At the beginning of November 2025, national experts and social partners gathered in Swakopmund, Namibia, to advance the drafting of the country’s third National Employment Policy (NEP). The technical workshop, led by the Ministry of Justice and Labour Relations, brought together representatives from government institutions, employers, and workers’ organizations. The shared objective was to shape a policy framework that promotes decent job creation, enterprise development, and inclusive economic growth. The new NEP represents an important milestone in Namibia’s ongoing employment policy evolution, following earlier policies in 1997 and 2013–2017 that focused on economic stabilization, small business growth, and sustainable job creation.
Building on these foundations, the third NEP aims to strengthen policy coherence across government and align employment priorities with Namibia’s Sixth National Development Plan (NDP6) and other national strategies. It is being developed with financial and technical support from the Global Accelerator on Jobs, Social Protection, and Just Transitions in Namibia, a broader UN initiative promoting integrated employment and social protection approaches. The International Labour Organization (ILO), through its Employment Specialist Jealous Chirove, has provided policy guidance and technical expertise throughout the drafting sessions.
During the workshop, participants analyzed the root causes of unemployment and informality, discussed the importance of reliable labour market data, and explored opportunities in emerging sectors such as the green and digital economy. The new policy is forward-looking and will prioritize youth employment, skills development, sustainable enterprise growth, and macroeconomic measures that drive decent work.
The drafting process has now reached an advanced stage. The draft policy will be opened for public consultation in early 2026 to ensure inclusivity and national ownership before being submitted to the Cabinet later that year. Once adopted, the third NEP will become a central tool guiding Namibia’s efforts to transform economic growth into productive and decent employment opportunities for all citizens.
