In the midst of a worldwide economic downturn, Namibia contends with formidable issues, including structural unemployment and underemployment.

These paint a complex portrait of the country's current labour market.

In response to the challenge, Acting Director of Labour Market Services, David Ligonda, announced the development of Namibia's third National Employment Policy, aimed at establishing a strategic stance on employment promotion.

The end goal is to foster productive and sustainable economic growth and ensure jobs for all.

Advocating for a Namibia with 0% unemployment, Ligonda emphasised that even a 2% rate remains unacceptably high. 

The latest available unemployment figures date back to 2018, and he expressed uncertainty about the current statistics, pending the release of the census outcomes.

"The current unemployment rate in Namibia is 34.3%, and that is according to the 2018 Labour Force Survey, and the most affected majority of this unemployment rate are the youth, of which mostly are women. So the youth are the most affected group in this situation, and again, if you look at the region, the most affected region is Kavango East, which is 48.7%, followed by Kunene at 45%, Hardap at 39%, and Zambezi at 39%, with the lowest 21% being the Omusati Region. These are the latest figures of 2018, but this could be more if you look at what happened in the landscape of the economy. There have been droughts, there have been COVID-19, and most of the companies or industries have closed down."

He elaborated on the ministry's efforts, revealing a proactive stance towards establishing the Employment Creation Commission.

This strategic initiative aims to foster coordination and cooperation, ensuring a cohesive approach to the critical task of creating employment.

Other envisioned initiatives include the implementation of an Employment Impact Assessment and the formulation of a Labour Migration Policy, facilitating exchange programmes for Namibians to acquire essential experiences abroad.