ABSTRACT
After more than a century of colonial rule by Germany and then South Africa, Namibia finally gained its independence on 21 March 1990. Namibia has promoted a liberal, mixed economic system which encourages foreign direct investment and hopefully employment growth, while simultaneously seeking to redress the most oppressive and divisive legacies of apartheid. Before considering some of the principal economic policy issues facing Namibia since independence, this chapter outlines a series of fundamental economic, social and political parameters and features that should inform any policy or planning process. Despite the huge historical baggage and Namibian concerns that apartheid South Africa was still secretly planning to undermine the new South West Africa People's Organisation (SWAPO) government and Namibian independence, joint technical commissions were established and both disputes were resolved peacefully. Namibia's government has also sought to address the country's dependence on energy imports for all of its petroleum and coal and about half of its electricity requirements.
