馃嚦馃嚘NamibiaSouthern Africa
Namibia's sport minister meets with International Olympic Committee president to discuss sport development
via The Namibian1 min read
Sport minister Sanet Steenkamp and deputy minister of education, innovation, youth, sport, arts and culture Dino Ballotti met with International Olympic Committee president Kirsty Coventry in Lausanne, Switzerland. The Namibian delegation, which included executive members of the Namibia National Olympic Committee, discussed strengthening Namibia鈥檚 sport infrastructure, empowering athletes from grassroots to elite levels, and enhancing collaboration between the government and the NNOC. The discussions also covered institutional relations and governance, Olympic solidarity, ethics and compliance, and safeguarding in sport. These engagements are part of ongoing efforts to advance Namibia鈥檚 participation and impact within the Olympic movement and promote sport for youth development and international excellence. Before meeting Coventry, the delegation visited Namibia鈥檚 ambassador to Switzerland, Elvis Shiweda, in Geneva.
Free daily or weekly digest of the most important stories from across 18 African countries. No spam, unsubscribe any time.
This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by The Namibian.
Must ReadNamibia has been chosen to host the headquarters of the inter-continental Global Water Partnership Organisation GWPO, following an 18-month competitive selection process. Alex Simalabwi, GWPO chief executive and global water partnership executive secretary, announced this on Wednesday at the 2026 commemoration of Africa Public Service Day in Swakopmund. He highlighted Namibia's professionalism, political stability, infrastructure, leadership, and extensive experience in water management within one of the world's driest regions as key factors in its selection. Simalabwi praised the Namibia Water Corporation as a leading water utility and recognized the Gammams Water Reclamation Plant in Windhoek as a global model for sustainable water supplies in water-scarce countries. He emphasized the importance of strengthening partnerships and adopting integrated approaches for water security. The relocation of GWPO headquarters from Stockholm, Sweden, to Windhoek is expected to position Namibia as a global center for water dialogue, innovation, and knowledge sharing, creating employment opportunities, promoting skills development, and generating economic benefits. This move further solidifies Namibia's role as a global reference in water management and provides a platform to share its expertise internationally.
The Bankers Association of Namibia highlights the substantial, often overlooked, contributions of its members to the Namibian economy. These include job creation, tax payments, and investments in pension funds and the financial system. In the third quarter of 2025, the banking sector remained well-capitalized, profitable, and liquid, with total assets increasing by 3.1% to N$184.7 billion. Beyond corporate tax, the sector collects and remits pay-as-you-earn, and employees contribute VAT. Research indicates that between 2016 and 2021, the financial and insurance services industry contributed 4.2% to GDP, making it the third-largest sector. Over a longer period from 1996 to 2021, its average GDP contribution was 4.2%, ranking it fourth among tertiary industries. The Bank of Namibia reports that the financial sector, broadly defined, contributed an average of about 7.1% to the country鈥檚 GDP between 2015 and 2024. Bank loans averaged around 53% of GDP between 2011 and 2024. The total money in the economy, including cash and savings, was about 64% of GDP in 2024, higher than the sub-Saharan Africa average of 54%. The banking sector alone employs over 6,000 people, with an annual salary bill of N$1.842 billion across five major commercial banks, generating N$500 million in annual employee tax contributions. Profitable banks sustain payrolls, expand hiring, invest in digital infrastructure, and offer staff pension schemes. They also retain earnings to build capital buffers, supporti
Namibia's Police Tourism Protective Subdivision has achieved a reduction in criminal cases against tourists since February 2026, according to chief inspector Christina DaFonsech-Shikongo, head of the unit. The unit engages daily with approximately 1,035 tourists arriving from 14 international flights at Hosea Kutako International Airport, providing crime prevention tips and contact details for regional commanders. While 376 outstanding cases were carried over to the unit in February, only 57 new cases involving 20 suspects were reported by June of this year. Of these, 36 cases have been finalized, resulting in convictions and jail sentences. Robbery, previously the most common crime, has been surpassed by theft from motor vehicles, particularly at bed-and-breakfast facilities with insufficient security. Since February, the unit has recovered 37 cellphones, four laptops, one iPad, and a Gucci handbag, all stolen from tourists, and returned them to their owners. DaFonsech-Shikongo advises tourists against advance bookings and payments with unregistered car hire companies or using credit cards for services unless dealing with genuine providers. Challenges faced by the unit include language barriers with some tourists and difficulties investigating crimes by unregistered tour guides due to a lack of reliable records.