NCRST hosts biosafety border control training
Staff reporterThe National Commission on Research, Science and Technology (NCRST), in collaboration with the Global Environment Facility (GEF), RAEIN-Africa and the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), hosted the National Training for Institutions Involved in Border Control and Customs in Windhoek last week.
The training formed part of the Strengthening the Implementation of National Biosafety Frameworks in Southern Africa (SINBF) Project, which aims to enhance national capacity in biosafety regulation and enforcement.
The event commenced with remarks by Lovisa Immanuel from the Ministry of Education, Innovation, Youth, Sport, Arts and Culture (MEIYSAC), who commended NCRST’s efforts at Namibia’s borders and emphasised the importance of regulatory frameworks.
Simon Nghipangwa, acting CEO of NCRST, delivered the opening remarks, highlighting the need for a clear national vision to strengthen Namibia’s role in biosafety and border control.
The training aimed to provide insights into the biosafety regulatory framework, including border control and inspection processes, to ensure the effective implementation of a harmonised national biosafety system. It also sought to align biosafety operations with national legislation and institutional mandates.
Prof. Martha Kandawa-Schulz, chairperson of the Biosafety Council, provided an overview of the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety and the Nagoya–Kuala Lumpur Supplementary Protocol on Liability and Redress.
Hilde Amputu, Senior Inspector for Biosafety at NCRST, presented on Namibia’s biosafety regulatory system, focusing on operational aspects of the revised Act, existing gaps and proposed amendments.
Salomon Tsanigab, a member of the Biosafety Council, outlined the mandate of the Council under Act No. 7 of 2006 and clarified institutional mandates, implementation needs and collaboration mechanisms.
Meanwhile, Panduleni Nghitila, Inspector for Biosafety at NCRST, led an engaging practical session on inspection, monitoring and enforcement.
Participants engaged in discussions to identify coordination challenges and propose solutions for institutional alignment. As a way forward, participants collectively noted the need to strengthen capacity building at Namibia’s borders, develop an online biosafety registration system and formalise Memoranda of Understanding among key institutions, among other measures. They also emphasised the importance of continuous public awareness to ensure transparency and accountability in biosafety management.
Through this national training, participants gained valuable theoretical and practical knowledge to reinforce Namibia’s biosafety enforcement and border control systems, contributing to a safer and more sustainable national biosafety framework.
The training formed part of the Strengthening the Implementation of National Biosafety Frameworks in Southern Africa (SINBF) Project, which aims to enhance national capacity in biosafety regulation and enforcement.
The event commenced with remarks by Lovisa Immanuel from the Ministry of Education, Innovation, Youth, Sport, Arts and Culture (MEIYSAC), who commended NCRST’s efforts at Namibia’s borders and emphasised the importance of regulatory frameworks.
Simon Nghipangwa, acting CEO of NCRST, delivered the opening remarks, highlighting the need for a clear national vision to strengthen Namibia’s role in biosafety and border control.
The training aimed to provide insights into the biosafety regulatory framework, including border control and inspection processes, to ensure the effective implementation of a harmonised national biosafety system. It also sought to align biosafety operations with national legislation and institutional mandates.
Prof. Martha Kandawa-Schulz, chairperson of the Biosafety Council, provided an overview of the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety and the Nagoya–Kuala Lumpur Supplementary Protocol on Liability and Redress.
Hilde Amputu, Senior Inspector for Biosafety at NCRST, presented on Namibia’s biosafety regulatory system, focusing on operational aspects of the revised Act, existing gaps and proposed amendments.
Salomon Tsanigab, a member of the Biosafety Council, outlined the mandate of the Council under Act No. 7 of 2006 and clarified institutional mandates, implementation needs and collaboration mechanisms.
Meanwhile, Panduleni Nghitila, Inspector for Biosafety at NCRST, led an engaging practical session on inspection, monitoring and enforcement.
Participants engaged in discussions to identify coordination challenges and propose solutions for institutional alignment. As a way forward, participants collectively noted the need to strengthen capacity building at Namibia’s borders, develop an online biosafety registration system and formalise Memoranda of Understanding among key institutions, among other measures. They also emphasised the importance of continuous public awareness to ensure transparency and accountability in biosafety management.
Through this national training, participants gained valuable theoretical and practical knowledge to reinforce Namibia’s biosafety enforcement and border control systems, contributing to a safer and more sustainable national biosafety framework.
