Ndaitwah calls for economic opportunities for Namibian youth
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on Windhoek Observer
Namibia’s First Gentleman Epaphras Denga Ndaitwah has called for stronger partnerships to help young graduates turn their skills and ideas into economic activities. Unemployment reaches 44.4% among Namibians aged 15 to 34 and 48.2% among young women, according to the Namibia Statistics Agency’s 2023 Labour Force Report cited by the Windhoek Observer.
Namibia’s First Gentleman, Epaphras Denga Ndaitwah, has called for stronger partnerships between Russia and African countries to help young people turn their skills and ideas into economic activities. He was speaking on Wednesday at the Russia-Africa Youth Forum, held at Moscow’s MGIMO University, according to the Windhoek Observer.
Ndaitwah spoke of unemployed graduates, young people with ideas but no access to capital, and talented people without professional networks. Unemployment stands at 44.4% among Namibians aged 15 to 34, compared with 36.9% for the population as a whole, according to the Namibia Statistics Agency’s 2023 Labour Force Report. The rate reaches 48.2% among young women.
He notably proposed expanding young people’s access to entrepreneurship, technology, logistics, new media and diplomacy. He also called for trade between Africa and Russia not to be reserved for large companies.
The article cites the example of Jastina Ndahafa Uugwanga, a Namibian graduate who, after four years of looking for work, began buying clothing and accessories in Angola to resell them in Namibia. She later expanded her business and now supports other traders with their cross-border purchases. Ndaitwah’s call extends Namibia’s efforts to find investors and commercial opportunities in Russia, announced on 24 October in the search for investment and commercial opportunities in Russia.
