Lahja Nashuuta

The Namibian Cabinet has approved the country’s first Nuclear Industry Strategy, alongside several key policy measures, including the rollout of an Online Access to Information (ATI) Tool, new cooperation agreements with Indonesia, and a housing support programme for veterans and the elderly.

Announcing the decisions at Cabinet media briefing in Windhoek yesterday, Information and Communication Technology Minister Emma Theofelus said the Nuclear Industry Strategy is designed to lay the foundation for Namibia’s entry into nuclear energy development and the beneficiation of its uranium resources.

She said the plan includes amendments to the Atomic Energy and Radiation Act of 2005 to strengthen the regulatory framework and ensure the independence of the nuclear authority. It also provides for the establishment of a Nuclear Institute of Namibia and the reassignment of the Act’s administration to the National Planning Commission for cross-sectoral coordination.

Cabinet further approved the Online ATI Data Collection Tool, intended to enhance transparency by ensuring public institutions make records more accessible. Theofelus said the tool would strengthen accountability, curb corruption, and improve trust in government.

Additionally, Cabinet endorsed a programme to rehabilitate and construct houses for veterans and the elderly, implemented through unemployed TVET graduates under cash-for-work and food-for-work schemes.

lnashuuta@nepc.com.na