Namibia's judiciary has partnered with the United States Pepperdine University to train judges, lawyers, and mediators on strengthening capacity for the implementation of plea bargaining in the criminal justice system and to expand knowledge and skills in commercial mediation for civil matters. 

President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah has welcomed ongoing efforts to ease the workload in Namibia’s courts, describing them as key to improving access to justice.

Chief Justice Peter Shivute has called for stronger efforts to introduce plea bargaining as a practical way to reduce pressure on the courts.

Shivute was speaking at the opening of the National Conference on Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) in Windhoek. 

Chief Justice Peter Shivute on Tuesday endorsed the expanded use of plea bargaining and Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) mechanisms in the country’s legal system, stating that they are necessary to reduce court backlogs and improve access to justice.