The government has sought to distance itself from a publicly circulating document on the proposed establishment of Namibia's new national airline, Namibia Air, insisting that no binding agreement has been reached with Ethiopian Airlines and warning that the new carrier must not repeat the financial mistakes that brought down Air Namibia.
However, the government confirmed that Ethiopian Airlines is being engaged and that Namibia Air remains under development.
While no deals have been signed, the government intends to ensure that the lessons of Air Namibia's collapse are firmly embedded in whatever national carrier model eventually takes flight.
In a statement issued yesterday, Jonas Sheelongo, Executive Director at the Ministry of Works and Transport, said the ministry does not recognise the document as an official government record and rejected suggestions that it represents government policy, decisions or a concluded agreement with Ethiopian Airlines.
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The ministry's clarification comes as scrutiny intensifies over the government's plans to resurrect a national airline following the severe and utter financial collapse and closure of Air Namibia. The proposed new national carrier is expected to play a significant role in strengthening Namibia's connectivity and supporting economic growth.
"The Ministry wishes to unequivocally distance itself from the document currently circulating in the public domain," Sheelongo stated, stressing the document was neither published nor authorised by the Ministry of Works and Transport.
Sheelongo said any attempt to portray the document as an official government position was "misleading and without foundation".
However, the ministry confirmed that engagement with Ethiopian Airlines is underway, alongside consultations with local aviation operators and other stakeholders. This suggests that, while government has not committed to a particular operating model or strategic partner, Ethiopian Airlines remains part of a wider assessment of how Namibia Air could be established and operated on a commercially sustainable basis.
Sheelongo added that the consultations are intended to determine "the most viable and sustainable model" for operationalising Namibia Air, with government examining various forms of technical and strategic cooperation. Crucially, he stated, no binding commitments have been entered into with any party.
"The primary purpose of these consultations is to ensure that the mistakes of the past, which ultimately led to the financial collapse and closure of Air Namibia, are avoided at all costs," Sheelongo said. That warning strikes at the central business challenge facing Namibia Air, namely establishing a national carrier without recreating the massive financial burden that Air Namibia ultimately placed on the State.
Rather than rushing to launch another airline for political or symbolic reasons, the government has emphasised that it is assessing the technical, financial, and commercial implications before committing public resources to a new national airline.
Sheelongo noted that the objective is to create an airline that is "financially sustainable, operationally efficient, and commercially viable" and capable of serving Namibians for generations.
For Namibia, a sustainable national carrier could improve regional and international connectivity, support tourism, facilitate business travel and strengthen the country's position as an investment and logistics destination.
However, an airline that requires continuous government financial support could instead become another drain on public finances at a time when government faces competing funding demands for infrastructure, housing, healthcare and other services.
The ministry appears to be placing commercial viability at the centre of the Namibia Air project.
Sheelongo added that ongoing discussions have covered a broad range of technical and commercial issues and should be understood as analytical rather than contractual.
"No binding commitments have been entered into with any party at this stage," he said.
The ministry's position also leaves open the possibility that Namibia could pursue a partnership structure with Ethiopian Airlines or another strategic or technical partner, while retaining sufficient national control and ensuring that Namibian interests are protected.
Sheelongo stressed that government remains committed to ensuring that "Namibian expertise and national interests remain central to any future arrangement".
The ministry's statement, issued yesterday, comes against the backdrop of work by an Inter-Ministerial Technical Committee and Interim Board tasked with advancing the development of Namibia Air.
According to Sheelongo, the structures have been working to guide the project and assess the options available to government.
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He rejected suggestions that the work undertaken so far should be discredited because of the disputed document, arguing that the committee has worked diligently and professionally on the project.
Meanwhile, taxpayers and the business community will closely watch the government's insistence on a thorough assessment, particularly given Air Namibia's troubled past and the potential financial exposure associated with establishing a new national carrier.
The airline project will ultimately require a credible business model, disciplined financial management, operational efficiency and the ability to compete in a highly competitive aviation market.
Sheelongo said all decisions will be informed by technical, financial, and commercial assessments and will remain subject to the appropriate approval processes.
"The Government of the Republic of Namibia remains fully committed to establishing a national airline that serves the interests of the nation, meets international standards, and contributes to economic growth and regional connectivity," he said.
