National

WINDHOEK - A service level agreement signed this week between the Namibia University of Science and Technology (NUST) and the Social Security Commission (SSC) will facilitate skills training in gemology, jewellery design and entrepreneurship for the country’s unemployed youth.  The agreement, for which N$2 million has been reserved by SSC, was signed on Tuesday by Dr Tjama Tjivikua, NUST vice-chancellor (pro tem), and SSC chief executive officer, Milka Mungunda. 

SHARM EL-SHEIKH – A total of 114 parties to the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) have ratified the convention’s Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) – which calls for the fair and equitable benefit sharing arising from the commercial use of genetic resources and related traditional knowledge.

LÜDERITZ – Uukumwe Youth Empowerment Consortium (PTY) Ltd, which built and opened its Cape fur seal processing factory in Lüderitz last year with the aim of enabling the processing of seal pelts, meat, blubber and its by-products, recorded well progress for its second season since it started operating.

WINDHOEK – Six former leaders of different liberation movements from Southern Africa are meeting in Windhoek for a summit aimed at strengthening ties between their current leaders.

WINDHOEK - The University of Namibia (Unam) student who was arrested for murder earlier this year is expected to tender his preliminary plea in the matter next year.

WINDHOEK – The Ministry of Poverty Eradication and Social Welfare and the World Food Programme (WFP) country office, yesterday launched the food bank Scope technology that digitises beneficiaries’ registration and captures biometric data, enabling the ministry to serve them better. 

WINDHOEK – A former cabin crew who is accused of using Namibia’s national airline for drug dealing purposes has denied guilt when he took the stand in Windhoek Regional Court for his trial yesterday.

WINDHOEK – Prime Minister Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila on Tuesday presented the Public Service Amendment Bill to the National Assembly, which amongst others would see permanent secretaries having fixed-term contracts, renewable on satisfactory performance. 

WINDHOEK – Road accidents are costing the country’s economy N$1.3 billion, says Minister of Works and Transport, John Mutorwa. This was according to a study commissioned in 2016 by the National Road Safety Council (NRSC) and carried out by audit firm Ernst and Young.

SWAKOPMUND - The new Insolvency Bill, for which consultations are currently underway, will encourage Namibians not to be scared to take risks when it comes to business opportunities and to make use of all available legal instruments to protect their livelihoods.