NBL has decided to outsource the transport of its products, the company said this week, in order to reduce costs and improve service levels by focusing on the core business of NBL. Various companies were invited to submit proposals to manage the respective logistics processes. After short listing and evaluating the proposals, the decision was made to engage Etosha Transport, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Imperial Group of Companies, which is one of the largest in Southern Africa. This Company runs a fleet of over 5 000 trucks. A joint venture partnership will be established between Etosha Transport and the Ohlthaver & List Group in order to create for the longer term a shared services platform for delivering logistics services to the O & L. Etosha Transport will manage the Windhoek warehousing and long distance Transport operations of Namibia Breweries by November 2005.

Construction of Uranium Mine kicks off

Mines and energy minister Erkki Nghimtina was set to lay the foundation stone in the Namib Desert for the construction of a new diamond mine on Thursday. The Australian company Paladin Resources has obtained a mining licence for its Namibian subsidiary, Langer Heinrich Uranium. The ceremony marked the formal beginning of site works at the Langer Heinrich uranium site, 80 kilometres southeast of Swakopmund.

The regulatory climate for business remains problematic across much of Africa, the World Bank said in a new report that highlights the difficulties of improving economic and social conditions on the distressed continent. The World Bank study, which examined the legal and regulatory controls on entrepreneurs in 155 nations, says investors "face more regulatory obstacles" in Africa than in any other region in the world, and described the pace of improvement in Africa’s business climate as slower than any of seven regions around the globe. According to the Wall Street Journal on Washington of 13 September, the report noted some success stories in Africa. Rwanda was among the top 12 countries in revamping its business climate, moving to streamline customs procedures and improve credit registration. Simeon Djankov, a co-author of the report, said it was not an issue of capacity, citing the improvements made in Rwanda and the longer-term commitment to business in countries such as South Africa and Namibia. "It’s an issue of political will", according to him.

Diamond producer Namdeb has produced 951 000 carats between January and June this year, 9000 carats lower than for the same period in 2004, the company said this week. However, carat prices were better and sales soared to N$ 2,05 billion, up from N$ 1,7 billion. Profit after taxation came to N$ 155 million, down form N$ 169 million for January to June 2004. According to its financial manager, Andrew Schanknecht, Namdeb envisages to produce 2 billion carat this year, although stone sizes became smaller, especially from the Elisabeth Bay plant.