YouSaid · the spoken record

Hage Geingob

lines on the record: 134
first: 2015-09-24
most recent: 2023-09-24
sittings or episodes: 9
sources: un-general-debate

Every line below is reproduced as it was said and linked to the record it came from. Nothing here is summarised or generated. Directory · Search · Corrections

“The adverse socio-economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, compounding existing challenges such as high debt burdens, reduced fiscal revenues, capital outflows, and lack of adequate and sufficient access to financial markets, does not bode well for the future of developing countries. This is due to the fact that the unfolding crisis could halt or reverse gains in poverty eradication, food security and inequality. It is why this health emergency should lead to an even deeper sense of urgency and impactful multilateral solidarity. The world needs it more than ever before. In this respect, we commend the UN Secretary-General, H.E Antonio Guterres, for the launch of the $2 billion multi-partner Trust Fund for COVID-19 Response and Recovery.”
2020-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 75 (2020)
“While not perfect, multilateralism and rules-based order are essential tools in strengthening governance, protecting civil liberties and the fundamental rights of the people we serve in our respective countries. An effective, rules-based multilateral system is our insurance policy against existential threats such as wars, nuclear proliferation, pandemics and climate change. It is therefore of utmost importance that we continue to defend multilateralism at all cost. Mr. President, The COVID-19 pandemic has plunged the world into an acute health and economic crisis, the severity of which has not been seen in a century. It has disproportionately affected some countries more than others, exposing and exacerbating vulnerabilities and inequalities within and among countries.”
2020-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 75 (2020)
“I am also privilidged to express my admiration and appreciation for the performance of our Secretary General during this challenging period the world is facing. The 75th Anniversary’s theme — “The future we want, the United Nations we need: reaffirming our collective commitment to multilateralism - confronting COVID-19 through effective multilateral action” — reminds us of our shared humanity and the reality of an interconnected world. As we face the COVID-19 pandemic and its devastating effects, we should reaffirm our collective commitment to cooperate in a world governed by international law and a multilateral system in which no one should feel left out. The COVID-19 pandemic has altered the trajectories of our socio-economic livelihoods, and our interactions with one another.”
2020-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 75 (2020)
“Your Excellency, Volkan Bozkir, President of the 75th Session of the United Nations General Assembly, Your Excellencies, Heads of State and Government, Your Excellency Antonio Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations, Ladies and Gentlemen, Mr. President, I wish to extend warm congratulations to you and the people of the Republic of Turkey, on your election as President of the 75th session of the General Assembly. I assure you of Namibia’s support and cooperation during your tenure as President of the General Assembly. I express great appreciation to your predecessor, His Excellency, Professor Tijjani Muhammad-Bande, son of Africa, for his outstanding stewardship of the work of our organisation, particularly during a very difficult and trying period.”
2020-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 75 (2020)
“We must bequeath to our children a world that is more peaceful, inclusive and prosperous, a world in which they can access opportunities to employ their gifts and talents, each according to his or her ability. The future hinges on their participation, and we must ensure that they are no longer on the fringes of decision-making, but instead at the forefront in galvanizing multilateral efforts for poverty eradication, quality education, climate action and inclusion. In conclusion, as I have said, the future is in the hands of our young people. They should not attack us, because we are working together, as we are doing now. We are taking care of this world in order to leave it in their good hands.”
2019-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 74 (2019)
“We heed the call of those young people. The future is in their hands. Next year we will gather here to commemorate the seventy-fifth anniversary of the establishment of this global parliament of the people. It is my hope that the outcomes of those deliberations will galvanize concrete efforts to arrest and reverse the existential threat of climate change. Namibia is a country that can attest to the effects of climate change, as it is indeed a reality in our country. Let us draw inspiration from the poignant words of Martin Luther King, Jr., who said, “If we are to have peace on earth, our loyalties must ... transcend our race, tribe, class and our nation; and this means we must develop a world perspective.” We have a responsibility to establish a world that transcends racism, tribalism and nationalism.”
2019-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 74 (2019)
“We are approaching the twentieth anniversary of resolution 1325 (2000) on women and peace and security, which was originally adopted under Namibia’s presidency of the Security Council (see S/PV.4208). As we prepare to assess the implementation of the women and peace and security agenda, we welcome the increased participation of women in United Nations and AU peacekeeping operations. A few days ago, young people converged here to demand consequential climate action that can safeguard the planet. They presented innovative ideas and expressed their desire and commitment to spearheading the process of finding lasting solutions to this existential threat. Their actions reflect their concern for the future of this planet. The process of finding solutions must be inclusive in order to leverage the participation of young people.”
2019-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 74 (2019)
“We therefore cannot afford to leave out the majority of the world’s population in our pursuit of prosperity. Without the full involvement of women and young people, we are missing an opportunity to accelerate progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals. It is that understanding that guides Namibia’s commitment to reaching gender parity at the highest levels of governance and leadership. I want to state from this rostrum that following our upcoming elections on 27 November, we hope that our Parliament, which is currently 47 per cent women, will reach a 50/50 gender balance. Moreover, as I hope to be re-elected and form a new Government, I also want to say from this rostrum that my Cabinet will also have to achieve a 50/50 percentage.”
2019-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 74 (2019)
“The seventy-fifth anniversary of the United Nations next year will present an opportunity for concluding the reform of the Security Council. In order to reposition the Council to effectively address the new and emerging challenges of international peace and security, we must conclude the intergovernmental negotiation process. In that regard, Namibia reiterates the African common position on Security Council reform, as articulated in the Ezulwini Consensus and the Sirte Declaration, and extends its appreciation to the Member States that have embraced it. I have a deeply held conviction that inclusivity spells harmony, while exclusivity spells conflict. If we exclude one group or one race, there will be conflict, and if we are inclusive in governance and other areas, there will be harmony.”
2019-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 74 (2019)
“Similarly, the people of Palestine have a fundamental right to self-determination and independence. We must achieve a just, lasting and comprehensive peace between the Israelis and the Palestinians, with the establishment of two States that coexist in an atmosphere of peace and security. With regard to Cuba, we are disappointed that we have regressed from the thawing of relations that we witnessed a few years ago. We renew our call for the lifting of the outdated economic and financial embargo on Cuba and further call for lifting the sanctions on Zimbabwe, in support of its pursuit for economic development, unity and prosperity. We also want to express our solidarity with the Government and the people of Venezuela and to commend the Kingdom of Norway’s mediation efforts in that regard.”
2019-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 74 (2019)
“Those efforts are informed by our understanding that without peace our ability to realize the African Union’s Agenda 2063 and the recently launched African Continental Free Trade Area will be undermined. We cannot talk about leaving no one behind when we live in a world in which the people of the Western Sahara and Palestine have indeed been left behind. Informed by the anti-colonial struggle in our region and the international solidarity extended to us during our struggle, the Southern African Development Community convened a solidarity conference in March in South Africa for the Polisario Front and the people of Western Sahara, at which we reiterated our unwavering commitment to the people of Western Sahara’s right to self-determination and freedom.”
2019-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 74 (2019)
“We want to express our solidarity with all the people whose lives have been upended by these adverse events. Namibia is currently in a state of emergency owing to a severe, widespread and prolonged period of drought that has had a damaging effect on the livelihoods of our people. I declared the emergency, and I would like to thank all the countries that have responded and come to our assistance. With that in mind, Namibia hereby reiterates its commitment to the implementation of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change. The principle of common but differentiated responsibilities should guide our commitment to tackling global environmental challenges. In the quest for global peace, the African Union (AU) and the United Nations are solid partners in conflict resolution. That cooperation has helped to silence the guns in many parts of Africa.”
2019-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 74 (2019)
“The status quo is not sustainable, and Namibia is taking steps to build a more inclusive society. At this juncture, I want to draw attention to the difficult situation that so-called higher-middle-income countries are encountering. That classification is based on a country’s gross domestic product, which in Namibia’s case, when divided by our small population, results in a high per capita income and our labelling as a rich country, ignoring the fact that a majority of our people, however, are still suffering from the hangover of apartheid. It is therefore a flawed formula that requires urgent reconsideration. This year has brought the reality of climate change to the shores of every continent. We have witnessed numerous weather events around the world that have caused immense destruction and human suffering.”
2019-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 74 (2019)
“Within a period of 22 years, poverty in Namibia declined from a 70 per cent baseline to 18 per cent in 2016, with 400,000 of our citizens lifted out of poverty since our independence. According to the June 2017 World Bank report Does fiscal policy benefit the poor and reduce inequality in Namibia?, Namibia’s gradual decline in poverty is attributable to a targeted policy framework that includes “a well-developed programme of cash transfers to vulnerable segments of the population”. The administration of social safety nets has been a cornerstone of our multi-pronged fight against poverty. Namibia remains one of the most unequal societies in the world, which attests to the deeply embedded structural nature of the problems we inherited from apartheid oppression.”
2019-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 74 (2019)
“The Sustainable Development Goals Report 2019, his detailed discussion of progress towards the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals, indicates that poverty is still on the rise worldwide, compounded by multiple factors, including natural disasters. That threatens the economies of our nations and jeopardizes the aspirations of developing nations, exacerbating inequalities and plunging our people into further poverty and despair. Despite those realities, Namibia is making inroads into eradicating poverty and reducing inequalities in income and wealth. Our Government allocates a high percentage of resources to the social sectors, including universal access to education and a highly subsidized health-care system, with the aim of reversing the effects of a skewed economy. Those investments have attained a measure of success.”
2019-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 74 (2019)
“President, you hail from a sister country of ours whose principled and generous contribution to Africa’s decolonization process is unquestionable. I want to congratulate you and your country, the Federal Republic of Nigeria, on your unanimous election to the presidency of the General Assembly at its seventy-fourth session, and to assure you of Namibia’s support and cooperation during your tenure. I also want to express Namibia’s appreciation to your predecessor, Ms. Maria Fernanda Espinosa Garces, for her sterling stewardship of our Organization during her term of office. I would like to commend the Secretary-General for his excellent stewardship of our Organization, which, under his able leadership, continues to be at the forefront of safeguarding the welfare and security of the people and nations of the world.”
2019-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 74 (2019)
“Those statements emanate from the International Congress on Peace in the Minds of Men, held more than 30 years ago at the initiative of UNESCO, when the people of the world anticipated a twenty-first century in which the ethos of international solidarity and harmony would reach a crowning moment. Today, as we debate our theme, “Galvanizing multilateral efforts for poverty eradication, quality education, climate action and inclusion”, we see a need for introspection. Considering the realities of the world today, we must ask ourselves if we can eradicate poverty, act consequentially on climate change or achieve socioeconomic inclusion without peace. We must ponder those burning questions as we look ahead to celebrating the seventy-fifth anniversary of our Organization next year. Mr.”
2019-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 74 (2019)
“We are gathered here as leaders of the global community, as we have done for the past 74 years, since the signing of the Charter of the United Nations in San Francisco. The United Nations has been a beacon of hope for those who yearn for freedom, independence, peace, decent livelihoods and dignified lives. It has been a daunting task to deliver on the hopes of all the world’s people. Although there have been shortcomings, we have avoided a return to the darkness that necessitated the birth of this Organization. Through multilateralism, we have consistently steered the world away from the precipice of calamity by placing a premium on peace. Peace is a deep-rooted commitment to the principles of liberty, justice, equality and solidarity among all human beings. It is also a harmonious partnership of humankind with the environment.”
2019-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 74 (2019)
“It is in that spirit of profound kinship that we share with the Cuban people that we renew our call for lifting the decades-old, outdated, ineffective and counterproductive economic and financial embargo on Cuba. It is now time for all of us to demonstrate the leadership required to bring prosperity and peace to all of the world’s people. It is time to lead in the spirit of peace, equality and sustainability. It is time to make the United Nations relevant to all of the world’s people. Let us seize this unique moment in history.”
2018-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 73 (2018)
“In that connection, we call for the implementation of the relevant United Nations resolutions and decisions on the Western Sahara, which will lead to a positive, peaceful and permanent solution that meets the aspirations and will of the people of that area. In the same vein, we reaffirm our support for the people of the occupied territory of Palestine in their pursuit of self-determination, justice, freedom and independence. During the darkest days of our fight for independence, the Government and the people of Cuba joined Angola in coming to our aid and shedding their blood for our liberation, which led to the decisive battle of Cuito Cuanavale and the resulting negotiations, elections and, eventually, freedom.”
2018-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 73 (2018)
“Every step that advances a peaceful Africa should be welcomed. In that vein, we commend His Excellency Mr. Abiy Ahmed, Prime Minister of Ethiopia, and his Eritrean counterpart, His Excellency President Isaias Afwerki, for signing an agreement to end the war between their two countries and for the subsequent resumption of diplomatic and trade ties. I am confident that that spirit of unity, peace and security, as embodied in the African Union’s Agenda 2063, will spread throughout the Horn of Africa and all areas afflicted by conflict in Africa. Namibia is a child of international solidarity, in whose birth the United Nations served as midwife. We relied on the solidarity of the nations of the world to support us in our quest to achieve our self-determination.”
2018-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 73 (2018)
“the full range of challenges of our time” (resolution 60/1, para. 146). It is time to ensure that we live up to that pledge. In that regard, it is pertinent to demonstrate the political will of the United Nations membership with regard to redressing Africa’s exclusion from the Security Council. The world has moved on, and the old and unjust order cannot persist. Africa and its 1.2 billion inhabitants can no longer be excluded from assuming their place on that primary decision-making body. For Africa and the rest of the developing world, peace is the main foundation for and guarantor of sustainable economic growth and development. As leaders, together with the citizenry of the great African continent, we need to understand that it is our collective responsibility to maintain peace so as to enable Africa to unlock its full potential.”
2018-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 73 (2018)
“Namibia is fully committed to implementing gender equality, which is evident in the important role that women play in our politics. The late former Secretary-General Kofi Annan was right when he said at the Conference on African Women and Economic Development in Addis Ababa in April 1998, “Gender equality is more than a goal in itself. It is a precondition for meeting the challenge of reducing poverty, promoting sustainable development and building good governance”. The world should do more to make gender equality a reality. While we commend the Secretary-General on his successful reform initiatives, I remind the Assembly of the historic commitment that we all made at the 2005 World Summit “to strengthen the United Nations with a view to enhancing its authority and efficiency [and] address effectively ...”
2018-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 73 (2018)
“A future characterized by the rapid advancement of technology, advanced robotics, artificial intelligence and mechanization should present more opportunities, rather than problems, for our youth and for humankind in general. The onus is on us to mitigate the potential problems that might accompany those technologies and to understand how they can be used to enable our youth to become drivers of economic growth and industrial development. Let me emphasize that excluding women from certain spheres of life is to waste skills and expertise that could otherwise contribute to sustainable development. In that context, we applaud the Secretary-General for exercising leadership and for reaching gender parity in the Secretariat among senior management and resident coordinators.”
2018-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 73 (2018)
“In that regard, the thirty-eighth SADC Summit, held in Windhoek in August, adopted the theme “Promoting infrastructure development and youth empowerment for sustainable development”. We are convinced that the youth of the SADC region, and of the world in general, are the future custodians of our social, political, economic and governance infrastructure. As such, young people need to be provided with the requisite skills and training and be economically empowered through entrepreneurship to drive development towards inclusive growth and shared prosperity. The youth of the SADC region, like their counterparts in the rest of the world, yearn for better prospects. They yearn for a future of opportunity and job certainty, wherein the fourth Industrial Revolution will represent opportunities, not threats.”
2018-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 73 (2018)
“As the Chairperson of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), our country reaffirms its commitment to the African Union Declaration on Malaria, HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and other Related Infectious Diseases, working within the Harmonized Surveillance Framework for HIV and AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria in the SADC Region, and will join the international community in the fight against tuberculosis. I congratulate the Secretary-General for launching the United Nations Global Youth Strategy. Africa has the fastest-growing youth population. In my capacity as Chairperson of SADC, I wish to inform the Assembly that the region has adopted a strategy to achieve industrialization by 2063.”
2018-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 73 (2018)
“For that reason, Namibia endorses the call to end endemic tuberculosis and reaffirms its commitment to join the world in working to achieve that goal. With a population of approximately 2.5 million people, Namibia ranks as the ninth most tuberculosis-affected country in the world, which is one of the top three causes leading to hospitalization. The Government of Namibia has demonstrated its commitment to addressing that disease by including related targets in its fifth national development plan, as well as by ensuring that 70 per cent of available funding for tuberculosis comes from domestic resources. I should caution that inadequate human and financial resources, high levels of poverty and the lack of public-health services in rural areas remain a concern.”
2018-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 73 (2018)
“We have made a concerted effort to include as many stakeholders as possible and to ensure that everything will be done within the ambit of our laws. Accordingly, we call on our development partners to support the outcome of the conference so that they can continue assisting us in the process of socioeconomic transformation. I have stated before that Namibia’s classification as an upper-middle-income nation fails to consider the skewed distribution of income. That status prevents us from accessing official development assistance and affordable, concessional finance. The situation has the potential to jeopardize efforts in Namibia and other developing countries to fully achieve the 2030 Agenda. Communicable diseases also threaten to jeopardize our reaching the 2030 Agenda Goals.”
2018-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 73 (2018)
“However, inequality in Namibia remains a challenge, as reflected in the skewed ownership of land, whereby white Namibians own 70 per cent of all agricultural land. As part of its efforts to create conditions favourable to fighting poverty and maintain peace and stability, Namibia will hold its second national land conference during the first week of October. In preparation for the conference, the Government has conducted consultations in all of our 14 regions so as to ensure an inclusive process. We believe in consultations. If diplomacy fails, people go to war. That is why we are pursuing an inclusive consultative process, with the full knowledge that inclusivity spells harmony and exclusivity spells conflict.”
2018-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 73 (2018)
“As a dry and arid country, often affected by seasonal droughts and floods, we have stepped up our efforts to implement the SDGs in critical areas such as energy, water and terrestrial ecosystems. In that regard, Namibia wishes to benefit from the assistance to be provided by the Technology Bank for the Least Developed Countries, established in Istanbul on 4 June, to identify and locate drought and flood areas in a timely manner. Although Namibia has witnessed sustained economic growth over many of the past 10 years, unemployment remains persistently high. Nevertheless, Namibia has seen one of the most rapid decreases in poverty levels in our region over the past 10 years, from 28.8 per cent to 17.4 per cent. I am also happy to inform the Assembly that life expectancy in Namibia has risen from 58 to 65 years of age.”
2018-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 73 (2018)
“The fundamental rights and freedoms enshrined in our Constitution include virtually all of the rights and freedoms recognized in international human rights instruments. However, those instruments in and of themselves are not sufficient to bring about sustainable development. Namibia recognizes that there are existing and emerging threats and challenges that continue to frustrate individual and collective efforts to achieve greater socioeconomic progress. To that end, Namibia has embraced sustainable development and is fully committed to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its principles, goals, targets and indicators. As a matter of fact, Namibia has integrated all 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and their targets into its national development plans.”
2018-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 73 (2018)
“Following the end of the Cold War and the old bipolar dispensation, the world has slowly drifted ever more worryingly towards unilateral action. That development goes against one of the fundamental tenets of democracy upon which the Organization was built. It is for that reason that we must embrace multilateralism with greater urgency to counter unilateral action. It is also for the same reason that we fully concur with the Secretary-General’s sentiments, as expressed in his statement in paragraph 1 of his report on the work of the Organization (A/73/1), that, “As today’s problems grow ever more global, multilateralism is more important than ever.” The Republic of Namibia was founded on the principles of democracy, the rule of law and justice.”
2018-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 73 (2018)
“Two months ago, I travelled to Nigeria to bury former Under-Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Africa, Mr. Adebayo Adedeji, who stood by our side during our liberation. Two weeks ago, I travelled to Accra for the burial of Mr. Kofi Annan, the seventh Secretary-General of the Organization — a son of Africa whose flame was extinguished but whose light will shine on throughout the ages. A few days ago, in this very Hall, we gathered to pay tribute to that revered personality and architect of peace. He was a man of great stature who dedicated his entire adult life to the pursuit of global peace and security. May the souls of those distinguished sons of Africa and of the United Nations rest in eternal peace.”
2018-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 73 (2018)
“I wish to congratulate Ms. María Fernanda Espinosa Garcés on her election as President of the General Assembly at its seventy- third session. On 21 July, the people of Namibia and our friends around the world laid to rest our first Foreign Minister, Mr. Theo-Ben Gurirab. He represented our liberation movement, the South West Africa People’s Organization, at the United Nations for more than 15 years. Under his presidency at the fifty-fourth session of the General Assembly, we adopted the Millennium Development Goals, the precursor to the Sustainable Development Goals. The family of Mr. Gurirab, the Government and the people of the Republic of Namibia have been deeply touched by the outpouring of condolences and sympathies following his death. We are deeply appreciative of the memorial service held in his honour here at Headquarters.”
2018-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 73 (2018)
“It is only through unity that we will deliver a sustainable planet for our children and their children.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“As Albert Einstein once said, “Peace cannot be kept by force; it can only be achieved through understanding”. Let us therefore try to be more tolerant and embrace diverse views through dialogue and understanding, before hastily embarking upon a path of force, which will lead only to conflict and, eventually, to war. The United Nations is a great social experiment. It features small and large nations coexisting in peace and harmony. If the United Nations did not exist today, I would definitely call for the creation of such an organization. Let us continue to treasure the unity of the United Nations, for it is only through unity that we will bring about a world free from fear and conflict. It is only through unity that we will bring about a world free from hunger and poverty.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“Namibia reaffirms its full and unequivocal support for the rights of the people of Western Sahara to self- determination. We call for the urgent implementation of all Security Council and General Assembly resolutions, with the aim of holding a free and fair referendum in Western Sahara. Over the past several years, Namibia has been noting the growing rapprochement between Cuba and the United States, which culminated in the reopening of embassies in the two countries. We believe that those efforts should lead to the full lifting of the economic and financial embargo against the Republic of Cuba and its people, who have the right to pursue peace and a decent life. Namibia is committed to supporting the Organization in its efforts to achieve global peace.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“In that context, we welcome the recent Joint United Nations-African Union Framework for Enhanced Partnership in Peace and Security, signed by the Secretary-General and the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, which will enhance coordination between the Africa Union and the United Nations. Namibia stands together with the international consensus that the Israeli occupation of Palestine must end. We reiterate that statehood and independence are the national, inalienable and legal rights of the Palestinian people. We join the call for the two- State solution to be pursued with renewed vigour and determination. Similarly, the people of Western Sahara cannot continue to have their inalienable rights to self- determination and national independence denied.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“Out of 52 United Nations peacekeeping and special political missions, 26 are in Africa. Therefore, we recognize the institutional partnership between the Security Council and the African Union in the maintenance of international peace and security. The partnership not only enhances cooperation between the two institutions, but also adds greater legitimacy to the decisions taken by the Security Council regarding Africa. Africa should not be seen only as a source of precious primary commodities but as an important and equal partner of the international community with concrete contributions to make.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“What has happened in Sierra Leone, the Caribbean and some parts of the United States — and we must also note the recent earthquake in Mexico — serve as grim reminders that climate change is real. We have witnessed the stripping away of human dignity, security and hope. We must increase our resolve to address the challenges of climate change. In order to achieve the ambitions of living on a sustainable planet, peace processes and international peacebuilding must be strengthened. We recognize the contribution of women in promoting global peace, both in peace negotiations and through their active participation in peace missions. Namibia supports efforts to increase the representation of women in peace missions around the world, especially in leadership positions.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“Those are powerful positions. Another significant demographic component that we must not neglect is the youth. We in Namibia value the empowerment of the youth. Many of the so-called older guard had been groomed and well prepared in the structures of the ruling party and the Government before they were assigned higher responsibilities. That practice continues with a number of young deputy ministers. Our Attorney General is one of the youngest in the world. Very soon, the last crop of the Tanganyika group — the freedom fighters of the 1960s, including myself — will make way for the new breed. When we adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and acceded to the Paris Agreement, we not only reaffirmed the centrality of multilateralism; we also reaffirmed the reality of climate change.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“A policy decision by the ruling party to introduce 50-50 representation at all party levels has led to a significant improvement in the representation of females to 48 per cent in Namibia’s National Assembly. That is the second-highest level of representation on the continent and among the top five in the world. To give further meaning to that policy directive, women have also been appointed to key positions in the executive branch. That includes the young Prime Minister and the Deputy Prime Minster — who is also the Minister for International Relations and Cooperation — the Minister and Deputy Minister for Education, Arts and Culture, the Minister and Deputy Minister for Higher Education, Science and Technology, the Minister and Deputy Minister for Urban and Rural Development and the Minister for Home Affairs and Immigration.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“The people of Namibia can testify to the importance of multilateralism. Namibia is a child of international solidarity, conceived through the valiant struggle of Namibian patriots, delivered by resolution 435 (1978) and midwifed by the United Nations. Today, thanks to the support of the international community, we are an independent nation founded on the principles of democracy, unity, stability, peace and the rule of law. People-centred development should not extend to only a small part of the population. It must cover all demographic components. Too often, the largest demographic component in our societies — namely, our mothers, sisters and daughters — are excluded from development. In Namibia, we believe that gender equity is equally important for a stable and harmonious society.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“The logic is simple, for inclusivity spells harmony and peace, whereas exclusivity spells disaster, conflict and potential war. Therefore, we commend the President for his choice of a theme for this session: “Focusing on people: Striving for peace and a decent life for all on a sustainable planet”. In a climate of ever-increasing uncertainty and unpredictability, it is incumbent upon world leaders to renew faith in multilateralism. The United Nations matters most because it is at the centre of the needs and desires of humankind. Therefore, it must be inclusive by including Africa at the highest decision-making level. By failing to do so, the United Nations runs the risk of losing its respectability. The only sure way to restore trust in the United Nations will be for the Security Council to become more inclusive.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“While income inequality also declined during the same period, it did not decline by the same magnitude as poverty. We have come to realize that, as long as we continue to have poverty in Namibia, even if it is just 10 per cent, we can never have lasting peace and social justice. Similarly, as long as the wealth of the country is disproportionately in the hands of a few, we cannot have lasting peace and stability. It is for that reason that we have declared full-scale war against poverty and income inequality. We have also declared full-scale war against corruption, because corruption is one of the root causes of poverty and inequality. In line with the belief that people must be at the centre of development, we have coined the phrase “No Namibian should feel left out”.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“Moreover, development that does not reach all people in an equitable manner will only undermine the peace and stability necessary for sustainable development. Growing income disparities, between and within nations, pose the greatest threat to peace within countries and globally. We in Namibia overcame the inhumane scourge of colonial oppression and racial segregation. Through a deliberate policy of national reconciliation, we succeeded in entrenching peace, security and stability as the pillars of our democracy. We also made significant progress in reducing absolute and relative poverty during the past 27 years. Poverty declined from a high of 70 per cent in 1993 to 18 per cent in 2015. That was in part due to the introduction of a wide range of social safety nets that cover close to 16 per cent of the entire population.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“We must act as one, because only together, as united nations, can we fulfil the promise of the Charter of the United Nations and advance human dignity for all.” As the people of Namibia, we will do everything within our capabilities to support his noble cause during his tenure as Secretary-General of the Organization. We also congratulate Ms. Amina Mohamed, a daughter of Africa, for her well-deserved appointment as Deputy Secretary-General. Let us also not forget His Excellency Mr. Ban Ki-moon and the sterling job he did during his tenure as Secretary-General. Development that is not driven by the people and does not translate into improved living conditions for all people is meaningless development.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“The President made a profound statement in saying, “The United Nations was created for people. Its job is to help people who are striving for peace and a decent life, on a sustainable planet.” Namibia congratulates Mr. Lajčák on his election as President of the General Assembly at its seventy-second session. We pledge our full support to advancing a people-centred approach to doing business at the United Nations. We also commend His Excellency Mr. Peter Thomson for his outstanding stewardship during his tenure as President of the General Assembly. Yesterday the Secretary-General stressed his commitment towards global unity and multilateralism by saying, “We call ourselves the international community.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“Let us not lose heart, for Saint Teresa of Calcutta once said: “If we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other.” Let us therefore realize that our differences should not draw us further from one another, but, rather, nearer to each other. Let us celebrate unity in diversity. Together as people who realize that we belong to each other, we can bring about change in this world through this indispensable institution — the United Nations. It is time to usher in a new era of humanity, characterized by peace, unity and dignity for all the world’s citizens.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
“We therefore hope that the people of Western Sahara will soon enjoy the freedom that the Kingdom of Morocco helped Namibia to attain. It is in this regard that we call for the full implementation of resolutions calling for a referendum in occupied Western Sahara, so that the people there can freely express themselves as to whether they opt for independence or unification with Morocco and so that the disagreement between brothers and sisters can come to an amicable end. Namibia remains confident that despite the fact that humankind faces some of the most unprecedented challenges in its history, under the United Nations we can live up to the promise of ensuring a life of dignity for all.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)