ENERGY & SUSTAINABILITY News & Analysis
AUGUST, 2021
Honouring a Giant of Industry The Briefing and Analysis of RDJ Consulting (NAMIBIA) Windhoek, Namibia
REMEMBERING AN ICON WE RECOGNISE A FALLEN GIANT AND DEDICATE THIS ISSUE TO MRS. NAMENE.
Be unapo logetic about your ambiti on and delive r your best. Mrs Foibe L Namene
RIP
MRS FOIBE L NAMENE
News & Analysis
From The Editor Quick Facts Economy at Large Oil & Gas Electricity Renewable Energy Water The Environment Roads & Transport ICT & Telecommunications Women in Industry A DEDICATION ARTICLE to Mrs. Namene
Youth in Action Tenders and Careers Contributing Authors
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ENERGY & SUSTAINABILITY
AUGUST 2021
FROM THE EDITOR RDJ Consulting Services CC is an advisory consultancy to the Energy, Water and Transport Sectors with a focus on sustainable operations and renewable energy.
PO Box 23738 Windhoek, NAMIBIA Telephone +264 61 400 171
EMAIL briefing@rdjconsulting.co.za WEBSITE www.rdjconsulting.co.za
Honouring a Giant of Industry Dear Reader,
Welcome to our August 2021 edition! This edition of the RDJ Briefing is dedicated to honouring the life and works of a Namibian energy sector giant – Foibe Louise Namene, who sadly passed away at the end of July, 2021. The news was received with a heavy heart not only from a professional industry standpoint but from a personal one, having benefitted from her wisdom and mentoring over the years. A number of pivotal policies creating sweeping and welcome changes to the electricity industry, were spearheaded by Mrs. Namene who was the Chief Executive officer at the Electricity Control Board of Namibia at the time of her passing. Her interventions and roles spanned the Southern Africa region through platforms such as the Regional Energy Regulators Association (RERA), Southern Africa Power Pool (SAPP) and the Africa Forum for Utility Regulators (AFUR). At the same time, African Energy Week 2021 will also soon be upon us along with COP 26, requiring a re-examination of where we are and how the lofty goals will be achieved. The Namibian government has concluded its revised Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) and
so this will now form the baseline of action going forward. However, it is hoped that we will continue to add value to Mrs. Namene’s memory, and the resilience shown by Namibia and the region will thus be a testimony to her vision as we once more offer our heartfelt condolences to her family, friends and colleagues. For more insight on this topic, please continue to enjoy reading this Briefing and do join our conversations on Twitter and Wordpress. If you are new to the RDJ Briefing, subscribe to this FREE Publication at briefing@rdjconsulting.co.za and freely share the link with others that will benefit from its contents. Enjoy, #Stay Safe and note that your comments are always welcome….….
(David A. Jarrett) Editor
Authors RDJ Interns*
This report is a FREE Publication and was prepared by RDJ Consulting Services CC based in Windhoek, Namibia. The content is collected from publicly available information and so its accuracy cannot be guaranteed.
quick facts 2.3M
Population Size
66.6%
LTE
Telecom (sophistication)
2.575
Million Mobile(cell phones) Subscribers
Employment
Tourism, Mining, Fishing Industries
-1.1%
GDP Growth (2019)
7.50%
Prime Interest rate
89%
Literacy Rate
8.8M
Water availability (cubic litres/capita)
484.000
Electricity Gen. in MW (Local)
629.000
Electricity Demand in MW (all)
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4.00%
Inflation (CPI)
3.75% Repo Rate
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JULY, 2021
ECONOMY AT LARGE Mining Production Boosts Exports Trade Statistics
M
ining production across different commodities lifted exports significantly in June 2021 as exports increased by 14.1% in June 2021 to N$8.6
billion, an increase of N$5.4 billion a month earlier. According to the latest trade statistics by the Namibia Statistics Agency, key commodities accounted for just over 70% of total exports, where exports in zinc increased by 460,623.5%, uranium 549.7%, copper 43.1% and gold up by 7.7% in June 2021. Exports in diamonds decreased by 7.8% in June 2021. Zinc exports shot off from a low base, recording N$0.00 exports in May 2021 and N$5 million in June 2021. Uranium was mainly purchased by China, with Canada buying a smaller share.
Indices. Elevated commodity prices are also expected to favour Namibia’s export earnings going forward,” Klein said. Namibia sent most of its exports to China, South Africa, the Netherlands, Belgium and Spain (73.6% of all exports were sent to these five countries). In terms of modes of transportation, 73% of all exports left Namibia via sea (56.9% in the prior month), 13.7% by air (22.6% in the prior month) and 13.2% by road (20.5% in the prior month). On the other hand, imports, however, increased by 33.1% in June 2021 to N$9.6 billion, leading to a decrease in the trade deficit (from N$3.2 billion in May 2021 to N$987 million in June 2021).
Theo Klein, an economist at Simonis Storm Securities said key mines across commodities have been under care and maintenance, with production expected to resume fully by the end of this year or early next year.
Namibia sourced most of its imports from South Africa, Peru, Zambia, the DRC and India (73.8% of all imports came from these five countries).
“We believe the trade deficit to improve going forward, mainly on the back of increased mining production (as per our latest Quarterly outlook). Bank of Namibia expects higher diamond and uranium production to offset production losses in zinc and copper, according to their latest Economic Outlook,” Klein said.
The largest import product for June 2021 was copper, mainly imported from Zambia and the DRC. However, majority of the copper imported was re-exported to the Netherlands, China and France. Petroleum oils were mainly bought from India, Tunisia and South Africa, whereas diamonds were mainly sourced from Botswana and Belgium.
The uranium production index increased by 65.2% in May 2021, followed by zinc up 29% and gold up 10.8% in May 2021. “As per our latest Quarterly Outlook, we believe as mines restart production after care and maintenance programmes are completed, the trade deficit should improve owing to increased global factory orders, positive business sentiment and manufacturing expansion signalled by elevated global manufacturing Purchasing Managers
About 61.2% of imports entered Namibia via road (70% in the prior month), 34.3% via sea (27.6% in the prior month) and 4.5% via air (2.3% in the prior month). ORIGINAL PUBLICATION: By Donald Matthys Source: https://economist.com.na/63427/miningenergy/mining-production-boosts-exports/
RDJ Photo www.rdjconsulting.co.za
AUGUST, 2021
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Home Affairs Increases Fees for Services and Documents Issued
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he ministry of Home Affairs, Immigration, Safety and Security (MHAISS) in July announced they an increased fees for any services and documents
they issue. According to Ministry’s Executive Director Etienne Maritz, the increase is applicable to Civil Registration, Identity Management, Immigration, Refugee Management Services and Citizenship. He also explained that the increase in fees is due to issues like improvement security features of passport booklets, Visa and permits, changing the number of pages from 32 to 47 pages and also and extension to passports validity period from 5 to now 10 years. He also further elaborated
that the National Identification cards will now contain a Machine-Readable Zone (MRZ) and a Quick Response Code (QRC). Therefore, the general public should take note of all these.
Readings: https://economist.com.na/63212/extra/home-affairs-increasesfees-for-services-and-documents-issued/ https://allafrica.com/stories/202107270821.html https://www.namibian.com.na/103602/read/Ministry-doubles-upon-travel-permit-fees https://www.nbc.na/news/home-affairs-says-fees-incrementnational-documents-necessitated-applicants-negligence.47607
Aerial drone photo of new Ministry of Home Affairs building, Windhoek, Namibia Credit: @TravelToNamibia
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AUGUST, 2021
OIL & GAS NAMCOR Service Stations now Open in Khorixas and Oshakati
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he National Petroleum Corporation of Namibia (NAMCOR) opened two
service stations in Khorixas and Oshakati in July 2021. This brings the number of NAMCOR service stations countrywide to Seven (7). The stations opened will be operating on a retail basis and are situated at convenient places to provide fuel and lubricants, as well as food and drinks 24/7 to its visitors. According to Immanuel Mulunga, the Managing Director of NAMCOR, there are five (5) new sites currently under construction an additional eight (8) more being planned for construction around country. NAMCOR intends to open a total of 18 service stations in the 2021/2022 Financial Year and a total of 33 by 2024.
Readings: https://economist.com.na/63320/re tail/namcor-opens-retail-sites-inkhorixas-oshakati/ https://www.namibian.com.na/210 096/archive-read/Namcor-to-floodmarket-with-fuel-stations
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AUGUST, 2020
2021 AUGUST FUEL PRICES
N$ 13.55 per litre 95 Octane Unleaded Petrol
N$ 13.58 per litre Diesel 50ppm
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AUGUST, 2021
ReconAFRICA Progressing AUTHOR: David Jarrett Managing Consultant at RDJ Consulting
ReconAFRICA Aeromagnetic survey diagram - Copyright: ReconAFRICA https://www.reconafrica.com
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amibia continues to attract attention in its Oil and Gas sector through the current ReconAFRICA exploration (RECO: TSX-V) activities in the Kavango Region. This exploration seeks to discover petroleum in its 8.5 million acre (3.44 million hectare) rights area of the sedimentary basin. ReconAFRICA states that its intended goal “has always been to prove there is an active conventional petroleum system in the Kavango Sedimentary Basin”. To this end, it feels that current drills have been confirmatory of the petroleum presence but further “scenario understanding” is needed. NAMCOR, which is the short form for the National Petroleum Corporation of Namibia, the national oil company established under the Namibian Companies Act of 1973 with remit from the Petroleum (Exploration and Production) Act of 1991. NAMCOR operates both upstream
and downstream in the oil and gas sector, has a Joint Operating Agreement (JOA) with ReconAFRICA for Petroleum Exploration License (PEL) 73. As NAMCOR points out on its website, some 50 Petroleum Exploration Licenses (PELs) have been issued by the Ministry of Mines and Energy (MME) that supports various explorations. 24 wells have been carried out nationally by various parties with varying results. The full details of the JOA for PEL 73 are still to be outlined publicly. The exploratory wells (known as wells 6-2 and 6-1) to-date have reached depths of 2 294 m and 2 780 m with resultant “hydrocarbon” reveals of over 250 350 metres, which should as ReconAFRICA indicates, lead to their exploration period extension on their permitted PEL 73 area. Thus, they have indicated that future drilling locations will be guided by seismic data leading to an additional 2 – 4 wells.
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AUGUST, 2021
The MME supports the exploration as a valuable natural resources as it seeks “to unlock the country’s petroleum prospectively and is the first step in the process of locating significant accumulations, we can now confidently confirm Namibia is endowed with an active onshore petroleum basin”. Further updates can be expected via a virtual presentation at the Petroleum Society of Great Britain/Houston Geologic Society Africa Conference, September 14–15, 2021 and at the Frontier Africa E&P Summit in London, during September 22nd –23rd, 2021.
The feedback here and summation is not exhaustive, but the conversation continues briefing@rdjconsulting.co.za www.rdjconsulting.co.za Readings: https://reconafrica.com/operations/frequently-asked-questions/ https://reconafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/ReconAfricaTechnical-Brief-V28.pdf https://www.namcor.com.na/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/JointNR-FINAL-April-15-2021.pdf
KEY STATS
ReconAfrica is a Canadian oil and gas company (Founded in 1978)
NAMCOR is a joint-venture partner
Focused activities in Southern Africa (Namibia and Botswana) Focused activities in Southern Africa (Namibia and Botswana)
For Advertising, Contact
advertising@rdjconsulting.co.za
www.rdjconsulting.co.za
Southern Africa exploratory area covers 8.5 million acres / 3.44 million hectares
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AUGUST, 2021
ELECTRICITY African Energy Week
African Energy Week 2021, an interactive exhibition and networking event, will unite global and African energy stakeholders, drive industry growth, and promote Africa as the destination for Africafocused events.
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frican Energy Week (AEW) 2021 is the African Energy Chamber’s (AEC) interactive exhibition and networking event that seeks to unite African energy stakeholders, drive industry growth and development, and promote Africa as the destination for Africanfocused events and for the future of Africa’s energy sector. The four-day high-level conference comprising of networking sessions, innovative exhibitions, one-on-one private meetings, and much more. The event is set to include industry delegates, movers and shakers and African and global industry leaders and speakers from the energy, oil and gas sector. From the branch of our existing ecosystem, the theme for the week, ‘At the Forefront of the African Energy Industry,’ aims to emphasise a core focus on the African energy sector, with specific attention being given to Africa’s role within the global energy transition.
ORIGINAL PUBLICATION: https://aew2021.com/
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AUGUST, 2021
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African Energy Week Aims to Break Down Barriers Women Face in the Energy Indu stry
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he African Energy Week (AEW) which will take place from 9 to 12 November in Cape Town, aims to put women in a fundamental role to drive the
future of Africa’s energy. AEW 2021 considers women to be the key drivers of Africa’s energy revolution and should therefore, comprise notable participants in the workforce. They added that despite making up 50% of the population, women continue to represent a minimal role in the African energy industry, accounting for merely 21% of the overall workforce in energy utilities. “Continued gender disparity, inequality and barriers to entry not only directly prevent women from participating in the energy industry, but dramatically constrain economic and sector growth,” said the African Energy Chamber organisers of the AEW. As the World Bank’s Energy Sector Management Assistance Programe noted that the average share of women working in technical positions in the energy industry was 15% with most women working in administrative positions, rather than driving gender inclusivity, the energy industry actually represents one of the most unequal fields worldwide, hindering any effective growth from taking place. Ironically the World Economic Forum (WEF) said that companies with strong female leadership deliver a 36% higher return on equity, and companies with at least one female executive board member out perform those with male only boards. Additional, energy sector organizations that improve gender equality tend to boost innovation, therefore the role of women is clear and yet there continues to be significant barriers to entry that AEW 2021 aims to address. The Chamber also noted that on of the most notable challenges faced by women in the energy industry comprises the continuous under representation of women in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education. They said with STEM comprising the driving force of the energy sector, particularly in the modern era with technological and renewable solutions relying heavily on innovation, human capital development is essential and yet women continue to be excluded.
The AEW 2021 will directly address these challenges and place women at the forefront of not only the events agenda, but of Africa’s energy agenda. “By uniting speakers from both the educational and energy sector, AEW 2021 will drive a discussion on increasing women’s participation by addressing the root of the problem, inclusion and representation,” they added. The AEW 2021 will also focus on removing barriers to entry, emphasizing the role of organizations in ensuring equality, particularly in terms of job applications, interviews and employments across every level of the value chain and within various positions in the hierarchy. “By not only establishing policies that address the gender gap, but ensuring implementation, the African energy sector has the opportunity to be a globally leading sector in gender equality and inclusivity, driving sectoral and economic growth in the process,” they explained. AEW 2021 not only recognizes the value and contribution of women to the energy industry, but views women as a catalyst for energy sector success, through solutions based workshops and insightful panel discussions led by women across the education, energy and policy making sectors. The AEW 2021 will the ideal platform whereby women’s role in energy can be identified, emphasized and put into action, because Africa’s energy future is not only determined by investment and technology, but by innovation and education, all enabled by women’s increased participation. “Women are the future, and AEW 2021 will ensure they take up their rightful place at the table, because if you educate a man you educate an individual, but if you educate a woman, you educate a nation,” they concluded.
ORIGINAL PUBLICATION: https://economist.com.na/63593/speak-your-mind/africanenergy-week-aims-to-break-down-barriers-women-face-inthe-energy-industry/
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AUGUST, 2021
RENEWABLE ENERGY Second African Renewable Energy Private Equity Fund Reaches First Close Target
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Private Equity Fund with a target capitalisation of US$300 million has just achieved its first close at €130 million following a joint investment of €17.5 million from The Sustainable Energy Fund for Africa and the Climate Technology Fund through the African Development Bank.
“We are proud to be associated with Berkeley Energy and other like-minded investors, and look forward to AREF’s continued success and leadership in promoting sustainable power development on the continent,” said Dr Kevin Kariuki, the African Development Bank’s Vice President for Power, Energy, Climate and Green Growth.
Named the Africa Renewable Energy Fund (AREF) II, it is a successor fund to the first AREF, and its target investments include early-stage renewable projects to derisk that part of renewable investment which carries the highest risk.
In 2012, the African Development Bank selected Berkeley Energy, a seasoned fund manager of clean energy projects in global emerging markets to set up AREF. AREF II has a sharper strategic focus than its predecessor on “green baseload” projects that will deliver firm and dispatchable power to African power systems through hydro, solar, wind and battery storage technologies.
In a statement issued by the African Development Bank, it was indicated that in addition to the reaching of the first close target, financing will also be made available for AREF II’s Project Support Facility to fund technical assistance that supports improved project bankability, especially during the conceptualisation phase. Other investors include the U.K.’s CDC Group, Italy’s CDP, the Netherlands Development Finance Company (FMO) and SwedFund.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Development Bank Group.
ORIGINAL PUBLICATION: https://economist.com.na/62267/mining-energy/second-africanrenewable-energy-private-equity-fund-reaches-first-close-target/
Solar Energy Credit - RDJ Photo
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RDJ CONSULTING SERVICES CC. Energy & Sustatinability
WHAT WE OFFER EXPERIENCE Utility and Mining, On grid and Off-grid, Rural community understanding (Africa, Asia and Caribbean) PROJECT Assessments and supervision, including procurement (bidding / tender documentation) ESS Environmental Impacts along with scoping and site assessment DATA Data collection, data verification, modelling and referencing against national data sets TRAINING Onsite, Offsite and planned training modules to align people with project objectives PUBLICATIONS Blog sets, Weekly summaries and Monthly "briefing" publications
CONTACT US Email: briefing@rdjconsulting.co.za Tel: +264 61 400 171 www.rdjconsulting.co.za
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AUGUST, 2021
WATER How Climate Change May Affect Namibia’s Water Security AUTHOR: Monique Jarrett Environmentalist @ RDJ Consulting
Fetching water from distant places in Nothern Namibia is very common due to scarcity. Credit - RDJ Photo
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t is often said that the next world war will not be based on religion, creed, or political power, but over water or rather the lack thereof. With increasing changes in climate and global warming there has been an increasing variability in rainfall patterns. Some areas are receiving more than normal as seen in Germany, whereas some areas in the world such as South Madagascar are currently experiencing their worst drought in 40 Years. When you walk into a public bathroom in Namibia, you will often see posters or stickers on the wall that says, “Turn off taps”, “use water sparingly”, “Namibia is a dry country”, and so on. Additionally, local dams have often been put on high alert and City of Windhoek often warns residents of their water consumption by implanting regulations such as the banning of washing cars with running water. Being a semi-arid country, Namibia is often prone to drought. Mean annual rainfall is less than 250 millimetres
(mm) with an upper limit of about 600 mm per year. Namibia relies mainly on groundwater as its main source of water providing a buffer against drought. Climate change poses a real threat to Namibia’s water availability and are therefore more likely to experience water scarcity as future climate change trends predict that the country will be hit by changing rainfall patterns, rising temperatures, increased rates of evapotranspiration and prolonged drought which will intensify water scarcity in the country. According to UN-Water, water security is “The capacity of a population to safeguard sustainable access to adequate quantities of acceptable quality water for sustaining livelihoods, human well-being, and socio-economic development, for ensuring protection against water-borne pollution and water-related disasters, and for preserving ecosystems in a climate of peace and political stability.”
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AUGUST, 2021
However, when Namibia does have good rains, it normally leads to intense flooding which is often seen in the northern regions and was seen in January 2021 in Windhoek. With the release of the IPCC ‘Climate Change 2021 The physical science basis: Summary for policymakers’ Sixth Assessment report has been identified from current climate data and through data modelling and future projections show that precipitation in countries such as Namibia in the subtropics is expected to decrease. If the globe was to become 1.5 degree Celsius (symbol: °C) warmer, the mean precipitation change over Namibia will see a 5% decrease. If the globe was to become 2.0 °C warmer, the mean precipitation change over Namibia will see a 15% decrease and if the globe was to become 4.0 °C warmer, the mean precipitation change over Namibia will see up to 20-30% decrease. If the globe was to become 1.5 °C warmer, the Annual mean total column soil moisture change over Namibia will see a 0.5% - 0.75% decrease in mean total soil moisture. If the globe was to become 2.0 °C warmer, the mean precipitation change over Namibia will see a 1% - 1.25% decrease in mean total column soil moisture change. If the globe was to become 4.0 °C warmer, the mean precipitation change over Namibia will see up to 1.5% decrease in mean annual precipitation. The projected statistics show that there will be an increase and more prolonged agricultural, ecological, and meteorological droughts, heatwaves, increased evapotranspiration, low groundwater recharge, and decreased water availability in both quantity and quality,
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to reduce renewable surface water and groundwater resources, variability of rainfall, temperature increases, and seasonal climate patterns become more variable. All of which will have dire effects on food and water security for the country in the coming future. To ensure that Namibia is ready to mitigate and adapt to these challenges climate change and disaster risk management strategies need to implement better water harvesting and capturing strategies during the rainy seasons and more efficient water use by all sectors. This can be achieved at a local level by allowing residential households to collect rainwater that can be used to water gardens, wash cars, wash clothes, etc. in order to lessen the pressure on the local water supply. Additionally, further research on how to use less water in agricultural activities, such as investing in drought resistant crops and animals need to be encoraged. Lack of water is perhaps the single most important constraint to economic development and therefore Integrated water resources management is more important than ever in order to promote efficient use of water.
Readings: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fclim.2021.602962/ful l https://www.adaptationundp.org/sites/default/files/downloads/namibia_nationalclimatec hangepolicyfornamib.pdf http://www.bgr.bund.de/EN/Themen/Wasser/Projekte/abgeschloss en/TZ/Namibia/groundwater_namibia.pdf?__blob=publicationFile https://www.unwater.org/publications/water-securityinfographic/#:~:text=%E2%80%9CThe%20capacity%20of%20a%20p opulation,ecosystems%20in%20a%20climate%20of https://www.ipcc.ch/report/ar6/wg1/#FullReport
A river in Namibia during rainny season. Credit - RDJ Photo
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AUGUST, 2021
THE ENVIRONMENT Zero Waste and Minimalism: Sustainable Households AUTHOR: Monique Jarrett Environmentalist @ RDJ Consulting
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n light of zero waste week from the 2-6 September, you may be asking yourself how you can assist or achieve zero waste and achieve an eco-friendlier lifestyle and how you can incorporate it into your everyday lifestyle. In order to tackle our pollution crisis, we need to reduce the amount of waste that we are sending to landfills by opting for sustainable and reusable alternatives. In line with SGD 12 for responsible production and consumption. Zero waste is defined by the Zero Waste International Alliance (ZWIA) as “The conservation of all resources by means of responsible production, consumption, reuse, and recovery of products, packaging, and materials without burning and with no discharges to land, water, or air that threaten the environment or human health.” With the dawn of services like Amazon and the increase in internet shopping now we don’t even need to leave our homes to consume large amounts of goods which is essentially feeding our throw away culture because everything is cheaper and comes so much easier than in the past. With companies’ technology evolving and improving at such a fast past rate with a must have new cell phone released every year and fast fashion with new lines being released every season, new furniture to match your aesthetic it is inevitably feeding into our consumeristic trends and increasing how easily we dispose of goods without even giving it a second thought. As much as there is a greater responsibility being placed on manufacturers and industry to implement more sustainable methods of production, using materials that are more durable, can be reused, disposable and easily recyclable. A lot of the responsibility also lies with us as the consumers. We as the consumer need to really think long and hard before we consume. Deliberate consumption is important, ask yourself: Do I really need
this? How is this going to add value to my life? Or is this just compulsive shopping, buying just because I can. The need to constantly produce new items is driven by high levels of consumption and consumerism is leading to the overexploitation and plundering of the earth’s natural resources to meet these unparalleled demands. Which is putting extra pressure on our already strained water resource and feeding into the production of carbon emissions which is contributing to the climate crisis. Ever heard of the saying “That dress was so last season”? In a United Nations Environmental Program (UNEP) report it states that the fashion industry is the 2nd largest consumer of water globally. The industry produces 8-10% of global carbon emissions, which is more than all the international flights and maritime shipping combined and 85% of all textiles go to dumps each year. Even washing clothes releases 500 000 tons of microfibres into the ocean each year, the equivalent of 50 billion plastic bottles. China’s manufacturing CO2 emissions increased from 1.91 billion tons in 1995 to 6.25 billion tons in 2015, with an average annual growth rate of 6% The expansion of the electronic manufacturing in China, the country that produces some of the cheapest electronic products that are traded and sold globally has put a great amount of stress on the country’s water sector and contributes to China being one of the greatest carbon emitters globally. Items which within a year are usually thrown-out to the nearest landfill when the newest version is released, none of this is sustainable! As the push for minimalism grows, you may ask what is minimalism and how can you achieve it? As defined by Joshua Fields Millburn & Ryan Nicodemus “A Minimalist lifestyle is about avoiding the unnecessary, it's about simplicity, utility, and elegance. Strive to only use things that serve a purpose.”
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TOWARDS ACHIEVING
NET ZERO BY 2050
Credit: RDJ Photo
How can this help us to achieve our zero waste goals? By buying and only consuming as much as you need it prevents the over accumulation of goods that eventually get disposed of when they begin to clutter up your space, expire or are no longer needed or wanted. Also be hypersensitive of the type of goods that you buy are they sustainable, meaning that they will last for a long time or are easily recycled. Donate don’t throw away. But as the economy needs to grow, how can we reduce consumption and waste production while still driving economic growth? While the only way to tackle water and
air pollution is by decreasing the rate of production, reduction of resource extraction and plundering to feed the fast fashion and electronics industry can be done via the circular economy and finding effective way to create all ‘new’ products from old or recycled material.
Readings: https://zwia.org/ https://www.unep.org/news-and-stories/press-release/unalliance-sustainable-fashion-addresses-damage-fast-fashion file:///C:/Users/moniq/Downloads/sustainability-11-00226.pdf https://www.theminimalists.com/minimalism/ https://www.bsr.org/reports/BSR_Electronics_Supply_Networks_W ater_Pollution_in_China.pdf
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AUGUST, 2021
ROADS TRANSPORT Time for Sustainable Mobility AUTHOR: David Jarrett Managing Consultant at RDJ Consulting
Electric Charging Copyright: REUTERS/Rebecca Cook https://www.weforum.org/
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AUGUST, 2021
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lectric vehicles are growing in popularity, even in the face of minimal or non-existent supporting infrastructure such as viable range, charging stations, dealers and appropriate tax regulations coupled with zero-emission vehicles mandates and fuel economy standards. There is no question in the sustainable credentials of electric vehicles, especially cars used in urban mobility. Discounting the source of the electricity, electric vehicles emit no gases or emissions along with their lower cost of operation and maintenance. Electric vehicles can be configured in a variety of types such that they run purely on electrical power from a battery (charged from an external source) or a hybrid that can be charged externally or powered from an onboard engine. The latter is considered effective for rural travel especially in areas not yet configured with electric charging points or even electricity (off-grid areas). With major economies moving to electric vehicles as the main source of mobility, Africa thus needs to have regulation in place that encourages electric mobility and or prepares economies to be “dumping” grounds for fossil fueled vehicles that can no longer be on the road of Developed Economies. Reports estimated that about 40% of the global exports of used vehicles go to Africa. Specifically, in Nigeria, Kenya and Ethiopia it is estimated that the proportion reaches about 80–90% of total vehicles imported. The United States according to the Wall Street Journal (August 5, 2021) has pledged to have electric vehicles make up 50% of vehicle sales by 2030. This means that most top vehicle brands will have to align themselves to meet this demand, realizing that manufacturing processes occur over years and so need planning from now to become a reality.
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Africa therefore must start to make policy alignment that incorporates all these realities. Some of the subtle suggested changes are:
Mandatory standards for all vehicle charging ports for charging compatibility Compulsory installation of “fast charge” points at all petrol/service stations as a condition of license. Consideration to tariffs for electricity sales at petrol/service stations Rapid conversion of urban municipal fleets to electric vehicles (buses and municipal trucks) Revised road tax charging methodologies from litre utilization to distance measures The list is not exhaustive but early action will smooth the inevitable transition. The conversation continues briefing@rdjconsulting.co.za www.rdjconsulting.co.za
Readings: https://www.weforum.org/ https://www.statista.com/chart/17178/global-electric-carownership/ https://www.iea.org/reports/global-ev-outlook-2020 https://www.kbb.com/car-advice/electric-cars-101/ https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-to-set-electric-vehicle-salestarget-of-50-by-2030-11628154000 https://techpoint.africa/2021/06/09/global-ev-adoption-thereality-in-africa-may-be-different/ https://www.unep.org/resources/report/global-trade-usedvehicles-report
Credit: https://gomechanic.in/blog/benefits-of-buying-an-ev/
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AUGUST, 2021
ICT & TELECOMMUNICATIONS MTC Namibia Technology
Launches
VSAT
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obile Telecommunications Limited (MTC) announced the commercial launch of MTC’s Very Small Aperture Terminal (VSAT) communications technology. The very small aperture terminal (VSAT) is a two-way ground station that transmits and receives data from satellites. VSAT networks have a number of commercial applications, including, perhaps most notably,the use of VSAT to track inventory. However, MTC intends to use their VSAT technology, to extend internet connectivity in areas where 2G/3G/4G and Spectra services are not available. Tim Ekandjo Chief Corporate affairs of MTC commented “Connectivity in Africa remains a challenge, in Namibia more so challenging given the vast infrastructural inequalities between regions, towns, villages and settlements.” VSAT can deliver internet connectivity even in areas where the most basic mobile network infrastructure is lacking. This is especially important for areas in Namibia where development of terrestrial telephone lines is impractical. Another major advantage of VSAT is that deploying a VSAT service is easy to set up and requires minimal competency from the user.
Second Phase of National Fibre Backbone Project Underway in Malawi
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uawei’s second phase of the National Fibre Backbone project is in the process of being implemented, the project is set to cover 2,800 km of fibre optic cables and it is expected to connect 29 cities and cover more than 100,000 businesses and homes across Malawi. Malawi is among several African countries with connectivity that is unpredictable and expensive for many people. Lack of communication infrastructure and affordable options in Malawi continues to contribute to persistent gender and rural-urban divides in accessing and using digital technology. The Malawi government has said Huawei's second phase of the project is going to enhance the country's development goals. Better access to the internet and technologically skilled workforce could potentially contribute $189 million in additional GDP and $33 million in tax revenues per year, says the latest World Bank Malawi Economic Monitor (MEM).
For more information on how-to sign-up contact MTC at 13500 (tollfree) or email at mtcbusiness@mtc.com.na
President Lazarus Chakwera who launched the project said that the project aligns well with the country's accelerators meant to achieve the county's development goals in the next four years and that the project is critical for making Malawi's economy, society, and governance smarter.
Readings:
Readings:
https://economist.com.na/63416/technology/digital-enablerlaunches-commercial-vsat-communications-technology/ https://www.is.co.mz/blog/articles/the-benefits-of-a-vsatconnectivity-solution/
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DEDICATION ARTICLE
WOMEN IN INDUSTRY Women In Leadership positions Interview with Mrs. Foibe L Namene Interviewed by Ms. Kina Indongo (Communications Specialist - RDJ Consulting)
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n this month’s “Women In Industry section of the RDJ Briefing, we had the honour of speaking to Mrs.Foibe Louise Namene, whose extraordinary show of leadership serves as an inspirational representation to women of all walks of life.
Personal Journey Mrs. Namene is a trained Lawyer and admitted Attorney of the High Court of Namibia, She holds a Masters of Economic Law Degree from the University of Namibia and is currently pursuing a Doctorate in Law. Mrs. Namene is also a trained Senior and Executive Business Manager. Her impressive experience includes her
work for the Legal Assistance Centre as a Centre Coordinator for the Ongwediva Office In 1990. She then later joined the Ministry of Justice, Office of the Government Attorney, and further in her career she joined the National Power Utility Company (NamPower) in 1996 as a Chief Legal Officer and worked there in different capacities until May 31, 2014 when she joined the Electricity Control Board (ECB).
Professional Journey Mrs. Namene was appointed as Chief Executive Officer of the ECB on the 1st of June 2014. Although this was her first time at the helm of an www.rdjconsulting.co.za
institution this was not her first senior position. Her leadership experience started at NamPower where she worked as head of several Business Units including the country’s first ever Energy Trading Unit for several years. “I joined a young and vibrant team of professionals, who are very committed and driven. they challenge me and kept me on my toes which was good” Mrs. Namene, muses this as an advantage because in her position as a Regulator she aims not to look at things from a personal perspective but from an industry perspective, “what better way than being in the company of these young vibrant teams that help
AUGUST, 2021 you to see the bigger picture, this clearly demonstrates that young people do not only have concerns and complaints but they have solutions and suggestions.” Mrs. Namene adds. She further explains how she has learned from them in the same way, she hopes her team is also learning from her. Additionally, She has watched the industry reforming and transforming itself, “the changes have been massive and like a lot of things over the past three decades they have all been driven by the development in the technological space”, and “I have also seen the increasing need of our people and the hunger for access to energy and a better life.” Explains Mrs. Namene. When speaking of her contributions and changes to the ECB, Mrs. Namene says “Contributions and changes are not an individual achievement and, in any institution, remains a team effort.” Because a Regulator cannot be a single person but rather it has to be an institution with clearly defined roles and support from all stakeholders in order for it to be able to drive the changes that are needed for the industry of the future . “I was lucky to come into an institution that had a solid foundation laid by my predecessor the late Siseho Simasiku.” The changes Mrs. Namene has taken part in are part of the concept of “we rise together as a team”. Her team has seen new policies coming into effect with the review of the White Paper on Energy Policy and the country’s first Renewable Energy Policy, the Independent Power Producers (IPP) Policy and Investment Framework are some of the changes that her team has spearheaded or were involved in. Mrs. Namene expresses pride in the Namibian Renewable Energy Feed in Tariff (REFIT) Program that has been initiated by the ECB. This particular program has led to a number of renewable energy IPPs being able to
be involved in the industry and contributing to the country’s energy portfolio. This is considered an achievement coming from a couple of years ago when the country had only one Independent Power Producer. The ECB was instrumental in the development and establishing the Net Metering Rules that paved the way for individuals to install solar panels on their roofs and get credit from the service providers. The ECB is also proud of the two Mechanisms established to address affordability and access, The National Electricity and Electrification Support Mechanisms respectively, but their pride and joy is the Modified Single Buyer Market Framework (MSB) which became effective 1st September 2019 which allow the Eligible Sellers and Contestable Customers to be able to directly transact with each other.
Challenges Mrs. Namene has had her fair shares of ups and downs but she says that “ I do not allow that to hold me back, I look at myself as a person who is extremely focused and driven, with a bullish passion for energy and for what I do.” Mrs. Namene explains that it is well known that in the work environment women face many challenges, some being the demand on their time, energy and resources and at times gender discrimination in business. She expresses that in her career “I had to overcome many obstacles placed in my way by some of my superiors either because their principles differed or simply because they had certain expectations and views of how women should behave” Mrs. Namene boldy adds “as unacceptable as some of those challenges and behavior might have been I embraced them , I viewed them as bricks needed to build a strong foundation, part of character building and part of moulding who I am.” She believes that Namibia has policies and legislation as a country
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that are supportive of recognizing the capabilities and value of women. She believes that women are being judged on their capabilities and expertise and on what they bring to the table and not based on their gender. “It is still tough out there and women executives are still in the minority. I am also lucky to find a lot of support and mentoring in men and women both in and outside the industry.” Mrs. Namene adds.
The Future of Namibia's Electricity Namibia has a well-developed Electricity Supply Industry (ESI) that has many features common with the best practices around the world .We have some of the leading practices and regulations in the region and we have to be proud of that. We will see IPPs strengthening their presence in the country as is already evident, this will enable us to reduce our dependencey on imports. Renewable Energy is becoming an important part of our generation portfolio. The implementation of the MSB will also lead to increased competition. Electrification of rural and peri urban communities through mini grids and home systems will gain popularity.
Conclusion Mrs. Namene’s advice to women who would like to follow in her footsteps is “Do not limit yourself. Become involved in the collective. Learn, explore and challenge yourself. Work harder to strengthen ties with women in the sector from different parts of the world. If you make mistakes, learn from them and move on.” She goes on to explain the time has come for women to rise to the occasion and work alongside their male counterparts. “Be unapologetic about it and deliver your best. It is not going to be easy but if mountains were smooth nobody would have been able to climb them.”
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AUGUST, 2021
YOUTH IN ACTION Interview with Mr. Roger Kangootui Interviewed by Ms. Kina Indongo (Communications Contributor - RDJ Consulting)
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This August we are honoured to speak to Mr. Roger Kangootui a visionary and
change maker in Agricultural sphere.
the
Namibian
Personal Journey Mr. Kangootui holds a Bachelor of Agriculture (General) from The University Of Science and Technology (NUST) and is a Certified Permaculture Training Facilitator. His academic talents extend beyond just Agriculture, as Mr. Kangootui also has a Financial Planning Level 1 and Financial Planning Level 2 (Investments) accreditation. Mr. Kangootui’s occupational background reflects his multidisciplinary attitude, “My personality has allowed me to be fortunate enough to have a very versatile occupational background.” His first job being with student council leadership, he has worked in radio, marketing, sales and the financial services sector. Within the Agriculture sector he worked as an Agribusiness consultant (Horticulture) with Grandersphere Investments and the Kareeboo Consulting group. Followed by his current and lucrative background in the Vocational education sector as a horticulture and crop husbandry instructor. Finally he is currently heading the department of Agriculture at the Namibia Institute of Manufacturing and Commerce (NIMC), with the addition of his current post in Agriculture product broking.
Agricultural Produce Brokers Mr. Kangootui is the founder of Agricultural Produce Brokers, which was founded in 2019 as Cenchrus Consultancy which focused more on www.rdjconsulting.co.za
Horticulture and Crop husbandry services. The company was recently renamed to Agricultural Produce Brokers with the aim to be a catalyst in moving farmer’s produce rendering logistical and agri marketing service solutions.
AUGUST, 2021
From his experience in the field of agriculture, Mr Kangootui believes the two big issues that are faced within the Agricultural sector are Agri ecommerce platforms and access to funds, and the all round digitalization of the sector. “My passion in the Agricultural sector lies within the Horticultural sector of things. Innovations like Hydroponic production mechanisms, where people are finding intriguing ways of producing a climate resilience component to it.” Said Mr. Kangootui However no industry is without its drawbacks as expressed by Mr. Kangootui believes Namibia has adequate initiatives that target youth in Agriculture. However, there exists a drawback, in that the requirements in order to qualify for the initiatives can be unattainably high for the average youth.
Achievements/Motivations
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Other Involvements Mr. Kangootui is currently part of a group of Farmers and producers who are working closely with the Onyose Trust, which was initially established to cater for people with disabilities. “We are working in close proximity with the Trust to help re-establish and pilot their production side of things and establish a diversified sustainable way for the survival of the trust.”said Mr. Kangootui. Additionally, himself and the Namibia Institute of Manufacturing and Commerce are working with different Farmers on an initiative called Agribusiness Incubation aimed at exposing trainees to different practical sites and as well in the process lending a helping hand to farmers with regards to their complex production problems, “its somewhat a 360 degree service package.” Said Mr. Kangootui
Speaking on what motivates Mr. Kangootui to pursue his goals he says “My biggest motivation is my love and passion for the field.” He says he is motivated by his ability to work on a project and see how the concepts are executed till the post-harvest operations. Additionally he attributes his motivations to having a strong support system that allows him to be creative in solving complex problems within his work environment. On his greatest personal achievements. Mr. Kangootui counts himself fortunate to have been able to achieve his Permaculture certification amidst the pandemic. However he says his biggest accomplishment this year is teaming up with a Safe haven organization called ESDA, “being able to work with young girls and kids at the organization and teaching them about production is one for the books.” Said Mr. Kangootui
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My biggest motivation is my love and passion for the field. Roger Kangootui
Conclusion Mr. Kangootui’s parting words of advice is to be pragmatic and find a problem to solve in their communities. “We are such a small country, we can be self-sufficient. The only problem we have is coming up with solutions that are sustainable. Put the planet and people first, the Profits will follow soon enough. Agriculture is not an easy road but it's well worth it.” Mr. Kangootui
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AUGUST, 2021
TENDERS
CAREERS
CITY OF WINDHOEK Description: Procurement of Management Unit (PMU). Bid Closing Date: 14 September 2021
PUBLIC HEALTH INSTITUTE SUSTAINING TECHNICAL AND ANALYTIC RESOURCES (STAR) Position: Private Secretary Closing Date: 10 September 2021
MINISTRY OF MINES AND ENERGY Description: Procurement of Management Unit Bid Closing Date: 30 August 2021
Position: National Development Advisor Closing Date: 10 September 2021
Position: Team supervisor Closing Date: 27 August 2021
Position: Deputy Chief Closing Date: 10 September 2021
Position 1: Enumerator/ Interviewer Closing Date: 27 August 2021
TSES VILLAGE COUNCIL Description: Procurement of Management Unit Bid closing date: 30 August 2021 NAMPOWER Description:Procurement of a Contractor for the Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) of the Omburu Battery Energy Storage System. Bid closing date: 24 September 2021 HELAO NAFIDI TOWN COUNCIL Description:invites interested bidders to bid for the following: Bitumen roads maintenance works in Helao Nafidi Town. Bid closing date: 6 September 2021 Description:invites interested bidders to bid for the following: Gravel Roads maintnance works in Helao Nafidi Town.. Bid closing date: 6 September 2021 Description:invites interested bidders to bid for the following: Sewer Reticulation Engela Omato Ext 3. Bid closing date: 6 September 2021
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NAMIBIA STATISTICS AGENCY Position: National IT Field Technician Closing Date: 27 August 2021 Position: IT Field Technician Closing Date: 27 August 2021
AUGUST, 2021
CONRIBUTING AUTHORS
David Jarrett (Managing Consultant) RDJ Consulting Services CC Chilombo Olga Priscila (Operations Manager / Economist) RDJ Consulting Services CC Misozi Mugala (Research Contributor) RDJ Consulting Services CC Kina Indongo (Communications Contribiutor) RDJ Consulting Services CC Monique Jarrett (Environmental Biology intern) RDJ Consulting Services CC
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