Experts from Namibia, Angola, South Africa and Norway concluded a first regional meeting on the Benguela Current Large Marine Ecosystem Programme (BCLME) in Windhoek on Friday afternoon. The conference discussed regional fisheries management and is part of the regional Benguela project funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and the UN Development Programme (UNDP). A sustainable management of the marine resources of the Benguela Current and its protection as well as conservation of its ecosystem is the aim.

The BCLME’s programme coordination unit is situated at Hidas Centre in Windhoek with Dr Michael O’Toole from the University of British Columbia as chief technical advisor.

Between 26 and 28 September President Sam Nujoma will pay an official visit to Paris, the French capital. After arriving this coming Sunday night, Nujoma will meet Members of Parliament who are members of a Namibia-France friendship association. Before meeting French President Jacques Chirac for a business lunch, the Namibian head of state will lay a wreath at the Parvis de Libertes at the Trocadero. Nujoma will further hold talks with UNESCO officials, speak to French development minister Xavier Darcos and visit the Peugeot vehicle manufacturing plant. On Tuesday morning, Nujoma will hold talks with representatives of the business community. The Namibian delegation is then allegedly travelling to an African country not yet disclosed, before returning home at the end of the month.

South Africa’s ruling African National Congress (ANC) and 92 of its serving and former members of parliament, including four cabinet ministers, have threatened to sue "This Day" newspaper for ZAR48 million (approximately US$ 7,4 million) for publishing a list of names in connection with the parliament’s travel voucher investigation. The list appeared in the newspaper on 2 September 2004. The lawyers of the ruling party claim that unverified statements had been made in the article to mean, among others, that "the ANC is not fit to govern the country as its public representatives are corrupt and guilty of criminal conduct..." As a result, the ANC and its leadership named in the latter are demanding an unconditional retraction of the article and written apologies to all the allegedly injured parties. According to the Media Institute of Southern Africa, (MISA), the ANC action was condemned by media freedom organisations including the South African chapter of MISA and the International Federation of Journalist (IFJ). This Day editor, Justice Malala said the threatened lawsuit is "nothing but bullying on the part of the ruling party".

 MISA-South Africa said the elected representatives in South Africa should refrain, as they did in other genuine democracies, from engaging in litigation against the media. The probe into the misuse of travel vouchers has been going on for about a year, a move initiated by Parliament that led to the arrest of several travel agents for allegedly defrauding government in collusion with some MPs. Twenty-three members of South Africa’s parliament are being investigated over allegations that they were illegally claiming travel expenses. The travel scam involves the use of fake airline tickets and illegal claims for nights in luxury hotels worth US$2 million. Last month, seven travel agents were arrested over the alleged scam.