Staff Reporter
PRESIDENT Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah has urged the Ministry of Defence and Veterans Affairs to prioritise the provision of high-quality training, infrastructure, and equipment for the Namibian Defence Force (NDF), to ensure the military is fully prepared to respond to emerging national security threats.
“Efforts should be made to ensure, amidst limited national resources, that our men and women in uniform live in modern accommodation units and have access to properly equipped and well-maintained training areas and firing ranges. Furthermore, our troops should have access to modern sporting and recreational facilities—not only to attract them to live on base, but also to ensure they remain fit for purpose. The availability of these facilities helps our soldiers to stay physically fit and ready to respond to any call of national duty,” President Nandi-Ndaitwah said.
She made these remarks at the conclusion of the NDF’s counter-terrorism training exercise, known as //KHAU //AE, held in Karibib.
“I am informed that the name //KHAU //AE is derived from the Damara-Nama language, meaning ‘SHIELD TOGETHER’. The choice of this name resonates well with the intended outcome of the exercise and, more importantly, reinforces the Government’s position, which calls for the enactment of relevant laws and the establishment of counter-terrorism institutions aimed at deterring, combating, and preventing potential terrorist threats against our Motherland,” the President explained.
The President highlighted that the ever-evolving nature of terrorism requires a coordinated and strategic approach—one that includes integrated planning, information sharing, and collaboration among various stakeholders at the national, regional, and international levels.
“As you are aware, the geopolitical risks recently witnessed in two of our sister countries in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region—namely the Democratic Republic of Congo and Mozambique—where acts of terrorism and insurgency continue to destabilise and undermine peace and security, should serve as a stark reminder of Namibia’s vulnerability to the potential dangers posed by terrorism and violent extremism. We cannot afford to be complacent or assume that the threat of terrorism is far from our national borders,” she cautioned.
President Nandi-Ndaitwah therefore called on the Ministry of Defence to embed counter-terrorism capabilities firmly within the Defence Force’s training programmes.
“I call upon the Ministry of Defence and Veterans Affairs to ensure that training, re-training, and exercises in counter-terrorism operations and preparedness remain integral to the Namibian Defence Force’s training curriculum. In this way, the skill sets and competencies acquired during the exercise will be preserved for many years to come,” the President added.
