Namibia, a large and sparsely populated country on Africa's south-west coast, has enjoyed stability since gaining independence in 1990 after a long struggle against rule by South Africa. Germany took control of the area which it called SouthWest Africa in the late 1800s. The discovery of diamonds in 1908 prompted an influx of Europeans. South Africa seized it during the First World War and administered it under a League of Nations mandate. Hage Geingob was voted in as president in the November 2014 elections while serving as prime minister.
Source: BBC Country Profile
American Embassy Windhoek:
The inspection took place from March 8 - 22, 2002, which included a layover on the 7th in Johannesburg from on our flight from Luanda. I was still a relatively new inspector and had my first encounter with a young Management Officer, Mike Raynor, during a counseling session on treatment of an FSN and his micromanagement style. I had hoped that he would modify his management style. Apparently, he changed his ways as Mike went on to be the Africa bureau Executive Officer and Ambassador to Ethiopia. The FMO/HRO was Bryan Ermantinger who ended up working with me at CGFS/BKK and is now a senior FMO in Ottawa. A lot of small embassies have combined FMO/HRO positions, which isn't ideal. Almost always one of the sections ends up not getting as much supervision and oversight as required.
Findings:
· An ongoing chancery renovation is the embassy's biggest administrative problem, completely consuming the time of a facilities maintenance manager who also has regional responsibilities. These regional responsibilities should be removed.
· The financial management/human resources officer also has regional duties, but there is no inter-embassy memorandum of understanding to govern them.
· The regional information management specialist should be converted to a full-time position to serve exclusively in Windhoek.
· There were weaknesses in cashier controls and time and attendance reporting.
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| OIG Team Ambassador Bob Barbour, Team Leader; Carl Troy, Andrea Leopold, Arne Baker, Fran Culpepper. Arne Baker went on to become the Deputy Assistant Inspector General for Inspections in February 2021. Carl Troy arranged for our excursions outside of Windhoek on the weekends. |
- Visit to Etosha game park and Kenpinski Mokuti lodge with variety of animals including Springbok, Impala, Wildebeast, Oryk, Jackals, Antelope, and Black Rhino
- Trip to Swaakopmund, Skeleton coast and the Sand dunes at Sossusvlei in the Namib desert
- Site of filming of Angelina Jolie movie “Beyond Borders”
- Weekend excursion to Capetown (see separate blog) Post: Edit (blogger.com)
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| Mukuti Lodge, Etosha game park |
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| Sea Lions at Skeleton Coast |
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