Suomi-Namibia seura ry./ Finnish-Namibian society

01/10/2026

Nandi-Ndaitwah appoints Jagger as social development advisor

Staff Reporter

PRESIDENT Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah has appointed Bernadette Maria Jagger as Social Development and Community Interface Advisor to the President, with her mandate focused on social development policy, community engagement and bringing the concerns of communities to the Presidency.

Jagger’s appointment takes effect from 1 October 2026 and is made in accordance with Article 32(3)(hh) of the Namibian Constitution, read together with the Special Advisors and Regional Governors Appointment Act, No. 6 of 1990.

In her new role, Jagger will advise the President on policies and programmes aimed at addressing poverty, education, health, youth development, social protection and community empowerment.

She will also engage with communities across Namibia and serve as a link between the Presidency and civil society, traditional authorities, faith-based organisations, youth, women and other community stakeholders, with particular attention to vulnerable and marginalised groups.

Her responsibilities include monitoring the implementation of presidential directives relating to social development, assessing the impact of relevant programmes and recommending improvements based on evidence and feedback from communities.

The Presidency said Nandi-Ndaitwah expressed confidence in Jagger’s ability and commitment to carry out her responsibilities with professionalism, dedication, efficiency and effectiveness.

Photo: Namibian Presidency

30/09/2026

Timantti löytö

President unveils rare 176-carat diamond recovered in Oranjemund

Staff Reporter

PRESIDENT Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah has unveiled the 176.29-carat “Owishi” diamond recovered by Namdeb at its Southern Coastal Mine in Oranjemund, describing the discovery as a source of national pride and an opportunity to strengthen Namibia’s position in the global natural diamond market while increasing local value from the resource.

The diamond was recovered on 10 May 2026 and is the largest diamond of its kind recovered at the Southern Coastal Mine in the past two decades.

The diamond was named “Owishi”, an Oshiwambo term referring to a rare form of honey found underground that is notoriously difficult to locate. Its rarity and difficulty of discovery were cited as fitting the significance of the diamond.

During the unveiling on Wednesday at the Namibia Diamond Trading Company (NDTC) Building in Windhoek, Nandi-Ndaitwah emphasised the role of mining as a key contributor to Namibia’s economy and development.

She said the discovery reinforces Namibia’s standing as a producer of high-quality, gem-grade natural diamonds, while highlighting the need for the country to distinguish its diamonds through their authenticity, ethical provenance and natural rarity.

The unveiling comes as the global diamond industry faces changing consumer preferences, fluctuations in international prices and growing competition from laboratory-grown diamonds.

Nandi-Ndaitwah commended Namibia’s diamond industry for its commitment to responsible mining, ethical practices and environmental stewardship.

She said Namibia’s peaceful and constitutionally anchored environment provides a stable foundation for sustainable investment in the mining sector.

The President also highlighted the 50/50 partnership between the Government and De Beers Group as an example of public-private cooperation in harnessing the country’s mineral resources for national development.

Looking ahead, she called for Namibia to strengthen its participation across the global diamond value chain by expanding commercially viable domestic activities in diamond cutting, polishing and jewellery manufacturing.

Nandi-Ndaitwah said Namibia’s natural diamonds should be positioned more prominently on the international market by highlighting their unique story and contribution to national development.

She emphasised that the value of Namibia’s natural resources should ultimately be measured by their contribution to improving the lives of Namibians, with the wealth beneath the country’s soil translating into shared prosperity.

Photo: Namibian Presidency

30/09/2026

21/09/2026

21/09/2026

Lepää rauhassa Immanuel Kauluma Elifas, Ondongan kuningas.

Vaikka Namibia on tasavalta, vaikuttaa maassa edelleen lukuisia kuningaskuntia. Ondongan kuningaskunnan asukkaat ovat pääasiassa Ovambo-heimon jäseniä. Pohjoisessa asuvat ovambot ovat Namibian suurin etninen ryhmä.

Seppo Kalliokoski, Suomi-Namibia seura ry./ Finnish-Namibian societyn puheenjohtaja, oli kuningas Elifaksen pitkäaikainen ystävä. Elifas kuoli maaliskuussa 2019, ja hautajaiset järjestettiin hiljattain. Kalliokosken kaksi poikaa, Juha ja Toivo, osallistuivat hautajaisiin.

Kalliokoski kirjoitti muistosanat edesmenneelle kuninkaalle, joissa hän muistelee, miten tärkeää kuninkaalle oli säilyttää hyvät suhteet suomalaisiin. Elifas toivotti suomalaiset aina tervetulleiksi Ambomaalle, kuten myös kuninkaat ennen häntä.

Vuonna 2009 kuningas Elifas matkusti Suomeen, kun Suomen Lähetysseura vietti 150-vuotisjuhliaan. Hän vieraili Kalliokoskien kotona, ja paikalla oli myös monia suomalaisia lähetystyöntekijöitä. Kuningas nautti suuresti Ritva Kalliokosken valmistamista pöydänantimista. Lisäksi hän innostui melkoisesti Kalliokosken tyttären Susannan nuoresta sonnista, joka oli nimetty Elifakseksi.

Ambomaalla on tällä hetkellä meneillään valtataistelu, sillä Ondongan uudesta kuninkaasta ei olla vielä päästy yksimielisyyteen.

21/09/2026

Alpo, Väinö, Irja ja Veikko. Kuvassa Namibian evankelis-luterilaisen kirkon pääsihteeri Alpo Enkono, piispa Väinö Nambala, piispa emerita Irja Askola ja piispa Veikko Munyika.

21/08/2026

Tervetuloa seminaariin 🤗

Selma Rainio – seminaari

Katso seminaarin ohjelma kaupungin tapahtumakalenterista, https://saarijarvi.fi/tapahtumakalenteri/selma-rainio-seminaari/

Tapahtuman järjestäjä:
Pro Suomen eteläisen Afrikan kulttuuri- ja tiedeinstituutti ry, Saarijärven kaupunki ja Saarijärven seurakunta

Tilaisuus nähtävissä livelähetyksenä Youtubessa, https://www.youtube.com//streams
sekä katsottavissa tallenteena kaksi viikkoa tilaisuuden jälkeen.

24/04/2026

Malawi🇲🇼 has sold gold from its international reserves and requested a $120 million loan from the Afreximbank to fund fuel imports, according to Nation Publications Media Group, as foreign exchange shortages continue to strain the economy.

23/04/2026

Sossusvlei Dunes with water🇳🇦13 April 2026🇳🇦

23/04/2026