Africa Department

Namibia

Since attaining independence in 1990, Namibia has been ruled by the former liberation movement, the South West African People‘s Organisation (SWAPO). The opposition has not been successful thus far in breaking out of this de facto one-party rule. Checks and balances on the three powers are imbalanced, while borderlines between the political party, government and business are blurred. Civil society lacks the organisational power and ideas to be able to effectively help shape policy. Trade unions are unable to operate independently as a result of their close ties to the governing party. The core elements of rule of law are being upheld, however - in spite of some attempts to curtail them.

Thanks to its solid economic policy with stable growth rates since 2011, Namibia is a member of the category of upper middle income countries. Thus far, the broad population has scarcely participated in this development, however. Economic growth has not been accompanied by growth in manufacturing or the creation of jobs. Unemployment is high; especially in rural areas many people work in the informal sector, usually living below the poverty level. Moreover, Namibia has one of the most unjust distributions of income and wealth in the world. Only since the election of President Hage Geingob in 2014 have poverty and inequality been made priority topics for the first time.

The Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES), which has been working in Windhoek since 1989, cooperates with the Namibian Parliament on various societal and economic-policy topics. It supports the women's organisation of SWAPO and other women's organisations with the objective of attaining equal participation of women. Young political leaders are being encouraged and fostered in a national Youth Leadership Development Program (YLDP) in consultation with the Ministry of Youth and the National Youth Council.

In addition, the FES is working with various civil society organisations and research institutions in the topical areas of social security, participation by civil society, energy and climate protection as well as with individual trade unions to strengthen employee representation.

Windhoek is furthermore the location of the FES media project, which is active throughout Sub-Saharan Africa.

Learn more about our work in Namibia on the project's website.

Publications

Perspectives on Namibiaʿs Social Protection 2017-2020

Windhoek, 2022

Download publication (2 MB, PDF-File)


Wietersheim, Erika von

This land is my land!

Motions and emotions around land reform in Namibia
Windhoek, 2021

Download publication (2,6 MB PDF-File)


African media barometer

a home grown analysis of the media landscape in Africa : Namibia 2018
Windhoek, 2019

Download publication (690 KB, PDF-File)


Self-regulatory code of ethics and conduct for Namibian print, broadcast and online media

Windhoek, 2017

Download publication (200 KB, PDF-File)


African media barometer

the first home grown analysis of the media landscape in Africa ; Namibia 2015
Windhoek;Bonn, 2015

Download publication (980 KB, PDF-File)


Africa Department

Contact in Germany

Tina Hennecken Andrade

Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung
Hiroshimastr. 17
10785 Berlin

+49 30-269 35-75 23

E-Mail


Contact in Namibia

Namibia Office

Hajo Lanz
Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung
P.O. Box 23652
NAM Windhoek
Namibia

+264-61- 41 75 00

+264-61-23 74 41

E-Mail