Water & Mining Partnership: NamWater and Northern Graphite Okanjande signed an MoU to assess sustainable bulk water supply options for the Okanjande graphite mine near Otjiwarongo, aiming for scientifically sound, equitable water delivery. Marine Mining Fight: Namibia Marine Phosphate’s Sandpiper marine phosphate project received an Environmental Clearance Certificate valid until 2029, reigniting fierce debate over seabed mining risks to fisheries and marine ecosystems, with calls for suspension and independent review. Environmental Monitoring Upgrade: The NILALEG programme got a new monitoring and reporting system to track environmental agreements digitally, supporting biodiversity conservation and better governance across Namibia. Local Science Capacity: NUST installed Namibia’s first high-throughput genome sequencing platform (Illumina NextSeq 2000), cutting costs and delays from overseas DNA testing and enabling local whole-genome sequencing. Recycling Skills Push: Coca-Cola Beverages Africa trained 244 people in Rundu and Ondangwa on waste collection, sorting and recycling, targeting women, youth and people with disabilities to improve access to recycling markets. Climate-Smart Agriculture Call: Deputy Minister Ruthy Masake urged Ohangwena youth to lead climate-smart farming and agribusiness as rainfall shifts and dry spells already hit livelihoods. Youth Unemployment Angle: Economists say tackling youth joblessness needs skills, entrepreneurship and finance access, not just formal job creation.