate that
the gifts given to the office bearers become their
possessions. Sometimes the electorate become
suspicious of these kinds of deals, thinking that
the people they put into power enrich themselves
by receiving gifts from various sources.
Gifts are given as a token of appreciation of
the performance of institutions or individuals
who work in those institutions. For those who
chose to give gifts or chose to make these
presentations as a matter of courtesy and
civility, they have criteria that they use to decide
whether to give a gift or what kind of gift to be
given to a person, institution or organization. As
a courtesy and appreciation of other people’s
performance, the Namibian government also
presents gifts to individuals and institutions
elected to be exemplary or otherwise.
Since one of the functions of the President is to
promote trade and investment within and outside,
it sometimes happens that gifts are given to him.
As a transparent and accountable
government, the Namibian
Government has put a mechanism in
place to account for such gifts. The
Office of the President, specifically
the State House maintains a register
of gifts in which all gifts given to the
President are recorded regardless
of their value so that every gift
is accounted for. Speaking in the
National Assembly during the
2007/2008 budget presentation, Dr.
Albert Kawana, Minister of Presidential
Affairs, said, “the President does
not choose gifts that are given to
him and such gifts are accepted as
a matter of courtesy and civility.”
Every gift presented to the President is recorded and kept as
Dr. Kawana said that arrangements State property
have already been made at the new
State House complex to display
some of the selected gifts in a public place procedures governing gifts to members of
specifically designed for the purpose. This, parliament are the same rules that apply to
he said, is intended to ensure transparency, the executive members. “Currently there is
honesty and accountability, adding that an obligation to disclose, during the reporting
apart from accounting for the gifts received, period, all gifts or free services rendered from a
the Office of the President also accounts single source whose value exceed N$1000.00,”
for the gifts given to other dignitaries. Dr Kawana noted adding that the Executive
has put in place, just like parliament, sufficient
Exchanging gifts is a long standing practice, controls to ensure that there is no abuse of gifts
not only in Namibia but worldwide. Rules and and other free services rendered to its members.

Kalkrand Community opens centre of empowerment

Continues from page 14

schemes in and around Kalkrand, which are

supporting the children by providing food,
clothing and other basic amenities. ‘’It is
my conviction that all of you, collectively,
will use this facility to its full capacity
to maximise the beneficial services you
already provide in this regard. This centre,
in particular, must become the light house
for this community,’’ Hon. Mungunda said.
If this centre is used efficiently and
effectively, said the Minister, it will enable
the users to earn the much needed
income and be empowered for economic
independence, adding that the centre
will provide people with the opportunity to
have equal access to business opportunities
leading to better living conditions.
The construction of the Kalkrand Community
Centre constitutes a major contribution to
the improvement of the condition of women
and the community at large. It is expected
that the centre’s proper use will enhance
the inherent strengths, including the capacity
for self-sustaining activities. The Minister
advised the community: ‘’we must guard
against artificial divisions in our communities.
We must guard against exclusion and work
toward unity of purpose in all circumstances’’.
She is strongly convinced that when people
work together in strong partnerships, they
are able to bring about positive changes in
their lives. ‘’Our ultimate goal is to ensure a
comprehensive development that includes and
involves all sectors of society, ensuring social
justice, preservation of human dignity and the
fulfilment of the rights of each and everyone,
both male and female,” added the Minister.
She called upon members of the Hardap region
to ensure that they join hands and work in
harmony, peace and love to get the winning end
results and make the centre a place of victory and
success. The building was constructed at a cost
of N$2 650 million, including feasibility studies,
the documentation phase, construction and
furniture. She emphasised that it is only
15
when the community and government joined
hands that one could ensure that the centre’s
engine run on all cylinders, thereby bringing
about visible development to the area.
The Minister expressed concern about
buildings that deteriorate while in the
hands of communities, noting that any
developmental project that is not cared for
and maintained by the community, faces the
risk of being run down in a short time. She
urged the centre users to consider and initiate
sustainable income generating activities
and to guard against vandalism and other
activities of criminal nature. ‘’The Centre has
to be preserved for future generations and
must, therefore, be used in a manner that
contributes to the development of the Kalkrand
Community, in particular, and the Hardap
region at large,’’ concluded the Minister.
 Government Information Bulletin August 2007
Use of ICTs, a “miracle,” says Nandi-Ndaitwah
Information and Broadcasting Minister Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah says the use of Information and Communication
Technologies (ICTs) is known to have immeasurable power to affect change in the way business should be done.
“It is not new to hear or read that lives are being
saved through e-medicine, that agricultural
production is benefiting from e-agriculture and
that new worlds unfold for learners that are
exposed to e-education,” she said. “
She stressed that e-government is also known
to have improved service delivery and enhanced
communication. “The new ICTs are truly a
miracle,” she emphasised.
The Minister made these remarks at a two-
day National Conference on ICTs for Poverty
Reduction and Sustainable Development, on
2 August 2007 in Windhoek. Namibia also
hosted an ICT team, led by the South African
Minister of Communications, Dr. Ivy Matsepe-
Casaburri to learn from their experience during
the conference.
The conference looked at the ICT status,
challenges and revised the country’s ICT
Policy in an effort to realise Namibia’s vision
of a knowledge-based and technology driven
nation.
It also identified ways in which ICT can
contribute to poverty reduction and sustainable
development and how they can assist the
country in achieving Vision 2030.
Nandi-Ndaithwah said Namibia is committed to
the development of human capacity and the
Namibia and Italy sign animal health
agreement
Dr. Nickey Iyambo, Minister of Agriculture, Water and Forestry and Dr. Amaldo Abeti, Italy’s Ambassador to Namibia,
recently signed a technical agreement on cooperation in the veterinary field between the two countries.
16 T he agreement aims at strengthening
cooperation in the field of veterinary medicine
with a view to keep infectious diseases under
control and to assure the safety of animal food,
considering the mutual interest for extended
trade in live animals and products.
Dr. Iyambo reaffirmed the Government’s
commitment to animal health. “Animal health
is an important aspect in Namibia and I hope
that the signing of this agreement is the start of
good things to come,” said Dr. Iyambo adding
that since Namibia is still a young country
which needs assistance to develop further, this
agreement comes at the appropriate time.
creation of ICT applications and digital content
in local languages to ensure a comprehensive
approach to building a Global Information
Society. “Namibia has done a lot to ensure the
implementation of the Policy and the promotion
of ICTs in the country since the adoption of the
country’s ICT Policy in 2002, she added”.
She commended the Office of the Minister
for working on the e-Governance project with
conviction that it will enable the Government
to improve service delivery to the Namibian
people, especially those communities in remote
rural areas.
The Minister said to achieve its goals and
objectives, Namibia must have strategies for
the development of local content, for poverty
reduction and for the implementation of the
Information and Communication Technologies
(ICTs) Policy.
“The challenges are many in the deployment
of ICTs and the time we have is little, because
each day wasted widens the knowledge gap
and the digital divide”, she said adding that with
cooperation such hurdles can be overcome.”
Nandi-Ndaitwah was delighted that Namibia
has reached consensus on the need for an
independent ICT regulatory authority and that
the issue was debated at length during the
workshop on the drafting of the Information
Communication Bill, on 25 July 2007.
Speaking at the same occasion, Dr. Otto Huebchle,
the State Veterinarian said that Namibia would
benefit from the Italian experience, since she is
closer to list A of the animal health of the World
Health Organisation.
The agreement, amongst others, will ensure
the facilitation of the exchange of information
on animal health and hygiene aspects relating
to production and processing of animal origins,
exchange of bacterial and viral strains used
for manufacturing biological products and the
organisation of training courses also through
The ICT conference recognised the need for
the implementation of compulsory computer
classes in schools and agreed that the
Internet domain registration issue needs to be
resolved and well regulated. The conference
also noted the significance of increased and
better communication between players in the
communication field and the government.
The Minister called on stakeholders to submit
the full report of the conference to her office
as soon as possible to accelerate the process
of the production of a balanced and vibrant ICT
Policy.
She said the implementation and roll-out of ICT
countrywide is expensive and cumbersome, but
the ICT sector is cross-cutting and every sector
has to find the best ways of using ICT to help it
meet the challenges in a globalised world.
The Minister said ICT is a crucial tool in
achieving the eight millennium development
goals aimed at among others the eradication
of extreme hunger and poverty and combating
HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases.
She, however, said Namibia needs advice,
technical and financial assistance from developed
countries and international organisations in
rolling-out ICT infrastructure.
the use of web-based technology.
“Due to its political stability and infrastructure,
Namibia is a vital centre in the region for the
Italian Government to get access to and I hope
that my successor would continue to implement
this agreement,” said Dr. Abeti during the
signing ceremony.
The agreement came into force on 27 June
2007 and is valid for five years. It will be
renewed for a further five years if none of the
parties nullifies it.
 Government Information Bulletin August 2007

Conference addressed ICT development in the

country

17

(From left) Information and Broadcasting Permanent Secretary, Mbeuta Ua-Ndjarakana, Minister Netumbo Nandi-
Ndaitwah, Prime Minister Nahas Angula, South Africa’s Minister for Communications, Dr. Ivy Matsepe-Casaburri
and Namibia’s Deputy Minister of Information and Broadcasting, Raphael Dinyando.
 Government Information Bulletin August 2007
Centre to rescue and search for lost and
sinking vessels established
Namibia and its coastal Southern African neighbours including South Africa, Mozambique, Madagascar, Angola and
the Comoros have signed a multilateral agreement on search and rescue services in Southern Africa resulting in the
inauguration of a maritime Search and Rescue Coordination Centre in March 2007 at Walvis Bay.
T he centre is aimed at coordinating
emergency operations as well as receiving
maritime safety information between ships and
shores to enhance safety of both cargo and
fishing vessels in the regional waters.
As a response to liberalised global trade
and efficient exploitation of offshore natural
resources, there is a need to create a conducive
environment for increased maritime traffic.
The centre has been long overdue due to
the accidents that have been occurring in the
Namibian waters in recent years. The Ministry
considers the creation of the centre as one of
the priorities the Ministry of Works, Transport
and Communications is addressing.
The worrisome incidents that have occurred in
the Namibian waters include the sinking of the
Moeb Bay vessel on 7 June 2002 in the Luderïtz
area. In the incident 19 crew members died
with 12 bodies recovered, 7 still missing and
only 9 surviving the ordeal.
Namibians would still recall the collision between
a container vessel, Umfolozi and Ingwenya that
took place close to the port of Walvis Bay on 16
September 2005.
Eenhana gets historical Shrine for war victims
Continues from page 1
evidence as to where the corpses were
buried. It has also not been established as
to where members of the Koevoet killed in
18 battles were buried. The study also learnt
that people were arrested from their homes
and taken into the SADF military base and
were never seen again. “They were believed
to have been tortured to death and their
bodies were never brought to their families,”
the study stated.
Residents of Eenhana and surrounding areas
suffered the brutality of SADF and have
appealed to the government to look into their
plight, as some of them were left homeless
and lost some of or all members of their
families during the course of the liberation
struggle.
Although not released, a long list of names of
people who suffered traumas was provided to
the National Heritage Council, including that
of a lady who lost four of her children and
her husband at the hands of the apartheid
Although there was no life lost in this incident, it
caused pollution on the shore. These incidents
involving sinking of fishing vessels, fire on
board and collisions between vessels have left
a dark cloud hanging over Namibia’s maritime
safety record.
This prompted the Ministry of Works, Transport
and Communication to establish a search and
rescue coordination centre to cater for both
national and international needs at sea, as well
as between sea and shore and to strengthen
regional cooperation in the area of maritime
search and rescue operations.
As party to a number of international
conventions, including Convention on Safety of
Life at Sea (SOLAS) of 1074/78, the Convention
on Search and Rescue (SAR) of 1979, the
United Nations Convention on the Law of the
Sea (UNCLOS) of 1982, the 1944 Convention on
Civil Aviation and the 2000 Florence Conference
on Maritime Search and the Global Maritime
Distress and Signal System (GMDSS), Namibia
is under obligation to provide SAR services to
the people and vessels in need of such services
within the area of responsibility.
Speaking at the signing of the agreement
and the inauguration of the centre, Hon. Joël
machinery. The lady is still alive and still lives
in the town of Eenhana and was one of the
respondents of the study.
“Respondents further stated that the SADF used
to go into southern Angola to steal cattle and
drive them into the Eenhana military base. It
was also said that some members of the civilian
population have been seen going into that
military camp in pursuit of their stolen cattle,
but that no one ever saw them coming out,”
narrated the report findings.
The study found that people welcomed the
erection of the Regional Shrine at Eenhana, as
they feel that it is a recognition that will bring
them closer to the government. “We are happy
that our government has not forgotten about
our suffering, and our role and our contribution
to the liberation struggle”, stated the report
quoting the respondents.
The Shrine is envisaged to be a memorial symbol
of the liberation struggle in multi-dimensional
Kaapanda, Minister of Works, Transport and
Communication said that he was aware that
regional co-operation is crucial to the success
of international trade, to which maritime
transport is a key factor. “I am confident that
the establishment of a Maritime Search and
Rescue Coordination Centre for the Southern
African region would contribute significantly to
both regional and international trade.
This is a positive sign for ports like Walvis Bay
which is increasingly becoming a regional hub,”
the Minister added.
Some Namibian vessels are already equipped
with GMDSS communication equipment on
board to ensure better communication via the
centre. Minister Kaapanda urged those vessels
that have not yet complied with the regulation
to do so as soon as possible.
The Minister imparted the message of hope to
those involved in the maritime operations to
allow no loss of life at sea because of lack of
communication. He said: “Companies should
ensure that crew members are properly trained
and that exercises and drills are regularly
conducted as required by law. They should
ensure that every radio operator on board
the vessel is properly trained and certified to
operate the GMDSS.”
aspects, including the acknowledgement
of the courage of PLAN combatants and
the civilian population which supported
them. The Shrine will not only be used as
a venue for the commemoration of national
days, especially those that are linked to the
liberation struggle but will also be used as an
educational centre for learners and teachers
to engage in knowledge transfer. A museum
display centre will also be erected to ensure
that complete information about the site and
what it represents is provided.
The site will also be used as a regional tourist
and visitors’ attraction and the place will be
developed to satisfy the needs of visitors to the
site. The Eenhana Town Council has provided
a piece of land, free of charge, on which to
develop infrastructure for entertainment such
as a souvenir shop, a kiosk or restaurant, a
children’s play ground and an open space
with a terraced seating for the public to use
during the commemoration of national days
to add value to the site.

Twyfelfontein: now a World heritage site
Once a small dot on the Namibian map, Twyfelfontein, in the Kunene region, has not only become the
country’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site, but is expected to popularise Namibia and attract tourists
from all over the world to admire the thousands of historical rock art at the site.
T wyfelfontein was registered as a UNESCO
World Heritage Site in June 2007.
The function which took place in New Zealand’s
Christ-Church, was attended by, among others,
Namibia’s Minister of Youth, National Service,
Sport and Culture, John Mutorwa, Permanent
Secretary, Dr. Peingondjabi Shipoh and the
Environment and Tourism Deputy Minister,
Leon Jooste, to present the final proposal for
Twyfelfontein to become a UNESCO World
Heritage Site.
The delegation also included the National
Heritage Council (NHC) Director, Karl Aribeb,
Chief Justus Garoeb of Damaraland, in which
Twyfelfontein is located and a technical team.
Aribeb noted that the process of preparing
the proposal for Twyfelfontein to be inscribed
as World Heritage Site was cumbersome but
worthwhile.
A country which intends to nominate a candidate
site for inscription must first accede to the
World Heritage Convention of 1972. A country
- party to the Convention is then required to
identify candidate sites and draw a tentative list
for submission to the World Heritage Council.
The country must have a committee to oversee
the process.
Once the nominations are complete, the
country has to compile two motivational
documents; the Nomination Dossier and the
Property Management Plan, for submission to
UNESCO. In the Nomination Dossier a state
party must state, in writing, why the property
must be inscribed as a World Heritage Site and
demonstrate the outstanding universal value
of the property. A nominating member country
is also required to proof the authenticity of
the property and demonstrate how the site in
question will be managed. While the Property
Management Plan must answer questions
relating to the management of a site, the
Nomination Dossier must indicate whether the
Twyfelfontein rock art
Government Information Bulletin August 2007
By Rhingo Mutambo
site is protected under any National Legislation
and whether it has a proclaimed “Buffer Zone”
or a demarcated area of jurisdiction to control
intrusive business developments. Twyfelfontein
has a defined buffer zone and is protected
under the National Heritage Act, section 54.
Twyfelfontein has a buffer zone of 9194 hectares,
and it has a core area of 57.4 hectares where
most of the administrative work takes place. It
comprises of visitor’s facilities, an information
centre, a reception, toilets, a kiosk and viewing
platforms.
Illegal grazing and establishment of tourist
developments in the core area of the site is
prohibited to prevent damage to the rock panels,
the status of the shrine and avoid interference
with the visitors’ space. There are seven lodges
within the Twyfelfontein buffer zone.
Twyfelfontein is situated in a transitional zone
between the Namib desert and the semi-arid
area in the Kunene region. It has rock paintings
which date back to between 2000 and 3000
years. Mr. Karl Aribeb showing the demarcation of the
“Buffer Zone” on the Twyfelfontein map.
The site comprises roughly 2 500 rock
engravings on 212 slabs of rock, as well as 13 plant, a drought resistant plant that grows mostly
panels containing a number of rock paintings, in the Namib desert and the Fish River Canyon,
including the prehistoric rock carvings, with one of the world’s largest canyon’s, which
over 2 000 figures documented. can also be nominated for the World Heritage
monuments in future.
Urging all the stakeholders to be committed
and dedicated to the maintenance of the status Aribeb was not satisfied with the low turn out
of the site, celebrating the achievement in of local visitors to Twyfelfontein. He revealed
Windhoek on 23 July 2007, Mutorwa reiterated that only 5% of local tourists visit the area as
that “it was a challenge to reach the top, but it compared to the 95% international visitors.
is more challenging to remain at the top”. “If
we are de-registered from the World Heritage UNESCO recommended that Namibia need to
register, it will be an embarrassment to the consider hiring a rock art expert to monitor
nation. It has to be a national effort to remain the rock art panels, train staff at the site and
there,” he added. undertake assessments on the transformation of
rock panels to ensure that they are well preserved.
The NHC is working on another four sites, Twyfelfontein has 15 trained tour guides paid by
including Brandberg mountain area, located the NHC from the income generated from the 19
south of the Namib desert, the Welwitschia site.
Visitors at Twyfelfontein Twyfelfontein rock engravings
 Government Information Bulletin August 2007
hishongwa appointed Nam’s diplomatic envoy
to Botswana
Former Deputy Minister of Higher Education, Training and Employment Creation and SWAPO veteran Hadino Hishongwa
was appointed as Namibia’s new High Commissioner-Designate to the Republic of Botswana, on 25 July 2007.
H adino has accumulated many years of
diplomatic experience while serving as
SWAPO Representative in a number of regions
including East Africa, West Africa, the Nordic
countries, Austria and West Germany, as well
as to Australia and the Pacific, at different times
from 1972 to 1987. He also served as SWAPO
Secretary for Youth from 1987 to 1992.
After Namibia’s independence, he served the
country in many capacities in the Government.
He was a member of the National Assembly from
1990 to 2005. He served as Deputy Minister
of Labour and Human Resources Development
from 1990 to 1995, Deputy Minister of Lands,
Resettlement and Rehabilitation from 1995 to
1997, Deputy Minister of Youth from 1997 to
2000 and Deputy Minister of Higher Education,
Training and Employment Creation from 2000
and 2005.
Commissioning Hadino as Namibia’s new Head
of Mission in Botswana, President Hifikepunye
Pohamba said his mission there should be
another step in expanding and consolidating the
bilateral relations between the two countries.
He expressed happiness that Namibia and
Botswana are currently working together
on the establishment of fibre optic access to
broadband satellite communication and the
establishment of a dry dock space at Walvis
Bay to facilitate the movement of goods to and
from the landlocked neighbouring country is
well under way.
20
Hishongwa commissioned High Commissioner to Botswana
Pohamba said Hishongwa is one of the trusted
veterans and field commanders of the People’s
Liberation Army of Namibia, (PLAN), who
fought for Namibia’s independence during the
struggle.
He assured the nation that he has no doubt
that Hishongwa will perform the task assigned
to him diligently, wisely with dignity and with
the same vigour that he had shown during his
years of service to the people and Government
of the Republic of Namibia.
The President said Namibia and Botswana have
enjoyed close ties of friendship and co-operation
for many years, adding that Botswana rendered
invaluable material and diplomatic support
during Namibia’s struggle for freedom and
independence. They hosted many Namibians
who were forced to leave their motherland to
go into exile.
“Today, our two countries are working together,
not only at the bilateral level, but also as good
neighbours and as members of SADC and
the African Union. We share common views
on many issues, such as the socio-economic
integration of our region and on international
aspects, including the reform of the United
Nations system as guided by the African
Common Position,” he emphasised.
President Pohamba further pointed out that
there is also an increasing level of co-operation
in the field of education between Namibia and
Botswana.
President and Amb. Hishongwa’s family members
He, however, said there are other areas that
should be strengthened including trade,
commerce, investment and the tourism
industry.
“The growing number of visitors crossing
the border between Namibia and Botswana
necessitates the improvement of facilities on
both sides of the common border. Concerted
efforts from both countries should be made
to promote the growth of this industry for the
mutual benefit of our peoples” he stressed.
Hence, the President used the opportunity to
announce that H.E President Festus Mogae of
the Republic of Botswana has been invited to
attend the official opening of the Mata-Mata
border post between Namibia and South Africa
in October this year.
He said the Botswana-Namibia Joint
Commission on Defence and Security
scheduled to meet in Swakopmund from 3
to 5 October 2007, coupled with the highly
successful visit to Botswana by the Chief of the
Namibian Defence Force, Lt. Gen. Martin Shalli
in April 2007, to attend the 30th celebration
of Botswana’s Defence Day, demonstrates the
excellent relations between the two countries.
Pohamba advised the High Commissioner-
Designate that the foundation has been already
laid for him to build on. He also encouraged
him to use the Namibian Constitution, and
foreign policy objectives as a guide in his
execution of duties.