The main objective of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is to position itself to address changes in both the domestic and external environments in which it has to fulfil its two primary functions, namely, to positively portray the relations of Namibia internationally, and to continuously analyse and interpret the world around us with a view to ensuring the security and prosperity of our country and all its people.
This department, headed by an under-secretary, deals with Namibia’s relations at both bilateral and regional levels, be they political, security, economic, educational, social or cultural. It has three directorates, namely, Directorate for Africa and the Middle East; Directorate of OECD, Nordic and Eastern European Countries; and the Directorate of Latin America, Asia and the Pacific Rim. Each directorate has been divided into divisions and sub-divisions to which desk officers for specific countries are allocated.
Department of Multilateral Policy Co-ordination
This department is headed by an under-secretary and consists of the Directorate of International and Regional Co-ordination, and the Directorate of Treaties and Agreements. The latter is divided into three divisions, viz., Division: Bilateral Agreements, Division: Multilateral Treaties and Agreements, and Division: Information Services. The Directorate of International and Regional Co-ordination comprises two divisions, viz., Division: International and Special Political Affairs, and Division: International Economics and Environmental and Social Humanitarian Affairs.
This department is headed by the chief of protocol and has four directorates, of which one is responsible for the Division: Accreditation, Division: Privileges and Immunities, and Division: Functions and Ceremonies. Two other directorates are assigned to the State House and the Office of the Prime Minister for protocol duties. The Consular Directorate deals with the provision of consular protection and assistance for Namibian citizens abroad.
The department facilitates the conduct of relations between the Government of Namibia and diplomatic and consular missions based in and accredited to Namibia, and advises on matters relating to protocol, ceremonies, privileges and immunities.
Division: General Services
This division is headed by a deputy director and is responsible for the sub-divisions of finance, internal auditing, ministerial support services, personnel, auxiliary services and training.
Namibian Diplomatic Missions Abroad
To extend its operations in the international arena, the ministry has either established diplomatic missions or appointed honorary consuls abroad. The approved establishment currently makes provision for twenty-one Namibian diplomatic missions abroad.
The main responsibilities of these missions are: to represent the Republic of Namibia in overseas countries; to protect in an overseas country the interests of the Republic of Namibia and that of its nationals within the limits permitted by international law; negotiating with governments or authorities to whom they are accredited; ascertaining by all lawful means conditions and developments in the countries of their accreditation and reporting thereon to the Government of the Republic of Namibia; promoting friendly relations between the Republic of Namibia and the country of accreditation; and developing economic, cultural and scientific relations.
The official work of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs commenced on 21 March 1990, Namibia’s independence day. Since the Ministry of Foreign Affairs did not formally exist prior to this date, Namibia’s foreign policy conceptualisation and formation is an exercise which started in earnest only as of 21 March 1990. The exercise is being carried out against the backdrop of a long and bitter liberation struggle and within the framework of a process of consolidation, reconstruction, nation-building and democratisation. The most important foundation and guide for the ministry which is charged with the principal task of executing the foreign policy and managing international relations is the country’s constitution which defines all aspects of state power.
The achievements of ministry took place against the backdrop of the following international trends:
1. After the Cold War, political/ideological rivalry became something of the past, and economic rivalry moved to the centre of world politics with competition for markets and technological supremacy becoming the main focus.
2. Even after the end of the Cold War, the world was faced with new problems and tragedies, such as, increased regional conflicts, chronic political instability, religious fanaticism, ethnic cleansing and nuclear threat.
3. New information technologies have not only ushered in the information age, but have also revolutionised the way nations conduct politics, business, social and cultural affairs. For example, technologies utilised by CNN and others to disseminate information have created a world without frontiers, and information flows infringe on the traditional sovereignty of states.
The ministry’s specific major achievements so far have been as follows:
Return of Walvis Bay and Offshore Islands to Namibia
When Namibia gained independence on 21 March 1990, it was with the exclusion of Walvis Bay and the offshore islands. There was therefore a feeling that the country’s independence was incomplete. Continued marginalisation of and discrimination against Namibians in Walvis Bay through apartheid was intolerable. President of Namibia, Mr Sam Nujoma, had, at the independence celebrations, raised this matter with the President of South Africa, Mr F.W. de Klerk. This was followed by several ministerial meetings, which eventually led to the establishment of a Joint Administrative Authority for Walvis Bay and the offshore islands. In August 1993, following lobbying at the CODESA talks in South Africa, the latter succumbed to pressure from the Namibian government, and ultimately handed over Walvis Bay and the offshore islands to Namibia in February 1994.
Orange River Boundary
Another diplomatic breakthrough for Namibia came about when differences between Namibia and South Africa regarding the border on the Orange River were settled during the second round of talks in Windhoek in March 1992 and a formal agreement was initialled by the foreign ministers of Namibia and South Africa. However, this agreement could not be signed as South Africa insisted that private property and grazing rights of South Africans on the islands of the Orange River be negotiated separately. These negotiations are still continuing and could be concluded soon.
Kasikili Island Dispute
During 1992, Botswana claimed ownership of Kasikili Island, which Namibia regarded as part of its territory. Several meetings, some at the level of heads of state, mediated by the President of Zimbabwe, Mr Robert Mugabe, were held between the two countries to resolve this matter peacefully. When no concluding solution was found, the matter was deferred to the International Court of Justice. Both contesting parties had undertaken to accept the verdict of the International Court. In December 1999, the International Court gave its judgement which was accepted by both parties.
Maritime Boundary Issues
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in conjunction with the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources, successfully ensured respect for Namibia’s territorial seas and exclusive economic zone through negotiations of maritime boundaries with South Africa and Angola. More work is being envisaged in this area before final agreements are signed with the Republic of Angola and the Republic of South Africa. These negotiations have resulted, to a large extent, in significant reduction in the plundering of Namibia’s marine resources, which was rampant before and shortly after independence.
Bilateral Relations
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs continued to promote bilateral and trade relations between Namibia and the OECD and Eastern European, Latin American, Asian and the Pacific Rim, African and Middle Eastern countries.
Relations with these countries were enhanced with the signing of bilateral trade and other agreements as well as exchange of high level visits, including trade and investment missions by business groups from either country. All such visits facilitated business contacts and the promotion of business and investment opportunities in Namibia. The ministry also signed co-operation agreements with various countries. These agreements cover vital aspects of economic and technical co-operation between Namibiathe countries concerned. and
Moreover, the President of Namibia had been on several state visits in order to promote trade and investment to the country. These visits certainly constitute an even higher milestone in terms of trade, joint ventures and technical co-operation with Namibia’s major partners. For example, the President had undertaken major state visits to India, China, the United States of America, Russia, France, South Africa, Germany, Malaysia, to mentioned but a few. In turn, the heads of state and government of many of these and other countries had paid visits to Namibia, and agreements worth millions of dollars were signed.
Ten years after independence, the government has signed twenty-seven agreements establishing joint permanent commissions of co-operation between Namibia and other friendly countries. Similarly, Namibia has established diplomatic relations with most of the 184 member states of the United Nations. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs remains committed to establishing full diplomatic relations with the various states on the basis of friendship and co-operation.
Naturally, Namibia’s bilateral relations with South Africa -- focusing on finance, trade, communication, investment, fisheries, mining, tourism and law-enforcement -- are of a special type. Good co-operation exists between Namibia and South Africa as far as cross-border security is concerned, and this has resulted in co-ordinated efforts to combat transnational crime. Core trade and investment links have also been maintained and even strengthened in certain sectors.
In 1996, the President of Namibia paid his first state visit to South Africa, where he received the highest honour, the Order of Good Hope. Issues, such as, debt accumulated in Namibia by South Africa prior to Namibia’s independence, and the prospect of a joint venture to develop the Kudu gas project were discussed during this visit. In the field of energy, Namibia and South Africa have just completed a 400 kV powerline project of some N$800 million between the two countries.
The seemingly endless war in Angola remains a source of concern for many Namibians. This is so predominantly because the two countries share a common history, a common border, a rich exile experience and many cultural and linguistic ties. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has always regarded Angola as an important foreign policy priority and has taken a cue from President Sam Nujoma himself, who visited Angola regularly for consultations on the security situation in that country. Namibia has also been an active participant in the United Nations peacekeeping efforts in Angola.
The Namibian government is an ally of the Democratic Republic of Congo and has demonstrated that its foreign policy is underpinned by moral considerations when it intervened militarily in that country. In doing so, Namibia has contributed to the notion that undemocratic means of seizing power would no longer be tolerated in Africa. Moreover, Namibia may be playing an important role in peacekeeping operations in Congo once implementation of the cease-fire agreement begins.
Focus on Multilaterism
With the growing complexity of international interaction in almost every sphere of human life, the role of multilateral organisations in reconciling and harmonising the frequently conflicting interests of countries has increased significantly.
The growing power of the European Union, which could evolve into the development of a supra-state, and the concomitant reduction of the powers of national parliaments in Europe to legislate outside the parameters set by the EU, are examples worth emulating. In Africa, the notion of the formation of an African union of states is gaining momentum, especially after the OAU Summit in Algiers, Algeria, which was attended by a record number of heads of state and government. The Abuja Treaty of 1991 is another example of an instrument the OAU has developed to achieve mutually beneficial economic relations by forming a cohesive entity or bloc.
Soon after the country became independent, Namibia joined the United Nations, the G-77, the Organisation of African Unity, SADCC (which later became SADC in Windhoek in 1991), the Commonwealth, the Non-Aligned Movement and several United Nations specialized agencies, such as, UNDP, ILO, WHO, UNICEF, FAO, UNESCO, etc. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs played a key role in negotiating and facilitating Namibia’s accession to these organisations. By virtue of its membership of these forums, Namibia has accrued a considerable amount of technical assistance and other benefits for the country.
Namibia’s fate is inextricably linked to that of Africa. In this context, a high premium is placed on our role at the OAU. Since joining the OAU as a full member, Namibia has come to be regarded as an important player, imparting new impetus to this continental body. Namibia has become involved in a broad spectrum of activities ranging from preventive diplomacy to election monitoring, from economic development to labour, social and other issues, such as, HIV/AIDS.
In 1995, Namibia was elected as the First Vice Chairman of the 31st Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government. In line with its commitment to fervently promote peace, especially on the African continent, Namibia chaired the Central Organ of the OAU Mechanism for Conflict Prevention, Management and Resolution in 1995.
Closer trade relations with Namibia’s regional partners, especially those within SADC and COMESA, have contributed to increased trade opportunities. Namibia’s active participation in the activities of SADC and COMESA has also contributed to the levelling of the economic playing field in the region, especially with regard to creating a more balanced trade regime with South Africa.
Since SADC is the point of departure for much of Namibia’s foreign policy, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has always participated in SADC meetings and ensured that many SADC protocols were ratified. In similar vein, the ministry is participating in the re-negotiation of SACU, which is expected to be finalised soon.
Namibia has also successfully negotiated membership of the ADB, ECA and other inter-governmental global bodies and taken advantage of the facilities provided by these agencies. Mention should also be made of the fact that technical assistance provided by the aforementioned organisations has contributed towards Namibia’s capacity building in many sectors.
Given its relatively small population, Namibia has made significant advances in the realm of multilateralism and had moved to the centre of world affairs. Of particular importance here is Namibia’s election as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council for the period 1999-2000. Namibia has already started playing a prominent role on the Security Council, and during the month of August, the country held the Presidency of the Council. The two most important issues which Namibia brought before the Security Council were the humanitarian situation in Angola, and children in armed conflict.
On 14 September 1999, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Theo-Ben Gurirab, assumed the Presidency of the Fifty-fourth Session of the United Nations General Assembly.
In its efforts to get involved in the activities of international organisations, Namibia became a member of the Governing Council of International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) for a two year period (1996-1998) and was elected to the Governing Council of United Nations Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) for a period of two years (1997-1999).
Namibia hosted the SADC Preparatory Meeting of the UN Beijing Conference on Women and Development. The document, adopted in Windhoek, served as basis for the drafting of the African common position paper in Dakar, Senegal, for the Beijing Conference. The chairperson of the Namibia Preparatory Committee, Ms Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, the former Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, was also Africa’s representative on the Bureau of the UN Commission on the Status of Women. Namibia was commended for the sterling work at the Beijing Conference.
Apart from the outstanding achievements mentioned above, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs shall be expected to participate actively in the deliberations of the United Nations specialised agencies and committees on disarmament.
The ministry also has to work towards the consolidation of the activities of the National Body on the Ban of Nuclear Weapons, which has been established with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as the co-ordinating ministry
Further action will have to be taken to fulfil Namibia’s obligations in terms of the Treaty on the Ban on Anti-Personnel Mines to which Namibia has committed itself and which was signed in Ottawa, Canada, in December 1997.
The ministry also made preparations for Namibia to participate in the 1999 Commonwealth Summit as well as in the meeting of Foreign Ministers of the Non-Aligned Movement countries, also held in South Africa during 1999.
Promotion of Namibia’s Standing and Influence Abroad
Great strides have been made in countering the isolation which Namibia experienced prior to independence as a result of apartheid, colonialism and sanctions. Another factor that placed Namibia in an enviable position of good international standing was the country’s smooth transition to a vibrant democracy epitomised by our constitution with an entrenched and updated Bill of Rights. Political pragmatism, good governance and a free and unrestrained press are all factors that enhanced our international standing and brought about a very positive image abroad.
Namibia’s international standing and image has been acclaimed world-wide. This was affirmed when President Bill Clinton, shortly after his election as President of the United States, not only praised Namibia, but also invited President Nujoma to be the first head of state of a sub-Saharan African country to pay an official working visit to the United States in 1993. Also, President Nujoma was awarded the Africa Prize for Leadership by the African Leadership Forum, which he shared with Ms Joyce Munghrea (YMCA) of Uganda. The prize is given to persons who have shown considerable effort in uplifting the socio-economic condition of the human race. This prize was awarded on 24 October 1995 during the United Nations’ fiftieth anniversary celebrations.
The contribution by our goodwill and cultural ambassadors, such as, Michelle McLean, Frank Fredericks, Harry Simon and Luketz Swartbooi to the positive international image of our country, also cannot be under-estimated. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs was, furthermore, instrumental in arranging diplomatic passports for the aforementioned in order to allow them to be able to execute their responsibilities in a dignified manner.
Search for Peace
In its efforts to contribute towards peace in the region, Namibia hosted the Angola/Namibia/South Africa tripartite talks in Windhoek on 4 June 1993. This initiative was motivated by the a spirit of pan-Africanism aimed at making a modest contribution towards peace and progress in Africa in general. Namibia strongly believes that Africa would never realise its cherished goal of development unless there is peace and stability, and this can be realised only when Africans learn live in peace with each other.
Namibia fully subscribes to the principles of the Charter of the United Nations. It was in this spirit that the country became one of the original signatories to the Chemical Weapons Convention in 1993. The ministry was also instrumental in laying the groundwork for Namibia’s accession to the Non-Proliferation Treaty in 1996 and its ratification. It should be mentioned that the ministry actively contributed in the negotiations that resulted in the Treaty on an African Nuclear Weapon-Free Zone (Pelindaba Treaty). It is in this same spirit that Namibia contributed five election monitors, forty-seven technical personnel and fifteen anti-personnel mine vehicles to the United Nations peacekeeping operation in Cambodia.
Environmental Protection
Namibia is committed to the protection of the environment and sustainable development, and believes that the South should be given access to adapted technologies and financial assistance which keep the risk to the environment as low as possible. Without technical support, Namibia, as a developing country, will not be able to fulfil its responsibility towards the protection of the environment.
To demonstrate its commitment towards environmental development, Namibia participated in the United Nations Environment and Development Conference which took place from 1-14 June 1992 in Rio de Janeiro. The mandate by the United Nations General Assembly was to decide on strategies and measures to counteract the world-wide destruction of the environment and to urge the attending countries to practise policies of lasting, environment-friendly development. The World Climate Convention was signed at the Earth Summit, which obliged the participating countries to reduce the climate-relevant emission of pollutants in their respective countries.
In addition, a Convention on the Protection of Biological Diversity was also signed. As a result, the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development was established. This body, to which Namibia was elected as a member, was tasked to ensure the implementation of the provisions of Agenda 21. The gathering at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro offered a crucial opportunity to protect our planet from an ecological disaster.
Namibia is also actively involved in the implementation of the provisions of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification.
Other Multilateral Achievements
In September 1992, Namibia acceded to the agreement establishing the International Fund for Agricultural Development. Namibia’s then Minister of Agriculture, Water and Rural Development, Mr von Wietersheim, was appointed a member to the Governing Council of IFAD. This was, indeed, a significant achievement for Namibia.
Namibia was also elected as the seat of UNESCO’s sub-regional centre dealing with communication, social and human sciences. The agreement to this effect was signed on 25 September 1992, which formally established UNESCO’s office in Namibia. This office is also entrusted with issues of education and culture at the national level.
A Namibian delegation, led by the Minister of Justice, Mr Ngarikutuke Tjiriange, made a valuable contribution at the African Preparatory Meeting in Tunis towards the United Nations Conference on Human Rights. Namibia was elected as a member of the Drafting Committee and President Nujoma made the closing statement at the World Conference on Human Rights held in Vienna in June 1993.
Consular Services
Most Namibian citizens living abroad are students and the ministry has been liaising closely with the line ministries concerned to ensure an even flow of funds for their education and upkeep abroad. Moreover, as more and more Namibians are travelling abroad, it has been necessary to extend consular facilities to assist them in times of need.
The Government of Namibia took a decision in 1993 to appoint honorary consuls in various important trading capitals in order to promote trade, investment and tourism. Thus far, the government has appointed fourteen honorary consuls in cities, such as, Rome, Milan, Bombay, Hong Kong, Lisbon, Luxembourg, Sydney, Rotterdam, Hamburg, Hesse, Bavaria, Detroit, Michigan, Athens and Nicosia.
In view of the achievements listed above, the ministry can indeed be proud for successfully executing its mandate as set by Cabinet to conduct our country’s relations with foreign governments and international organisations.
Vision 2030
The vision of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is fundamentally to help safeguard and enhance the security and prestige of Namibia and the quality of life of its people.
As such, our mission involves the engagement of other countries, multinational corporations, inter-governmental bodies and other international entities at various levels in order to influence their behaviour so that an international environment conducive to the attainment of the above-mentioned vision is created and maintained. Consequenty, the ministry is responsible for the formulation and implementation of government policy in the international arena in an appropriate manner, commensurate with Namibia’s capabilities and interests in a particular area. Complex relations between countries where Namibia is an interested third party, require a carefully considered approach and measured actions to ensure that the interests of Namibia are served maximally. In the multilateral sphere where bilateral relations and broader international issues are involved, well-planned initiatives and specific objectives should be pursued.
These objectives must be pursued within the framework of principles, as set out in Article 96 of our constitution, on which Namibia’s foreign policy is based. Indeed, this article reflects the intent of the founders of the nation that our foreign policy be predictable and in line with the perception of the kind of nation the people of Namibia seek to be, and the kind of world they wish to live in. These principles also serve as a yardstick to measure the quality of the country’s foreign policy decisions.
Based on Article 96, the Namibian Government has already identified key strategic foreign policy goals and objectives to be pursued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and at times, in conjunction with the relevant offices, ministries and agencies. They are:
1. promotion and protection of Namibia’s sovereignty, territorial integrity, national security and social well-being;
2. promotion and enhancement of Namibia’s prosperity through economic growth and sustainable development;
3. promotion of international peace and security, regional co-operation, especially through active support for collective initiatives and effective multilateralism;
4. promotion of Namibia’s and Africa’s standing and influence in world affairs;
5. protection of the welfare of Namibian citizens abroad; and
6. the provision of professional and appropriate services to the government as well as private institutions and individuals with interests abroad.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs faces a lot of challenges for the New Millennium, at the internal and external, as well as at organisational levels.
Challenges of an Organisational Nature
The budget of the ministry and the relative priority ratings accorded to the various components of the budget should be reviewed. Presently, fixed personnel and administrative expenses and membership fees of international organisations account for some 80 percent of the total budget. This leaves only a small percentage of the budget for initiatives aimed at promoting Namibia’s interests abroad in the form of travel, attendance at conferences, seminars, publications, training and exhibitions.
In view of the fact the Namibian dollar has weakened considerably over the past ten years, increasing amounts of the ministry’s budget go towards the same amount of foreign exchange for its missions. These budgetary constraints cripple the work of our diplomats as our missions abroad are unable to replace equipment, furniture and motor-vehicles. There is also the need to purchase residences for our diplomats, as the option of renting is not the best one in the long run.
Though the ministry identifies with the government’s objective of reducing government expenditure, it is the considered opinion of the ministry that its budget vote is inadequate. The ministry is examining ways and means to mitigate the effects of the international financial fluctuations on its budget. Moreover, much is planned to attempt to convince key offices, ministries and agencies, such as, the Ministry of Finance and the National Planning Commission, of the growing importance of multilateralism in the world on a wave of globalisation, and the need to properly finance our international activities.
The current organisational structure has proved to have major deficiencies, which curtail the ministry’s performance. The ministry is currently addressing these problems in collaboration with the Public Service Commission.
Being a small and poor country, it is not possible and practical for Namibia to have diplomatic missions in all countries. The ministry therefore adopted a strategic approach to ensure representation in selected regions and non-resident accreditation in a number of other countries despite the fact that the ministry has been under pressure from many countries and from within Namibia to expand its diplomatic representation. In view of the implications, as far as the ministry’s budget and human resources are concerned, careful planning is done in this regard. Economic, political and other criteria are used to evaluate the need for new missions. The ministry is considering ways of spreading its representation abroad by adopting an approach of setting up smaller missions and expanding its non-resident accreditation.
Furthermore, the ministry is considering to move towards the advent of ‘special focus missions’, which would ensure greater goal-orientation. This exercise would require more specialist training. Therefore, the ministry places a high premium on training, and is looking at setting up an own Foreign Service Institute. In this regard, preliminary discussions with the University of Namibia are envisaged in the near future.
Growing multilateralism highlights the complexity and multi-dimensional nature of international relations. No country can prosper in isolation. Therefore, the ministry regularly interacts, both structurally through inter-ministerial committees and on a day-to-day basis, with all offices, ministries, and agencies involved in international issues. However, there is a need for the development of this relationship on a more formal basis to ensure a more effective liaison system.
Challenges at National and International Level
Africa suffers from an image problem. The continent is portrayed as a monolith of civil wars, hunger and other natural and human disasters. Too often, African and, for that matter, Namibian interests are either ignored or distorted and our setbacks overly projected at the expense of our successes. The ministry is looking at ways to make a contribution aimed at fostering a proper understanding of Africa’s interests and its potential.
Another key challenge is to build peace in Africa as violent conflicts pose the greatest threat to African reform efforts. Wars sap resources and destabilise countries and regions, scaring off potential investors. In this regard, Namibia will further support the work of OAU Mechanism for Conflict Prevention, Management and Resolution, and resolutely work to ensure that its capacity and that of other regional mechanisms is enhanced to prevent or mitigate violent conflicts on the continent. At the United Nations, Namibia will play an active role to push for greater focus on Africa’s conflicts.
Together with the challenge of building peace, the ministry views it as a major challenge to strengthen African co-operation within SADC, COMESA, and OAU. Successful regional integration will go a long way to ensure that African solutions are found for African problems. The opportunities presented by Namibia’s election as the Deputy Chairman of SADC in 1999, and possible election in the year 2000 as the Chairman, would be utilised to double efforts towards building a strong SADC community. Ultimately we should work towards the establishment of the African Economic Community as envisaged by the Abuja Treaty of 1991.
It is imperative for Africa to be integrated into the global economy, and to ensure that globalisation benefits Africa and not marginalise the continent further. Equally, Africa should ensure that the movement of massive financial funds does not pull the rug from under the feet of financially vulnerable African countries, as was recently experienced in South-East Asia. The ministry, through its representatives abroad, would emphasise the need for an overhaul of the international financial system to ensure that small, weak and poor countries are not targeted. Moreover, it is important that issues, such as, market access for Africa and Namibia receive due attention at the various multilateral bodies, such as, WTO.
Collective efforts are necessary to seek and secure debt relief for Africa as these excessive debt burdens impede development. The ministry would call on major donor countries and international financial institutions to continue substantive consultations on Africa’s debt. Furthermore, co-operation with major partners in infrastructure development, energy, human capital development and combating HIV/AIDS are priorities in the creation of prosperity for Namibia.
The Namibian government is cognisant of the fact that it needs to seek and enhance co-operation with its neighbours and other major partners abroad in combating cross-border threats, such as, crime, drug trafficking, terrorism and arms proliferation.
The ministry intends finalising the White Paper on Foreign Policy which would, from time to time, be supplemented by Occasional Papers on specific issues and relationships. It should always be kept in mind that the formulation, planning and execution of foreign policy priorities, by their very nature, need to be reviewed continually. Circumstances change and existing priorities and goals have to be addressed and adapted on an ongoing basis by the ministry.
To uphold and foster respect for Namibia’s territorial integrity, sovereignty, etc., the ministry will, in conjunction with the Ministry of Justice, Office of the Attorney-General and Ministry of Defence:
1. work to ensure that issues surrounding the attempted Caprivi secession are resolved;
2. support the peaceful resolution of the Angolan and Congo wars to minimise the spill-over effects of these wars on Namibia; and
3. co-operate with other ministries to stop the exploitation of Namibia’s fish and other marine resources, especially by protecting the country’s Exclusive Economic Zone.
The ministry will continue to contribute positively to the aims and objectives of the national development by seeking and negotiating, through bilateral and multilateral relations, the best possible conditions for investment and trade. In this regard, incentives for foreign investment and measures to create an investor-friendly climate in Namibia have always been accorded high priority and, as such, must be a focus of the ministry, particularly of our missions abroad. Also the promotion of Namibia as a sought-after tourist destination would receive focussed attention. At the same time, Namibia would continue to ensure that development assistance is viewed as an essential component of any effort to promote sustainable growth and alleviate poverty in Africa.
Namibia will participate fully in the further conceptualisation and promotion of the notion of African Renaissance to ensure that the continent takes its rightful place among the community of nations. Namibia is well-placed to do so as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council for the years 1999-2000, and in view of the fact that the United Nations General Assembly presidency into the new millennium was accorded to Namibia’s Foreign Minister, Mr Theo-Ben Gurirab. Moreover, in multilateral and bilateral fora, the ministry is committed to positively influencing the direction of events and developments internationally to counter the negative effects of globalisation to the extent they affect Namibia in particular and Africa in general.
Meeting all these challenges is a tall order for the ministry, especially with its existing organisational structure, inadequate staff complement, budgetary constraints and other limitations. However, the ministry is confident that all these challenges would be met and that the twenty-first century will go down as the century of Africa.
The Division General Services is responsible for expenditure control for the day to day running of ministerial operations and revenue control. This division also provides administrative support services on matters, such as, accounting, personnel, organisational affairs, logistics, stores and equipment, transport services, and secretarial and other auxiliary services.
The division consists of four subdivisions, namely, finance, personnel services, auxiliary services and ministerial support services. The Subdivision Finance has three sections and two subsections. The Subdivision Auxiliary Services consists of three sections.
This division was created to improve the free flow of information between the government and civil society and to live up to the true spirit of Article 21(1)(a) of the Constitution, which provides for freedom of speech and expression and freedom of the press and other media. The main function of the division is to serve as the link between government and the media and to promote mutual understanding between the government and local and foreign media.
The division is tasked with the responsibility of gathering and dissemination of news and information emanating from all government institutions to local and foreign media, foreign missions in Namibia and the public.
The division resorts under the Division General Services for budgetary purposes but reports directly to the permanent secretary. A deputy director who is assisted by two information officers and a typist heads the division. To prepare for the challenges of the twenty-first century, the division is in the process of appointing a control information officer, a systems analyst and a web author.
The Directorate Print Media and Regional Offices is charged with the production of printed material and collection, processing and dissemination of information on government policies and initiatives through printed media and through its library and regional offices. One of its key objectives is to plan and execute national information campaigns and publish printed material, including a monthly magazine, Namibia Review that provides information on government policy and developmental issues. This magazine is distributed widely within and outside Namibia.
The directorate also collects and processes photographic material for its own publications and exhibitions, prepares and mount exhibitions on government, its policies and development programmes. Every few years, its photographic material is deposited with the National Archives of Namibia as a record of events in the history of the young nation. In addition, the directorate collects printed and other information material on Namibia produced by other government ministries and offices and various organisations and disseminates such material through its library and regional offices.
The directorate consists of a Division Publications with a Subdivision Support Services and a Division Regional Offices, consisting of ten regional offices and one sub regional office. The Division Publications has been plagued by a huge turnover of journalists, forsaking the public sector for more lucrative opportunities in the private sector in other fields of employment. The directorate currently has a staff complement of fifty-four at its head office in Windhoek and at regional offices.
Directorate Audiovisual Media and Namibia Communications Commission
The main function of the Directorate Audiovisual Media and Namibia Communications Commission (NCC) is to produce and disseminate audiovisual material on the government, its policies, its programmes and actions to educate and entertain the public, especially in areas where the NBC cannot reach. Another function of the directorate is to promote Namibia as a film location and to oversee and promote the protection of intellectual property in Namibia.
NCC, which was established in terms of the Namibia Communications Commission Act, Act 4 of 1992, is tasked with the licensing of telecommunications equipment and frequency management on a national level.
The directorate consists of five divisions, namely, Audiovisual, Film Development, Copyright Services, Control of Obscene Material, and the Namibian Communications Commission.
The Namibia Press Agency (Nampa) was established by the Namibia Press Agency Act, Act 3 of 1992, to collect local, regional, and international news and feature articles through own reporters, correspondents, and stringers, and through exchange with other national and international news agencies. The Act established Nampa as a parastatal body. The Act also stipulates that Nampa’s affairs would be run by a Board of Directors appointed by the Minister of Information and Broadcasting.
Nampa distributes such material to subscribers against payment either in the form of subscription fees or news exchange or other terms as may be agreed upon. In it’s reporting Nampa aims to present objective and impartial information on any matter of public, national or international interest within and outside Namibia. Through its regional offices, Nampa involves Namibian people in rural areas in the mainstream of the flow of news and information in the country and thereby encourages their participation in national decision-making. Nampa has a staff complement of forty-five persons.
The agency’s organisational structure consists of three main divisions, namely, the Editorial Division with news, features, sports and business desks, a photographic section, and regional offices. They provide most of Nampa’s local news service. The Communications and System Services Division is responsible for the technical communication services for processing and distributing Nampa services to clients. It consists of two subdivisions, Maintenance and Development, and a Division Support Services, which renders secretarial, client, accounting and transport services.
The New Era was established by the New Era Publications Corporation Act, Act 1 of 1992 to provide objective and factual news, to promote and analyse government development programmes and polices, and to educate the nation about various social, economic and political issues.
It has a staff of twenty-nine persons. Structure of this organization will, however, change once the newspaper becomes a fully-fledged parastatal.
The Namibian Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) was legislated into an autonomous national broadcaster by the Namibian Broadcasting Act, Act 9 of 1991. As a parastatal body, it is a legal person, independent of state-structures. As a product of an Act of Parliament, the Namibian Broadcasting Corporation is in a strictly technical sense 'owned' by the Namibian parliament as “a trustee” on behalf of the citizens of Namibia. However, as the NBC is a recipient of public funds in the form of an annual state subsidy and for purposes of accountability, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs tables and accounts for NBC's budget in the parliament. A director-general, who reports to the NBC Board, heads the NBC. The NBC Board is appointed by the Minister of Information and Broadcasting for a period of five years. Its primary responsibilities include policy formulation and management guidance. The director-general has a statutory obligation to oversee the day to day running of the organisation. It employs 525 permanent employees.
In 1999/2000, NBC received N$70 046 000 of the ministry’s total budget allocation
Achievements
Prior to independence, the majority of the population was deprived of news and information in an attempt to keep them silenced on matters pertaining to their well-being. As the bedrock of democracy is education and information, the ministry, soon after the country became independent, drafted the Namibian Information Policy. This policy recognises that the nurturing of democracy requires constant and free flow of news and information. It requires freedom of speech, freedom of expression and a free and virile media to stimulate debate on national, regional and world issues and to empower Namibians to participate meaningfully in nation building; for, only informed citizens can make informed decisions. The National Information Policy acknowledges the important role of the media in nation building and development and lays down genial principles about the place and the role of the mass media in our society. In tandem with the Constitution, the policy allows for a pattern of mixed ownership of the mass media. Despite sporadic outcries that the freedom of the media is under threat, Namibia has a free press to fulfil its role as watchdog of society.
The Office of the Attorney General, together with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, is in the process of drafting a Freedom of Information Bill.
A high priority after independence was to make radio and television services accessible to the majority of the people. As a first step, private radio and television stations were allowed to operate in Namibia. Namibia now boasts nine private television stations and seven private radio stations with several additional applications waiting processing.
The Constitution of the Republic of Namibia, and relevant statutes, such as, the Namibian Broadcasting Act (Act 9, 1991), and the Namibia Communications Commission Act (Act 4, 1992), have set the parameters and defined the contours of a regulatory framework which embraces pluralism in broadcasting.
To further strengthen free flow of information, the ministry strengthened its production and media liaison capacities to ensure good relations with local and foreign media. The Division Media Liaison has established good working relationship with the print and electronic media and with training institutions to provide training in journalism. In 1996, Cabinet approved the recommendation that all government institutions be obliged to nominate contact persons in their institutions to serve as a link between the institutions and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. This process is now being taken further.
Further, in 1996, when Cabinet tasked the ministry to assume the responsibility of co-ordination of government media liaison, the division introduced a system whereby newspaper reports pertaining to different government institutions are referred to such institutions daily for immediate reaction. Referrals are followed up by telephone calls.
All media practitioners have to be accredited with the Division Media Liaison and have to renew their accreditation annually with the consent of their editors. Freelance journalists have to submit a letter of appointment from any publication to which it provides articles or photographs. In 1996, the division introduced new measures to curb misuse and fraud with media cards and no reports of misuse, abuse or fraudulent use have been received since 1997.
The ministry also assists foreign journalists to obtain the necessary permission and documentation to visit Namibia. Journalists visiting to cover current issues are given permission upon their arrival in the country. Journalists are also provided whatever information they need, and appointments are arranged them to enable them to have a balanced picture of the situation in the country. During state and official visits, briefing documents are compiled for local and foreign journalists highlighting existing co-operation between countries and possible other areas of co-operation. Such briefings also contain information on the programme, arrangements, and background information of the countries involved. These briefings also assist the Minister of Information and Broadcasting, as government spokesperson, to chair media conferences at the conclusion of such visits. Official photo albums are compiled for all state and official visits.
The ministry introduced the calendar of weekly events in 1996. The purpose of the calendar is to inform the media and the public in general of government events taking place in the following week. The calendar is distributed every Friday afternoon.
In 1997, the ministry published for the fist time, a directory of addresses and an annual calendar of events in 1998, including national days, cultural events and international observances. This exercise could not be continued because of the shortage of professional staff.
The division represents the ministry in the SADC Sector for Culture, Information and Sport and is the SADC media co-ordinator for Namibia. The division feeds the media on the meetings of the Sector for Culture, Information and Sport, the Council of Ministers’ meetings and the Summits. The country is acknowledged as one of the SADC member states that pro-actively promotes the objectives and aims of SADC through the local media and plays a leading role in SADC Day celebrations on August 17 each year.
Publications
Imbued in the spirit of the National Information Policy, the ministry is committed to making information available to the people through its own productions and publications. Within a month after the adoption of the Constitution of the Republic of Namibia on February 9, 1990, the ministry published 10 000 copies of the constitution in an A5 format and distributed them free of charge to diplomats, leaders and people throughout the country. The ministry regularly reprints this important document and sells it at a quarter of the printing costs (N$2.40) to ensure that it is within reach of all Namibians.
The first issue of the ministry’s flagship magazine, Namibia Review, appeared in March 1992. Although operating with a bare minimum of staff, the magazine is in its eighth year of publication.
Besides its own original research materials, Namibia Review makes considerable use of official reports, studies, policy papers and memoranda, which provide useful statistical data and insights into the government’s thinking on a variety of problems.
The ministry has also published various leaflets, posters, and brochures and held exhibitions on a wide variety of topics. One of its first publications, Namibia Challenging the Future, was produced on the eve of the United Nations sponsored donor conference in New York in 1990. It also printed a poster, Know Your Region, after the demarcation of Namibia into thirteen regions in 1992. This poster was updated before the December 1998 Regional and Local Authority elections to include the new boundaries of regions and constituencies. The posters were distributed to schools, clinics and other institutions and organisations.
In 1998, the division was involved with the Office of the Prime Minister in the design of the Public Service Charter in various formats. It further assisted the Ministry of Labour to design a guidebook for labour inspectors.
Audiovisual Productions
At independence, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had a U-matic low band and VHS editing facility. This was upgraded to broadcasting format in 1991 and later extended with the assistance of the Government of the United States of America through its contribution to the Humanitarian Demining and Mine Awareness Programme. In 1994/95, Directorate Audiovisual Media bought two mobile audiovisual vans equipped with camera, monitor, playback machine, public address system, video projector and generator. These vans have travelled thousands of kilometres in its coverage of events and showing videos to people not within reach of NBC television broadcasts. In 1998 a third mobile van was donated by UNFPA through the Population IEC Programme. In 199, under the national development project to establish fully equipped audiovisual information centres throughout the country, the ministry installed a VHS studio at a cost of about N$ 200,000 at Oshakati in the Oshana region. The ministry also bought a public address system at a total cost of N$996 000 for major international events, such as, independence celebrations. Previously such equipment was hired from South Africa at exorbitant costs.
The directorate produces an average of five major productions and twenty smaller productions a year. Most of the videos are on topical events, and the rest are done on request of other ministries about their line functions and in co-operation with non-governmental organisations. Besides promotional videos for other ministries, the videos cover a wide range of productions, such as, reproductive health, population and gender issues, environment and sustainable development, culture, voters’ education, demining and mine awareness.
Among its productions are voters’ education videos on the 1992, 1994 and 1998 elections, a historical documentary on the reintegration of Walvis Bay, and a documentary on the adoption of Namibia’s Constitution. It has also produced videos on cultural heritage, cultural festivals, inheritance rights, the Uis small miners, deployment of ex-combatants, mine awareness, rural water supply, drought and resettlement.
The ministry has started an ambitious project to establish video libraries for young people under sponsorship from UNESCO. In the first phase, about six centres would be selected where young people would be able to watch cultural programs. Windhoek will be the main centre, which will supply other centres with videos.
The ministry, local artists and filmmakers have worked together to draft a Film Commission Bill, which will soon be tabled in parliament. An interesting aspect of the bill is the establishment of a film fund. If approved by parliament, the fund will assist aspiring Namibians filmmakers with studies or productions. Indeed, lack of funds has been the biggest problems hampering the development of a local film industry.
The NBC launched a Young Directors Choice series and the on going co-production of a Namibian film with a local independent production house Home Brew Productions This initiative is funded by NBC, UNESCO and the French Mission of Co-operation.
Namibia is also a popular country with international filmmakers. From 1991, it has attracted 377 crews consisting of about 1000 people in total. This included three feature films, namely Red Scorpion, Desert Rose and Hoofbeats.
As the institution designated to ensure the protection of the intellectual property of Namibians, the ministry drafted the new copyright legislation. The ministry is currently revising this Act to include computer programmes, rental rights, terms of protection, limitations and exceptions and protection of performers, producers of sound recordings and broadcasters. The revision will bring the Act in line with the TRIPS Agreement. In addition, Namibia signed two new treaties in the field of copyright and related rights, the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) Performance and Phonograms Treaty (WPPT) and the WIPO Copyright Treaty (WCT). Further, in March 1999, Namibia hosted a regional copyright symposium for African countries. Sponsored jointly by WIPO and the ministry, the symposium was aimed at promoting adherence to the WCT and WPPT.
A total of eighty-three newspapers, magazines and newsletters have registered with the ministry since 1990. These include the major newspapers, such as, the Allgemeine Zeitung, The Namibian, the New Era, the Republikein 2000, the Windhoek Observer and a plethora of promotional and company newsletters.
Cognisant of the fact that the ongoing information and communication revolution is leading to increasing globalisation of economic and social activity, the ministry initiated the adoption by Cabinet of the African Information Society Initiative (AISI) in line with the adoption of and implementation thereof by the Twenty-second Conference of Ministers of the Economic Commission for Africa.
The building of Africa’s Information Society is intended to accelerate its development plans, stimulate growth and provide new opportunities in education, health care, employment creation and food security. Following this, the ministry initiated a National Information and Communications Infrastructure (NICI) strategy workshop for Namibia. The workshop made recommendations for the implementation of the NICI strategy for Namibia and the recommendations were submitted to and adopted by Cabinet in 1998. The ministry aims to pursue the recommendations which provide for the establishment of an equitable, sustainable and internationally competitive information society in Namibia in the foreseeable future.
In October 1998, the ministries of Information and Broadcasting and Works, Transport and Communications signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). In terms of this Memorandum of Understanding, UNDP will provide financial, technical and training assistance to the ministry for putting in place its Internet initiative.
Cabinet already approved the establishment of a government intranet system whereby the central authority in Windhoek will be linked to all 13 regions. With the implementation of the government’s Internet services, the ministry shall seek to establish a TCP/IP wide area network to all regions. This will allow the ministry to disseminate timely and accurate information on government programmes and projects to remote parts of Namibia and give disadvantaged learners in rural areas access to electronic communication.
In 1995, Namibia became active in electronic publishing through the worldwide web with Namibia Online, the homepage of the government of Namibia on the Internet. We are pleased that the American Online International Channel chose this website for inclusion in their forum. During the period of January 3 to 9, 1999 over 17840 people worldwide visited this site for an average of 8.24 minutes each. Namibia Online can be accessed on the worldwide web at http://www.republicofnamibia.com.
Due to the astronomical cost in contracting Cablevision in France, which had developed and maintained Namibia Online, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has embarked on capacity building to take over this function.
The ministry developed a Telecommunications Policy and Regulatory Framework for Namibia with the assistance of the Swedish International Development. Cabinet adopted this document at its second meeting of 1999 and the legislation process is due to start with the assistance of the Botswana-based Regional Telecommunications Restructuring Programme (RTRP).
Namibia is a member of the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), the Telecommunication Regulatory Authority (ITU-R) and other regional organisations.
The Secretariat of the Namibia Communications Commission is responsible for the regulation of the telecommunications and postal sectors and for the allocation of frequencies and radio and television licenses. It controls the frequency spectrum and licensing of telecommunications equipment. In the 1998/1999 financial year, NCC issued 5623 licenses and derived an income of N$3 790 647 from this function. To ensure that Namibia is in line with regional and international trends in telecommunications tariffs, NCC is now revising its tariff structure.
In the first phase of establishing a national spectrum monitoring system, NCC bought a mobile electronic system that allows it to monitor VHF, UHF and HF. It is used by NCC, the Ministry of Defence, the Ministry of Home Affairs (Police), the Office of the President (Namibia Central Intelligence Service) and the Ministry of Works Transport and Communication (Civil Aviation). In the second stage, the NCC is establishing fixed nation-wide frequency monitoring stations for Windhoek, Walvis Bay and Oshakati. The triangular HF monitoring facility can be used for regional and international monitoring. By better control of the radio frequency spectrum interfering signals can be traced.
The Secretariat has installed and linked a computer frequency management system by local area network to ensure proper co-ordination, billing and training. Next year, NCC will focus on strengthening its human resources.
The ministry has been a lead player in civic education campaigns on various issues including on voters’ education, gender, population, health and international expositions in which Namibia participates.
As the lead agency for the Namibian government/UNFPA Information Education and Communication project, the ministry, through its Directorate Audiovisual Media, has arranged twelve seminars on reproductive health in seven regions, involving 380 youth and 60 government officials on population issues. A major achievement was the development of a Population Information, Education and Communication Strategy by the ministry under sponsorship of UNFPA. Among the films produced under this programme are Ni kamuso kua swana, about a UNFPA workshop on environmental and sustainable development, Dengwa u lungame, a drama on population and reproductive health, and the feature Kasiku, a victim of love.
In July 1996, the ministry, under the sponsorship of the United States Embassy, launched a multisectoral national Multimedia Campaign on Violence against Women and Children. The multimedia campaign is aimed at increasing awareness of violence against women and children in order to bring the crimes to the fore and to reduce violence, increasing support systems for survivors, and influencing law reform and better law enforcement practises.
The most important outcome of the campaign was the strengthened networking among stakeholders and increased public debate and understanding of the issues involved. For instance, a workshop on the new rape bill saw people from the legal fraternity, police, health, media, social welfare, community groups and shelters working together to provide input to a Parliamentary Committee.
Higher reporting of cases of abuse is another important outcome. According to the Police spokesperson and figures provided by Lifeline/Childline, reporting increased dramatically after the broadcasting of a television or radio advertisement of the multimedia campaign on the issue. Even men have started reporting abuse by spouses to Lifeline. A further outcome is the heavier sentences meted out by the courts.
A highlight was the production of the 60-minute drama, A Trust Betrayed, made jointly by the Directorate Audiovisual Media and AfriNature Films. The ministry and the United States Embassy, under its Human Rights Fund, jointly sponsored the production costs. The video, posters, pamphlets and a photographic exhibition were also featured at the SADC Conference on Violence against Women and Children in South Africa. The video was also shown at other fora in Morocco and Mauritius.
Monthly advertorials, consisting of an advertisement and text on specific aspects surrounding violence against women and children were published in The Namibian, the New Era and the Republikein 2000. These were sponsored by the US Embassy.
The ministry as chair of the Publicity Subcommittee of Expo ’98 was also a major partner in the preparations for Namibia’s participation in Expo ’98 in Lisbon from May to September 1998. It designed and printed competition forms, certificates, invitations and other pamphlets to many events, including the National Namibia Expo ’98 Cookery Competition and edited, designed and published the Namibia Expo ’98 Fish and Seafood Cookbook.
In 1992, the ministry together with the ministries of Defence and Home Affairs launched an intensive campaign to make people aware of the dangers of landmines and other unexploded ordnance which littered especially the northern parts of the country. In 1994 the government of the United States of America, through its Humanitarian Demining Programme, sponsored the development of mine awareness material to distribute in the affected areas. In the first phase, it assisted the ministry’s audiovisual and publication personnel with the development of product material and donated computers and audiovisual equipment worth N$1.5 million to the ministry. In the second phase ten people from the ministries of Defence, Home Affairs and Information and Broadcasting were trained on the development of product material.
In 1999, the ministry declared that it would take a leading role in strengthening the national information campaign on HIV/AIDS. After a UNICEF sponsored meeting with media practitioners, a task force was established to spearhead the new National Multimedia Campaign on HIV/AIDS awareness. The ministry and NBC are working with other media organisations, health workers, international agencies and concerned groups to develop this campaign.
With the excellent co-operation of the media, the ministry raised awareness of other national issues through media releases, organised visits, newspaper supplements, television and radio talk shows and background articles. Some of the issues that were promoted regularly over the past ten years include publicity on Constitution Day (9 February), United Nations Day (24 October), independence celebrations, and Media Freedom Day (3 May).
The ministry actively participated in arrangements for the Second Southern Africa International Dialogue on Smart Partnership for the Generation of Wealth in Southern Africa (SAID) held in Swakopmund in July and the 1998 World Food Day celebrations.
At several international and regional conferences in Namibia, the ministry successfully established media centres and serviced local, regional and international media practitioners. These include different SADC meetings, the SADC/EU meeting and the SADC Council of Ministers meeting in 1997, SAID, and other national and ministerial meetings.
Administration
At the administrative level, the ministry streamlined personnel functions with a zero tolerance when it comes to the implementation of the rules and regulations. In-service training and workshops were provided on new rules and regulations. This helped supervisors to take informative decisions when it comes to personnel matters. Human resources planning improved in such a way that all the relevant role players are involved. As a result, the ministry managed to change its structure to cater for the changing needs of the various directorates and divisions. A training section was established to introduce a training policy for the ministry and to cater for staff development since ministries are responsible for their own capacity building.
With the implementation of the new Information Technology Policy for the Namibian Public Service, an Information Technology Division was established to render computer related services. Three new computers were purchased for the Division Personnel Services, which will link the personnel office with the new Human Resources Information Technology System at the office of the Prime Minister and later with the salary section.
The provision and control of transport matters improved significantly with fewer kilometres travelled due to stricter measures being put in place through kilometre limitations. These control measures resulted in fewer accidents being reported during the past two years. Another factor that attributed to the effective and efficient control of the government fleet in the care of the ministry.
Human resources development and professional training remains a high priority in the ministry. Besides management, financial and administrative training, the ministry had successfully cooperated with international and local agencies to train journalists in various aspects of media work.
The Division Media Liaison, in co-operation with Bricks and the NDI and with the blessing of the Office of the Prime Minister embarked on a training programme for government liaison officers in 1998. In 1998, training courses for liaison officers plus an evaluation session with permanent secretaries and media editors took place. The 1998 training was followed up with training in Internet and electronic mail in 1999, again sponsored by Bricks and the NDI. In October 1999 permanent secretaries received training on how to interact the media.
Under sponsorship from the Institute for the Advancement of Journalism in South Africa and the Nordic-SADC Journalism Centre in Mozambique, journalists from all regions have undergone training in specified media areas.
The directorate Audiovisual Media also invested in training for its team of producers and camerapersons. In 1994, UNESCO sponsored an intensive two-week on site training course which resulted in the production The Spirit of Tsandi. In July 1996, three experts from the South African Communication Service conducted a training programme in Windhoek.
However, despite these efforts, and perhaps because of them, the ministry continues to have a high turnover of staff who after a few months in the job and a few training courses leave for more lucrative jobs in other sectors. The status of government liaison officers, media officers and information officers should be reviewed.
Namibia Press Agency
Since 1990, the Namibia Press Agency (Nampa) has striven to establish itself as a credible national news agency by providing comprehensive, objective, accurate and timely news service to the Namibian people and the international community through regional and international news exchange.
In accordance with the Namibia Press Agency Act 3 of 1992, the agency was to be a commercialised parastatal, but it is still dependent on the ministry for its resources. This transformation will hopefully be completed by mid-2000. Presently Nampa receives foreign news and pictures from news agencies like Reuters, Sapa/Afp/Ap, Pana, Antara of Indonesia and the Press Trust of India (PTI) via satellite and email. Journalists at strategically placed regional offices in Namibia send local news to the Nampa communication network by dial-up facilities.
Nampa distributes news to local and international clients. Its local clients include NBC, The Namibian, the New Era, the Rebublikein 2000, the Algemeine Zeitung, Radio Kudu, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, NSIA and Iafrica. This distribution is done through dedicated leased lines via Telecom Namibia and can be received on computer or printer.
The foreign clients are Pana, Antara, PTI and the American Embassy in Swaziland. Regional and continental distribution to African news agencies is done through the Pan African News Agency (Pana) which feeds the continental news agencies with Nampa copy. News to foreign clients mentioned is presently sent via email. A Nampa domain was recently registered and its services will soon be available on the Nampa web page.
Apart from Windhoek where the head office is situated, Nampa has regional bureaux in Gobabis, Grootfontein, Katima Mulilo, Keetmanshoop, Oshakati, Rundu, and Swakopmund. The regional bureaux are computerised and are linked to the head office.
When Nampa started operating in 1990, it had only five trained journalists. The main task thus was to train journalists from the many school leavers who had then applied for employment. This task was successfully completed and Nampa can boast to have trained over thirty journalists countrywide. Other media organisations in Namibia, government institutions, parastatals and non-governmental organisations now employ some in senior positions.
The New Era started as a weekly newspaper in 1991 and became a biweekly in July 1996. Results of a readership survey conducted during October and December 1996 by Media Research Africa, a South African-based company, revealed that the New Era was the most widely read newspaper in Namibia. The New Era is also reaching previously neglected communities.
Although sales are still relatively low, there has been steady growth in the circulation of the newspaper. In some regions, such as, Caprivi, sales exceeded that of other newspapers. Advertising has likewise recorded a healthy growth, maintaining an average advertising loading of between 45% and 50%.
Among the highlights in its short publishing history is the publication of supplements on Namibia’s demarcated regions in 1996 and 1997; the publication of a full colour glossy magazine on the anniversary of Namibia’s fifth and eighth independence and on the seventieth birthday of President Sam Nujoma. The New Era was also the first newspaper to expose secessionist plans of the Caprivi Region by the former leader of the official opposition, Mr Mishake Muyongo, in 1998. An HIV/AIDS supplement was published in conjunction with Hope Worldwide and UNICEF on World AIDS Day, 1 December 1998;
New Era has undertaken a printing feasibility study intended to create employment for rural and urban communities and to arrest and contain the constant printing cash flow from Namibia to outside businesses. The results of this study are still to be published.
Understaffing is a general constraint affecting all departments. Lack of staff makes it impossible for newspaper to effectively and aggressively penetrate untapped advertising sources especially in the regions. A classified advertisement page was introduced in 1988, but could not be maintained and expanded due to lack of staff.
Due to financial constraints, New Era did not become a fully-fledged parastatal body on 1 April 1998 as was intended.
Radio and Television
Given the high rate of illiteracy it goes without saying that the broadcast media becomes the most effective medium through which the inhabitants of this vast country can have access to information. Herein lies the centrality of NBC's broadcasting services in national reconstruction, development and nation building.
The NBC Radio Services reach about 90% of the Namibian population. However, certain languages radio broadcasts are confined to specific geographic areas. Against this backdrop, the Master Plan for the Expansion of the NBC Transmitter Network is aimed at addressing this lopsided distribution of broadcast transmitting and receiving facilities.
The NBC runs ten radio services. The national radio broadcasts in English (the official language) and provides a 24 hours service. The other radio services broadcast in Damara/Nama, Rukavango, Lozi, Setswana, Afrikaans, Oshiwambo, Otjiherero and German. They broadcast on average ten hours a day. There are an estimated 300,000 radio sets in the country. NBC Radio broadcasts on FM and short wave as well as medium wave in certain localities. Also, NBC Radio Services are received across the borders in neighbouring areas, such as, southern Angola, southwestern Zambia, the northern Cape, and northwestern Botswana.
NBC runs a single channel TV network and its broadcast reaches about 45% of the population mainly in urban areas (Namibian Multimedia Survey, Market Research Africa, 1997).
It broadcasts only in English for 18 hours a day. The local content consists mainly of news, current affairs, local documentaries and sports. There are about 60 000 TV sets in the country. NBC's National Radio Service has gone digital and NBC TV transmissions are available on DSTV inside Namibia. The NBC TV system is PAL 625/50Hz.
As a public service broadcaster, NBC receives state-subsidy amounting to about 64% of its operational budget. It also receives an annual capital project allocation/subsidy from the state which is determined in line with identified and registered priority national projects. It generates the remainder of its budget through licence fees collection, selling of airtime, leasing of its facilities, including transmitters to private broadcasters as well as the marketing of its productions. It runs a marketing office in Sandton in Gauteng, South Africa.
M-Net has registered a local subsidiary in the form of Multi-Choice Namibia which is running a TV channel. Thus both NBC Radio and Television Programmes have to maintain a competitive edge with the private broadcasters who have access to numerous television programmes via DSTV.
Due to its public service statutory obligations, NBC has been identified as an essential service provider and in terms of the national labour laws declared a continuous service organisation. This underscores the centrality of NBC to the fabric of Namibian society and thus an indispensable variable in the equation of the Namibian mass communication network.
In 1996, the government signed an agreement with the European Union to expand the transmitter network and develop educational broadcasting. FM and television stations were completed at Opuwo, Oshakati, Katima Mulilo, Rundu and an FM antenna was erected at Arendnes. This project is expected to be completed by the year 2003 and will cost N$120 million.
In 1997, NBC won first prize at the FESPACO Film Festival hosted in Burkina Faso. In November 1997, it obtained an Emmy award for the UNICEF children’s broadcasting competition. In October that same year, the London-based Commonwealth Broadcasting Association awarded NBC first prize for innovative management in recognition of the manner in which it had established itself as a learning organisation in moulding and using its resources, especially human resources, in a creative and economic manner. In the same year, NBC also won a prize at the URTNA Screen Festival for having entered a highly informative and educative radio programme on small-scale entrepreneurship.
In March 1999, NBC TV launched a new image to offer viewers a more professional and appealing product. In its new approach the NBC increased local and African programmes with Wednesdays earmarked as “African” days. The NBC is aware of that local programming is essential if we wish to preserve our multi-cultural identity and slow the trend towards cultural global uniformity. Therefore, the NBC’s strategic plan, active until the year 2000, aims to achieve a high percentage of 50% African programmes, of which a major share will be local programmes. Currently the ratio is 20% local programmes. This was 15% in 1996.
In May 1995, NBC was involved in hosting and broadcasting the 1995 Miss Universe event in Windhoek which was regarded as an opportunity for promoting Namibia in general, for training its staff members and for exposure to the international community, which, in the long term, would bear fruit for investments and tourism in the country.
NBC also made an impact in the Southern African Development Community (SADC). The country serves on the Board of Directors of the Southern African Broadcasting Association (SABA) and, late in 1998, the SABA General Assembly decided that the SABA Secretariat should be hosted in Namibia. The training complex is designed to cater for regional needs. Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwe were selected to produce radio and television current affairs programmes. A weekly programme of 60 minutes will be produced in Windhoek for broadcasting throughout SADC.
The NBC staff was and is instrumental in the success story of TV Malawi, launched on April 1, 1999. This is a classic example of intra SADC co-operation.