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United News of India
09-07-2025
- Politics
- United News of India
PM pays homage to Namibian revolutionary and first President Sam Nujoma
Windhoek/New Delhi, July 9 (UNI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid homage to the Founding Father and the First President of Namibia, Dr. Sam Nujoma, at the Heroes Acre memorial in Namibian capital Windhoek today. The Prime Minister, who is on a day-long visit to Namibia on the final leg of his five-nation tour, remembered Dr. Sam Nujoma as a visionary leader who devoted his life to the struggle for Namibia's independence. As the first President of free Namibia, Dr. Nujoma made inspiring contribution to the country's nation making. His legacy continues to inspire people across the world, Prime Minister Modi said. He said Dr. Sam Nujoma was a great friend of India and his presence during the establishment of the first ever-diplomatic mission of Namibia [SWAPO at that time] in 1986 in New Delhi would always be cherished and fondly remembered by the people of India. Samuel Shafiishuna Daniel Nujoma, fondly called Sam Nujoma, was a Namibian revolutionary, anti-apartheid activist and politician who served three terms as the first President of Namibia from 1990 to 2005. He was a founding member and the first President of the South West Africa People's Organisation (SWAPO) in 1960. UNI RB RN
News18
08-07-2025
- Politics
- News18
Minerals, Diamonds, Strategic Ties: Why Is PM Modi Visiting Namibia?
Last Updated: PM Narendra Modi is visiting Namibia at the invitation of President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, the first woman elected to the office in the southern African country In the final leg of his five-nation tour visit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is all set to visit Namibia on a state visit on Wednesday (July 9). Modi is visiting Namibia at the invitation of President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, the first woman elected to the office in the southern African country. His visit is aimed at deepening strategic ties with a focus on cooperation on minerals, uranium trade, digital infrastructure rollout, diamond exports, and clean energy investment. This will be Modi's first visit to Namibia, and the third ever prime ministerial visit from India to the country. During his visit, he will pay homage to the founding father and first President of Namibia, Sam Nujoma. The Prime Minister is expected to deliver an address at the Namibian Parliament. This visit, however, is a reiteration of India's multi-faceted and deep-rooted historical ties with the country. WHAT IS THE HISTORY OF INDIA-NAMIBIA TIES? Apart from sharing a colonial past and post-colonial partnership, India and Namibia enjoy warm and cordial relations. According to the ministry of external affairs, the Namibian people and leadership view India as a dependable and trusted friend. India supported the country during its liberation struggle, which has only strengthened relations. Way back in 1946, India was among the first to raise the question of Namibian independence at the United Nations. The first SWAPO (South West Africa People's Organisation) – which led Namibia's liberation struggle – Embassy abroad was established in New Delhi in 1986. After Namibian independence, the Indian Observer Mission was upgraded to a full-fledged high commission on March 21, 1990. Namibia opened a full-fledged resident mission in New Delhi in March 1994. The fourth round of India-Namibia foreign office consultations took place on November 3, 2022, in Windhoek where the two sides carried out a comprehensive review of the existing bilateral ties. The first meeting of India-Namibia Joint Commission was held on June 5, 2023, in Windhoek. It was a comprehensive review of cooperation in several areas, including trade and economic cooperation, education and capacity building, forensic science, health, biodiversity, arts and culture, defence, agriculture, infrastructure development and energy among others.
Bloomberg
22-03-2025
- Business
- Bloomberg
Namibia's New President Names Witbooi as Deputy, Trims Cabinet
Namibia's President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah appointed long-serving lawmaker Lucia Witbooi as her deputy as she unveiled a streamlined cabinet, consolidating key ministries and placing oil and gas oversight under her own office. Witbooi, 64, a former deputy minister, previously worked in education and home affairs before rising through the ranks of the ruling South West Africa People's Organisation, or Swapo. She becomes the second woman to hold the vice presidency in the southern African country, which is on the verge of an oil boom but which faces significant economic challenges, including a 37% unemployment rate.
Roya News
21-03-2025
- Politics
- Roya News
Namibia welcomes first female president, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah
Namibia has officially welcomed its first female head of state, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, who was sworn in on Friday. She commented on her position during an interview with BBC's Africa Daily podcast, stating, "If things go well then it will be seen as a good example. But if anything then happens, like it can happen in any administration under men, there are also those who would rather say: 'Look at women!'" The 72-year-old politician secured victory in the November elections with 58 percent of the votes. She has been a devoted member of the South West Africa People's Organisation (Swapo), the ruling party since Namibia gained independence from apartheid South Africa in 1990. Nandi-Ndaitwah joined Swapo at the young age of 14, when it was still a liberation movement opposing the white-minority rule in South Africa. Despite the progress made by Swapo, the remnants of apartheid continue to impact wealth distribution and land ownership patterns in Namibia. "Truly, land is a serious problem in this country," she acknowledged ahead of her inauguration. "We still have some white citizens and more particularly the absent land owners who are occupying the land." As Namibia's new leader, Nandi-Ndaitwah aspires to be evaluated on her accomplishments. "It is a good thing that we as countries are realizing that just as men [can do], women can also hold the position of authority," she asserted, positioning herself as a role model for future generations of female leaders.
Yahoo
21-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Namibia swears in first female president
Namibia's new president was sworn in on Friday to lead a country facing high rates of unemployment, inequality and poverty. And she will be dealing with it with the additional burden of being only Africa's second-ever directly elected female president and Namibia's first female head of state. "If things go well then it will be seen as a good example," Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah told BBC's Africa Daily podcast. "But if anything then happens, like it can happen in any administration under men, there are also those who would rather say: 'Look at women!'" The 72-year-old won November's election with a 58% share of the vote. Nandi-Ndaitwah has been a long-term loyalist of the South West Africa People's Organisation (Swapo) – which has been in power since the country gained independence in 1990 after a long struggle against apartheid South Africa. She joined Swapo, then a liberation movement resisting South Africa's white-minority rule, when she was only 14. While the party has made changes and improved the lives of the black majority, the legacy of apartheid can still be seen in patterns of wealth and land ownership. "Truly, land is a serious problem in this country," she told the BBC ahead of the inauguration. "We still have some white citizens and more particularly the absent land owners who are occupying the land." From freedom fighter to Namibia's first female president LISTEN: Africa Daily's interview with Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah She adds that she is committed to the "willing-buyer, willing-seller" principle, which means no-one is forced to sell up. Namibia is a geographically large country with a small population of three million. Government statistics show that white farmers own about 70% of the country's farmland. A total of 53,773 Namibians identified as white in the 2023 census, representing 1.8% of the country's population. Namibia is one of the world's most unequal countries, with a Gini coefficient of 59.1 in 2015, according to the World Bank, which projects poverty is expected to remain high at 17.2% in 2024. The unemployment rate rose to 36.9% in 2023 from 33.4% in 2018, according to the country's statistics agency. Nandi-Ndaitwah said the economy, which partly relies on mineral exports, should work more on adding value to what the country extracts from the ground rather than exporting raw materials. She also wants Namibia to focus more on creative industries and get the education sector to adjust to new economic realities. Nandi-Ndaitwah is only the second African woman to be directly elected as president, after Liberia's Ellen Johnson Sirleaf. The continent's only other female president at the moment is Tanzania's Samia Suluhu Hassan, who took up the role after her predecessor died in office in 2021. Nandi-Ndaitwah wants to be judged on her merits, but she said that it was a "good thing that we as countries are realising that just as men [can do], women can also hold the position of authority". Sam Nujoma: The revolutionary leader who liberated Namibia 'I would prefer to die than see my traditions die out' Should Namibian town scrap German name? Namibia turns the visa tables on Western nations Go to for more news from the African continent. Follow us on Twitter @BBCAfrica, on Facebook at BBC Africa or on Instagram at bbcafrica Africa Daily Focus on Africa
