The Chairperson of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Natural Resources, Tobie Aupindi, believes effective leadership, coupled with technical know-how, is essential for Namibia to advance towards a biosafety regime.

This, Dr. Aupindi said, will protect people who are embracing and enabling responsible innovation, particularly in an area defined by AI and industrial revolutions.

Dr. Aupindi was addressing members of the committee during its high-level workshop in Windhoek.

The workshop focused on strengthening biosafety governance and enhancing Parliament's legislative and oversight capacity in reviewing the Biosafety Act of 2006 and the National Biotechnology Policy of 1999.

Hence, Dr. Aupindi stressed the need for Namibia's preparedness, saying continuous learning, upskilling, and institutional reform are no longer optional but important.

He said the government should strengthen its technical capacity, modernise regulatory systems, and redesign educational frameworks at the school and tertiary levels to align with emerging biotechnologies.

"The fourth industrial revolution has already begun redefining work, business, education, and governance in ways we never witnessed before. The fifth industrial revolution goes further by emphasising a human-centric approach, promoting collaboration between humans and intelligent machines, environmental sustainability, and social resilience. In practical terms, the theme means that we must prepare our people for the future."

The discussions provided lawmakers with an overview of Namibia's National Biosafety Framework.

They highlighted key achievements, current implementation challenges and the rationale behind proposed amendments to strengthen the existing legal framework. 

The programme also drew on international best practices and emerging global trends in biosafety governance to support informed, evidence-based decision-making.