Namibia
The security situation in Namibia is relatively stable as of 2022. Nevertheless, a large portion of the population still suffers from food insecurity, which may influence the country’s stability in the future.1 Although the country is not a major hub for weapons and ammunition trafficking, the border with Angola is reported to be quite porous and gun ownership levels are high.2 Landmines and unexploded ordnance left in the country also continue to pose a threat.3
The African Union and the Bonn International Centre for Conflict Studies (BICC) have supported the through-life management of ammunition, in collaboration with the Namibian Ministry of Defence. Efforts have mainly focused on the development of a database to increase visibility of ongoing and completed interventions in the field of small arms and light weapons control.4
1 “Namibia,” ACAPS, accessed July 25, 2022, https://www.acaps.org/country/namibia/crisis/food-security-crisis.
2 “Namibia,” The ENACT Organized Crime Index, accessed July 25, 2022, https://africa.ocindex.net/country/namibia.
3 “Postwar Landmines Remain a Concern - Namibia,” ReliefWeb, November 14, 2019, https://reliefweb.int/report/namibia/postwar-landmines-remain-concern.
4 “Ammunition Management Activity Platform (A-MAP),” GICHD, 2022, https://a-map.gichd.org.
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Further information
Accidental explosions
Since the Small Arms Survey began collecting data in 1979, one accidental explosion has been reported in Namibia.
Table 1. Accidental explosions in Namibia (1979–2021)
Year | Location | Owner/manager | Deaths | Injuries |
1988 | Grootfontein | State (military) | 0 | 1 |
Source: “Unplanned Explosions at Munitions Sites (UEMS) Database,” Small Arms Survey, updated December 15, 2021, https://smallarmssurvey.org/database/unplanned-explosions-munitions-sites-uems.
Cases of diversion
One case of diversion has been reported since 2021 in Namibia.
Table 2. Cases of diversion of arms, ammunition and explosives in Namibia since 2021
Year | Location | Description |
2021 | Windhoek | 178 firearms and ammunition disappeared from a police depot in Windhoek. |
Sources: “Guns Stolen from Cops May Be in Criminal Hands,” The Namibian, November 15, 2021, https://www.namibian.com.na/6215364/archive-read/Guns-stolen-from-cops-may-be-in-criminal-hands; Timo Shihepo, “Police Arms Theft,” The Namibian, May 10, 2022, https://www.namibian.com.na/6220318/archive-read/Police-arms-theft.
Disposal
To decrease the above-mentioned risks of accidental explosions and diversion, Namibia has disposed of its ammunition since 2007.
Table 3. Disposal of number of ammunition in Namibia (2007–22)
Year | Number of ammunition |
2022 | 209,933 |
2007 | 26,000 |
Sources: Eveline de Klerk, “Authorities Destroy over 5 000 Weapons,” New Era, November 7, 2022. https://neweralive.na/posts/authorities-destroy-over-5-000-weapons; Graeme Hosken, “Illegal Weapons Destroyed in Namibia,” Independent Online, November 24, 2007, https://www.iol.co.za/news/africa/illegal-weapons-destroyed-in-namibia-380086.
Needs
To further enhance safe and secure ammunition management, the following need has been reported for Namibia:
- Assistance to finalise regulation on arms and ammunition.
Source: Namibia, National Report on the Implementation of the Programme of Action on Small Arms and Light Weapons (PoA) and the International Tracing Instrument (ITI) (New York: Permanent Mission of Namibia to the UN, 2020), https://smallarms.un-arm.org/country-profiles/NAM.
