Day: June 6, 2023

inister of Sport, Youth and National Service, Agnes Tjongarero, has called on the newly established National Anti-Doping Organisation (NADO) to prioritise the interests of athletes.

She said this here on Monday, during the development of an anti-doping legislative framework for Namibia.

Tjongarero emphasised that it will require the collective efforts of all Namibians to continue receiving support from the World Anti-Doping Association (WADA).

“As we embark on this journey, it is important to remember that the fight against anti-doping in Namibia has been ongoing. The Namibia Sport Act of 2003 recognises the significance of anti-doping,” she said.

The government has authorised the Namibia Sports Commission to enter into agreements with individuals, organisations, or institutions, both within and outside Namibia, to conduct doping control tests or analyse substances for such tests.

Tjongarero further stated that government cooperation is crucial in establishing this important institution that will contribute to the fight against doping in sports, despite the institution’s goal of operating independently.

“Ultimately, when an athlete fails a doping test, it reflects negatively on their country of origin,” the minister remarked.

She further noted that it is a well-known fact that African countries still lack sufficient sustainable, relevant, and independent national anti-doping organisations.

“Due to the absence of anti-doping institutions in Africa, many countries rely heavily on Regional Anti-Doping Organisations (RADO),” Tjongarero said.

She acknowledged that WADA has facilitated the creation of RADOs and continues to support them, ensuring assistance to each member country.

The minister also said numerous African countries, along with other regions worldwide, face challenges in terms of resources for sports and anti-doping.

“I am extremely grateful to Unesco and WADA for their commitment to securing resources to help regions like ours develop our capacities and programmes further. Namibia is prepared to initiate the process of establishing independent and relevant anti-doping offices that meet the country’s needs,” Tjongarero said.

Source: The Namibia Press Agency

Plastic bags are one of the most unsightly forms of waste in Namibia and are highly visible in the outskirts of all towns and cities, informal settlements, and the country’s marine environment.

This is according to Benedict Libanda, Chief Executive Officer of the Environmental Investment Fund of Namibia (EIF), in recognition of World Environment Day, which is observed annually on 05 June.

Libanda in a statement on Monday said the prevalence of plastic in the Namibian environment is a considerable threat to human and environmental health.

He said in observance of World Environment Day, EIF supports the ‘Beat Plastic Pollution’ campaign and urges Namibians to collectively scale up efforts and partnerships to eradicate plastic pollution.

“The more plastic we produce, the more fossil fuel is required, and the climate catastrophe worsens. Furthermore, plastic items emit greenhouse gases throughout their entire life cycle. If no action is taken, plastic-related greenhouse gas emissions could account for 19 percent of the Paris Agreement’s total allowable emissions in 2040, exceeding the limit of 1.5 degrees Celsius,” he further emphasised.

The fund reaffirmed its commitment to ending plastic pollution and is proud to champion diverse approaches to combat the plastic pandemic.

“It is time to accelerate these actions and transition to a circular economy,” he said.

According to the statement, a shift to a circular economy (designed to eliminate waste and promote the continual use of resources) can reduce the volume of plastics entering oceans by over 80 per cent by 2040; reduce virgin plastic production by 55 per cent; save governments US.dollars 70 billion by 2040; reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 25 per cent; and create 700 000 additional jobs, mainly in the global south.

World Environment Day is a global platform for inspiring positive change and serves as an environmental awareness day focused on the environment and specific environmental challenges. It takes place on 05 June each year.

The World Environment Day 2023 commemoration focused on solutions to plastic pollution under the campaign #BeatPlasticPollution, which calls for global solutions to combat plastic pollution.

Source: The Namibia Press Agency

The first session of the joint ministerial commission between Namibia and India ended on Monday, with Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, saying the event has strengthened the bilateral relationship between the two countries.

Nandi-Ndaitwah and India’s External Affairs Minister, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, concluded the session with the signing of the agreed minutes in Windhoek.

The deputy prime minister said they revisited crucial matters affecting the development of Namibia and India. The areas of cooperation, among others, include economic and infrastructure development, health, education and training, energy, cyber security, finance, and agriculture.

“We have agreed that the two governments have a responsibility to redouble efforts to promote closer cooperation in the areas we have identified as critical. We have also agreed to enhance coordination between the various line ministries of our two countries to ensure full implementation of the agreed minutes,” said Nandi-Ndaitwah.

She added that the time has arrived to turn the cooperation that exists between the two countries into a potent instrument of development and progress.

On his part, Jaishankar said the session has taken the bilateral ties between the two countries to greater heights.

“As a result of our joint session today, I certainly leave with a clearer picture of the possibilities before us. This includes closer cooperation in wildlife relocation and conservation, and digital delivery of public goods,” he said.

Jaishankar added that his government has also agreed to provide forensic equipment to

Source: The Namibia Press Agency

Tses Village Council chairperson Julian Christiaan has accused the Swapo party of orchestrating the power cuts instituted by NamPower in several towns in the Hardap and //Kharas regions, saying it is a “political stunt.”

NamPower last month announced that it would start suspending the electricity supply of defaulting regional and local authority councils by 05 June 2023 should they fail to settle their debt.

Amongst the defaulting local authority councils listed at the time were the Rehoboth, Mariental and Karasburg municipalities, as well as the village councils of Gibeon, Bethanie and Tses, amongst others. The suspension of electricity supply to defaulters started Monday.

Christiaan in an interview with Nampa on Tuesday said the Tses Village Council owes NamPower N.dollars 8 million, which has accrued over several years.

“Those in charge of NamPower have made their decision,” Christiaan said.

He said the power outages are “a clear sign that Swapo is trying to punish the two regions”, both of which have strong representation from the Landless People’s Movement (LPM).

“The power outages are the ruling party’s way of playing a game and trying to prove a point to our people,” he said.

When contacted for comment, Rehoboth Town Council public relations officer Desire Pieters said the council is working on resolving the issue and apologised for the inconvenience the situation has caused residents.

Attempts to contact the chairpersons of other local authorities were futile, as all calls went unanswered.

Source: The Namibia Press Agency