While Namibia’s relative budgetary allocations are subject to realignment over time, key development priorities for the country lie in balancing the needs of the social sector and that of the economic sector to bring about improved quality of life, economic diversification, inclusive growth and shared prosperity within an environmentally sustainable manner.
Business
Police halt illegal demonstration by vendors
A group of more than 50 angry street vendors from the Havana informal settlement on Friday demonstrated against Windhoek City Police officers, accusing them of destroying their structures.
Trustco Finance secures N$345 million loan
Trustco has informed shareholders that DEG, a development finance institution based in the Federal Republic of Germany, in association with the German Development agency, KfW Group, approved a United States Dollar denominated term loan facility to Trustco Finance.
Central bank should deliver an economy that provides prosperity – !Gawaxab
The new Governor of the Bank of Namibia, Johannes !Gawaxab believes the central bank’s mandate is not just to deliver on traditional roles such as monetary policy and financial stability, but is also about delivering on an economy that provides prosperity to the country.
Namibia’s strategy to borrow over N$21b
Namibia’s debt is projected to increase to N$117 billion, or almost 69% of GDP, while revenue will be down 14.3% compared to previous estimates for the 2020/21 financial year.
Chamber cancels 2020 Mining Expo
Following the first confirmed cases of Covid-19 in Namibia, the Chamber of Mines in Namibia cancelled its annual Mining Expo & Conference for 2020.
FNB hands over N$1.5 million toward the National Disaster Relief Fund
FNB, through the FirstRand Namibia Foundation Trust, has handed over a monetary contribution of N$1.5 million to the government in response to Covid-19 mitigation efforts.
MTC named most admired Namibian brand
Following the global release of the “2020 Brand Africa 100: Africa’s Best Brands on Africa Day”, Brand Africa, in partnership with TBWAParagon, announced Namibia’s rankings of the most admired brands. International sport and lifestyle brand Nike is the most admired brand overall, while local telecommunications giant MTC was named the most admired local brand.
Breweries urges responsible behaviour when alcohol sales reopen
Many Namibians are eagerly anticipating the lifting of the alcohol ban as the country, except Walvis bay, moves to stage 3 of the lockdown exit strategy for the next 28 days. As Namibians navigate the country’s gradual reopening, Namibia Breweries Limited (NBL) managing director Marco Wenk said there’s no doubt Covid-19 will have a lasting impact on society long after the current state of emergency and the risks associated with the pandemic are over.
Business leadership during a crisis
Merriam-Webster defines a crisis as “an unstable or difficult time or state of affairs”. It is unplanned or uncontrolled change. During times of crisis, leadership is critical. While the existing economic crisis caused by Covid-19 is unprecedented, small businesses have historically proved themselves to be flexible and resilient.