Namibia

Compliance/Financial Considerations

If you intend to do any of the following in Namibia, please contact Risk Services at risk@berkeley.edu or 642-5141:

  • Hire a local to work for you as an employee
  • Purchase or lease office or research space
  • Purchase or lease an automobile
  • Establish a long-term (over 90 days) or ongoing project
  • Conduct a clinical trial

U.S. GOVERNMENT COMPLIANCE CONSIDERATIONS

Foreign activities may trigger many U.S. laws, including:

  • Import Controls
  • Export Controls
  • Tax Reporting
  • Foreign Bank Account Reporting
  • Country Embargoes and Targeted Sanctions
  • Foreign Corrupt Practices Act
  • Anti-Boycott Laws

Import Controls. UC employees must adhere to U.S. import requirements, and may need to enlist the services of a customs broker, especially for shipments arriving by sea and subject to the Importer Security Filing 71730, also known as ISF 10+2.

Export Controls. Export controls may apply to advanced software and technology, research data, and other sensitive assets. UC’s Export Compliance FAQ contains useful information and can be found here.  Go here for the University of California plan for compliance with federal export controls. If you plan on taking or sending potentially export-controlled materials to Namibia, consult the campus Research Administration Compliance Office at 642-0120.

Tax Reporting. The University and its employees may be taxed in foreign countries. The United States does not have a tax treaty with Namibia. For more information about double taxation issues, contact the Controller’s Office at:

Foreign Bank Account Reporting. The U.S. Treasury Department requires U.S. citizens with a financial interest in or signatory authority over a financial account in a foreign country, where accounts exceed $10,000 at any point during a calendar year, to report such accounts on a Report of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts (FinCen Report 114). Those needing to complete the form should contact the Controller’s Office at cashiers@berkeley.edu or 643-9803 for assistance. An IRS 1040 Schedule B form (Part III–Foreign Accounts and Trusts) must be filed by the signatory for any foreign bank account, regardless of the account balance.

Country Embargoes and Targeted Sanctions. In general, collaborations between University personnel and scholars at foreign institutions or organizations do not require export licenses unless they involve export-controlled or -restricted research or involve scholars in sanctioned countries. Before engaging in an international collaboration, the University needs to determine whether export licenses are required and to verify that the foreign collaborator is not blocked or sanctioned. The Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) is responsible for enforcing all U.S. embargoes and sanctions. Depending on each country’s embargo or sanction program, activities may be prohibited without specific authorization or license. UC’s International Collaborations webpage contains additional information on this topic.   

The Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) is intended to stop bribery. It prohibits offering to pay, paying, promising to pay, or authorizing the payment of money or anything of value to a foreign official. The term “foreign official” generally includes any employee or contractor of a foreign government, and may include individuals employed by foreign universities. It is also unlawful to make a payment to a third party knowing that all or part of the payment will go to a foreign official. For more information, review the federal government’s Resource Guide to the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. If you need further clarification, contact the UC Berkeley Office of Legal Affairs at 642-7122. Transparency International’s 2018 survey of perceived public sector corruption rated Namibia at 53 out of 100 (52nd out of 180 countries reviewed, i.e.  somewhat corrupt).

Anti-Boycott Laws.  The U.S. Department of Commerce is responsible for oversight of laws prohibiting individuals and entities from participating in boycotts not approved or sanctioned by the U.S. government. The Export Administration Act requires that requests to participate in such boycotts or to conduct activities in any of the boycotting countries be formally reported to the Department of Commerce and/or IRS.

For other compliance-related issues, refer to UC’s International Compliance webpage.  

ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATIONS FOR DOING BUSINESS INTERNATIONALLY

Foreign Bank Accounts. Employees wishing to open a foreign bank account should contact the Controller’s Office at cashiers@berkeley.edu or 643-9803. Requests to open accounts must be made through the Office of the President’s Banking and Treasury Services Group by the Chancellor or the Chancellor’s designee. 

Real Estate Agreements. Only employees with delegated authority to sign contracts on behalf of The Regents may enter into agreements, leases, or other contracts.  Foreign affiliates or operations must submit to the Real Estate Services Office property management agreements, personal property leases, or contracts with a term longer than one year or in an amount greater than $25,000 per year. The campus then seeks approval from the University president or designee. For more information, consult the Guidelines for the Establishment and Operation of Foreign Affiliate Organizations and Foreign Operations

Articles

The US State Department's page on NAMIBIA may be found HERE.

Personal Safety

PRESIDENT HAGE GEINGOB ANNOUNCED SEPTEMBER 17 THAT THE NATIONWIDE STATE OF EMERGENCY HAD EXPIRED AND THAT INTERNATIONAL COMMERCIAL PASSENGER TRAVEL WOULD RESUME, AS OF SEPTEMBER 18. AUTHORITIES ALSO ANNOUNCED RESTRICTIONS IN PLACE TO CURB THE SPREAD OF CORONAVIRUS DISEASE (COVID-19), INCLUDING RESTRICTIONS ON NONESSENTIAL MOVEMENT AND THE NIGHTLY 2200-0500 CURFEW, HAVE BEEN LIFTED. WINDHOEK'S HOSEA KUTAKO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (WDH) HAS BEEN OPEN FOR INTERNATIONAL FLIGHTS SINCE SEPTEMBER 1. TRAVELERS ARE REQUIRED TO PRESENT A NEGATIVE COVID-19 TEST OBTAINED WITHIN THE PREVIOUS 72 HOURS PRIOR TO BOARDING A FLIGHT. THERE IS NO QUARANTINE REQUIREMENT IF THE NEGATIVE COVID-19 IS LESS THAN 72 HOURS OLD; HOWEVER, IF THE NEGATIVE RESULT COVID-19 TEST IS OLDER THAN 72 HOURS BUT LESS THAN SEVEN DAYS, THE TRAVELER WILL NEED TO QUARATINE FOR SEVEN DAYS AT HOME OR AT A GOVERNMENT APPROVED FACILITY. AUTHORITIES HAVE STATED THAT THEY MAY REINTRODUCE RESTRICTIONS BASED ON ASSESSEMENTS OF DISEASE ACTIVITY AFTER 14 DAYS.

Note: this page contains basic risk information. For more details, please contact the Risk Services Office at risk@berkeley.edu.

If you are traveling to Namibia on University-related business, please sign up for the University’s travel insurance program by going here. For more information on the travel insurance program, please go here

Because everyone’s health is unique, we suggest seeking the advice of a medical professional before traveling internationally. Members of the campus community interested in protecting their health while abroad may schedule an appointment with the University Health Services International Travel Clinic

The quality of health care is adequate in Windhoek and poor just about everywhere else in Namibia. Even in Windhoek, medical evacuation is often the best way to handle a serious illness or injury. Public ambulance service in Windhoek is good and can be reached by dialing 211-111 (112 from a mobile phone). Elsewhere in Namibia, emergency numbers vary and ambulance services are typically handled by local hospitals. Pharmacies are reliable, but travelers are advised to bring all necessary medications with them, along with proof of prescription.

Air pollution can be a problem in urban areas. If you have a chronic respiratory condition such as asthma, please consult a medical professional prior to your trip and carry appropriate medications.

Namibia suffers from drinking water shortages. Travelers should assume the available tap water is contaminated with, among other things, sewage, industrial waste, and pesticides. To reduce the risk of gastrointestinal discomfort or illness, drink only bottled, boiled, or purified water and avoid ice cubes. Travelers should use sealed, well-recognized brands of bottled water whenever possible.

All food should be eaten well-cooked and hot. Street vendors and other unregulated food distributors often maintain substandard hygiene regimens and should be avoided. Travelers should also avoid raw or undercooked meat dishes and unpasteurized dairy products, which frequently harbor bacterial and parasitic pathogens.

Travelers risk contracting a number of serious illnesses in Namibia, including:

  • Typhoid, transmitted via contaminated food or water.
  • Malaria and dengue fever, transmitted via mosquito bites.
  • West Nile Virus, also transmitted by mosquito bites. The highest risk is in the Kavango and Caprivi Oos districts.
  • Tuberculosis. Travelers staying for an extended time should get a pre-departure PPD skin test. Avoid crowded public spaces and mass transportation whenever possible.
  • African sleeping sickness (trypanosomiasis), transmitted by tsetse flies. The highest risk is in the Okavango delta of the Caprivi Strip.
  • Schistosomiasis, transmitted by parasites in freshwater bodies mainly in Kavango, Omusati, and Zambezi.
  • Rabies, transmitted by kudu, dogs, cattle, horses, and goats.
  • HIV/AIDS, spread by drug use and sexual behavior. 

Namibia is relatively safe for travelers. However, those displaying signs of wealth – jewelry, electronics, etc. – place themselves at risk for theft. Violent crime against foreigners is highly unusual, but armed robbery is a common night-time occurrence in Windhoek and Walvis Bay and travelers should be wary after dark. Although road travel is generally secure, traveling at night in rural Namibia is discouraged. 

Legal/Political

Criminal Penalties: You are subject to local laws. If you violate local laws, even unknowingly, you may be expelled, arrested, or imprisoned. Furthermore, some laws are also prosecutable in the United States, regardless of local law. 

Diamonds: Do not purchase diamonds and other protected resources outside of licensed retail establishments. If you are convicted of illegally dealing in diamonds, you can face up to 20,000 U.S. dollars in fines and/or five years in prison. 

Wild animal parts: Unlicensed purchase of or trading in endangered wildlife parts, such as ivory and rhino horn, is illegal and carries severe penalties including fines up to 1.1 million U.S. dollars and 15 years in prison. Furthermore, it is illegal to kill or capture any protected wild animals without appropriate permits. The Namibian government is in the process of dramatically increasing sentences for persons convicted of poaching and trafficking in wildlife parts.

Arrest Notification: If you are arrested or detained, ask police or prison officials to notify the U.S. Embassy immediately. 

Photography: It is illegal to take pictures of government buildings, military installations, and key infrastructure, such as ports, train stations, airports, and along border areas. You could be fined, have your photographic equipment confiscated, and risk detention and arrest. Do not take photos of people without their permission.

LGBTI Travelers: Homosexuality is not illegal but sodomy between men is criminalized, though the ban is not enforced. Many Namibians consider all same-sex sexual activity taboo.