Namibia, 2025

I request Protocol to escort Her Excellency and invite her to address the Assembly. Thank you, Madam President. When the founders of the UN convened eight years ago, they did so to establish an organization, among others, to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war, to affirm faith in fundamental human rights, dignity of human person, and equal rights of men and women, and of nations large and small, and to lay the groundwork for a durable system that promotes justice and respect for the obligations arising from treaties and international laws. Well over the following decades, we have become closer to the brink of war. The United Nations has stood the test of time. From decolonization to promoting the right to self-determination, from conflict prevention and securing peace to the provision of humanitarian assistance, the UN has continued to fulfill its founding mandate under very difficult circumstances. Therefore, the international community must honor the brave men and women who, under the blue flag, have been at the forefront in the securing of world peace. Namibia's journey to independence is one of the UN's most successful stories. It was through this very organization that our forebearers tirelessly petitioned for the end of apartheid, colonial rule in Namibia, for freedom and independence of our country. At this point, I want to thank the UN family for having held a special session in remembrance of our founding president, Comrade Samsa Fisuna Nyoma, when he passed on. Madam President, my personal journey with the United Nations began in 1974, where I have had the privilege to serve my country and Africa in various capacities within the halls of this distinguished global organ. Today, I am deeply honored and humbled to stand before you as the fifth president of the Republic of Namibia, with a mandate to deliver services and to ensure justice of all inhabitants of our country. As a woman, I encourage every girl and woman by affirming that your voice matters, your vision is needed, as it will pave you a way to the helm of whatever institution you are serving. Madam President, Namibia's eight administrations is built on the strong foundation and legacy of our predecessors, under the theme of unity and diversity, natural resources beneficiation, and youth empowerment for sustainable development. That theme aims to shape and transform the Namibian economy through value addition and other economic activities. Hence, we have identified agriculture, sports, youth empowerment, education and training, creative industry, health services, land and housing as critical sectors, supported by mining, energy, water, tourism, infrastructure development, transport, logistics, to sustain our economic development through our long-term development blueprint, Vision 2030. This vision is being implemented through a series of national development plans, NDPs. Recently, we launched the sixth NDP, with its fundamental pillars clearly aligned to the global agenda, such as the SADC original Inductive Strategic Development Plan, the African Union Agenda 2063, and the UN Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development. Some of our achievements include the launch and the operationalization of the National Youth Fund, which is to assist young entrepreneurs in their economic activities. In the area of education, we will abolish registration and tuition fees in all public institutions of higher learning and vocational training centers to ensure skill development. On energy, Namibia is diversifying her energy mix using all our natural resources. In addition, Namibia presented her energy compact at the African Energy Forum, thus enabling us to access concessional funding for national energy initiatives. Madam President, climate change is scorching our lands and drying up our rivers. Global instability is impacting our economies, our markets, and jeopardizing our livelihood. These are interconnected symptoms of deeper fragility in our shared system. They require our collective action rooted in apathy and shared responsibility. In this regard, I am glad to announce Namibia's bid to host the Africa Regional Hub of the Green Climate Fund. Furthermore, severe droughts, floods, and other climatics brought about by climate change cannot be overemphasized. Namibia calls for the implementation of the provision of the Namib Declaration on a strong United Nations Convention to combat desertification for a land degradation and neutral world. Namibia acknowledges technological advance in all fields, but ethical boundaries must be respected. However, artificial intelligence must not be a substitute for human judgment or responsibility. We therefore call for a global standard that ensures that the usage of artificial intelligence remains transparent, fair for humanity. Youth unemployment, increased economic inequality, lack of adequate housing, quality education and health care, water, energy, and data distress are among the common challenges that no one country can address alone. Through multilateral cooperation, our collective action must ensure that we all forge ahead to make the world a better place and to work together on those challenges in line with our theme, Better Together. Madam President, 30 years since the adoption of the Beijing Declaration and Platform of Action, we have much to celebrate and to ponder on. Namibia continues to make progress in the area of women's participation in politics and decision-making. Currently, Namibia's cabinet has 57 percent of women. As we gear up to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the adoption of the UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security adopted during Namibia's presidency of the UN Security Council, Namibia will host two high-level events in Windhoek and New York. I look forward to the participation of all member states in those events to collectively reaffirm commitment to the Women, Peace and Security Agenda. And through the Namibia International Women's Peace Center, we will continue to advocate for the universal implementation of the Women, Peace and Security Agenda. Madam President, we note the ongoing efforts of the UN to ensure that we remain fit for purpose, including the UN aid initiative. We need an agile United Nations that is inclusive. Respect of the UN Charter and its purpose and principles must be our guiding star for our future endeavors. Madam President, we are meeting against a backdrop of profound global tension. The world is fractured by conflict, displacement, and economic instabilities, straining multilateral cooperation, and a serious issue for us to reach consensus. A global liquidity crisis threatens to plug millions of people into poverty and insecurity. For Namibia, those crises are real. They impact our communities, test the resilience of our ecosystem, thus need urgent attention. In this context, the Southern Africa Development Community is committed to promoting peace, security, and stability in the Eastern DRC. Namibia welcomes the ongoing efforts by the AU, SADC, and ACC to align the Rwanda and Nairobi peace process and encourage the continued strengthening of political and security aspects of the challenges faced in our region. We further call upon UN Security Council and good office of the UN Secretary General to strengthen negotiations and peacekeeping initiatives towards resolutions of all conflict, including those in different parts of Africa. The impasse in the UN security over the question of Western Sahara is an injustice. More than 34 years after the adoption of the Resolution 690 of 1991, the time for the holding of the UN referendum on the right to self-determination for the people of Western Sahara is now. This year marks the 20th anniversary of the Azulwine Consensus and the third declaration, which jointly constitute the common African position on the reform of the UN Security Council. We acknowledge the support from all interested groups for the common African position, which culminated in the recognition of Africa as a priority and a special case in the reform process, as reflected in the outcome documents of relevant United Nations process, including the path for the future. We can no longer delay the urgent call to redress the historical injustice to Africa and address our call for equitable and balanced representation on the Security Council. Madam President, the Charter of the United Nations has laid the foundation for conditions necessary for peaceful coexistence and harmony among nations. Therefore, unilaterally cohesive measures should not be used as a tool to undermine sovereign state, for this violates the Charter and the principle of the United Nations. In this regard, we call for an end to the continued illegal economic, financial and commercial embargo imposed on the friendly people of Cuba and removing her from the list state sponsoring terrorism. We call for an end to the illegal sanction on Zimbabwe. We are also gravely concerned about the emerging threats against Venezuela and call for the removal of sanctions and the threats against that country. Madam President, the UN Commission of Inquiry on the occupied Palestine territory, including Israel, Eastern Jerusalem, has just released its findings that indeed a genocide is being committed against the Palestine people. Despite the clear provision of the Security Council and General Assembly resolutions and adversary opinion rendered by the international community of justice, humanitarian situation in Gaza is worsening and access to humanitarian aid is severely limited. A failure to address the crisis in Gaza could become the moral failure that defined this era. We call on the UN Security Council to find consensus and help put an end to the lasting conflict between Israel and Palestine. Madam President, I call for a meaningful reform of the United Nations. A call for the meaningful reform of the United Nations has never been more urgent. This reform necessitated democratising global governance, amplifying marginalised voices and ensuring international law is not a tool for convenience but a shield for most vulnerable. As I conclude, I wish to reaffirm Namibia's commitment to the international obligation and the multilateral order. Respect for international law is not just a legal duty, it's a moral imperative. We must reaffirm our commitment to the principle that unites us, mutual respect and peaceful resolution of dispute and solidarity in the face of common challenge. Let us remember that even the smallest nation has a voice. When those voices are heard and heeded, durable peace and justice will prevail. We have an obligation to make this our moment, not to disappear but renewal. We have the opportunity to restore hope, to build a future defined not only by division but by unity and preservation of human dignity. I thank you for your kind attention.