Air Namibia, the southern African nation's cash-strapped carrier, suspended all operations from Thursday after a government decision to file for voluntary liquidation.

The national airline has failed to turn around its fortunes despite years of state bailouts.

"All flight operations will be cancelled, with all aircraft returning to base," Air Namibia said in a statement.

Lawyers representing Air Namibia and Belgian company Challenge Air SA reached an agreement to have the carrier liquidated.

In a December 2019 settlement, Air Namibia had acknowledged it owed Challenge Air over N$330 million ($22.1 million) which it agreed to pay in monthly instalments.

The board of the national carrier resigned on February 3.

Aircraft had to be grounded immediately "for safety reasons", Namibia's Public Enterprise Minister Leon Jooste said, adding that the airline also needed to "protect assets".

Jooste said stakeholders including pilots' associations had supported the move.

Having "considered all other options," the government agreed liquidation was in the long-term interest of the carrier, said Finance Minister Iipumbu Shiimi, adding that the country's economy could no longer sustain the stimulus packages.

The liquidation is expected to leave over 600 staff members jobless.

All employees will draw 12 months of salary, the government said.

At least N$8.4 billion ($569.8 million) had been spent to bail out the airline in the past 10 years.

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