STATE OF THE NATION ADDRESS
BY HIS EXCELLENCY
HIFIKEPUNYE POHAMBA,
PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF NAMIBIA
12 APRIL 2007
WINDHOEK

Honourable Speaker of the National Assembly
Honourable Chairperson of the National Council
Your Excellency, Founding President and Father of the Namibian Nation, Comrade Dr Sam Nujoma
Right Honourable Prime Minister, Comrade Nahas Angula
Your Honour, the Chief Justice
Honourable Deputy Prime Minister
Honourable Dr Hage Geingob, First Prime Minister of the Republic of Namibia
Comrade Dr Hendrick Witbooi, First Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Namibia
Comrade Kandy Nehova, First Chairperson of the National Council of the Republic of Namibia
Honourable Members of Parliament
Your Excellencies, Members of the Diplomatic Corps
Distinguished Invited Guests
Members of the Media
Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is a great honour for me, to once again, stand before this joint sitting of our Parliament to inform the Honourable members and through them, all our citizens about the state of the nation. I also wish to share with you, Honourable Members, and fellow Namibians, the progress that we made in terms of policy implementation over the last year as well as the challenges that lie ahead. Three weeks ago Namibians from all walks of life and from all corners of the country rejoiced together in remembrance of the historic events that culminated in our nationhood seventeen years ago.

The long history that culminated in the achievement of our independence was marked by pain and tragedy. It also manifested the bravery of our people. It was the bravery of our forebearers, the sons and daughters of our soil who inspired us to fight on until final victory was achieved on 21 March 1990. This month, we recall the tragedy of 1st April 1989, the horrible massacre perpetrated against PLAN combatants by the colonial forces of apartheid. As we remember and pay homage to their supreme sacrifices, we are consoled by the knowledge that their sacrifices motivate us to build a better Namibia where all our citizens can enjoy the fruits of independence. As we sing in our national anthem, “We give our love and loyalty, for their blood waters our freedom”.

Through our democratic structures, the people of Namibia gave our SWAPO Party Government a mandate to govern and to implement policies that can bring about social and economic transformation of our society.

In these endeavours, we are guided by our national development priorities which are outlined in the 2004 SWAPO Party Election Manifesto, our National Development Plans and Vision 2030. As a Government, we have consulted widely and sought the views of our citizens through different forums in our efforts to create a common understanding about the challenges that we face as a nation.

It is my intention this afternoon to develop distinctive themes as I go along in reporting on the state of our nation. I shall report on the overall performance of our economy, provision of social amenities, health, education, agriculture, rural development, law and order, land reform, labour relations in our country, promotion of trade and investments, the ongoing civil service reforms as well as regional and international relations.

On more than one occasion our Government hosted Cabinet Retreats and invited stakeholders in the economic and social spheres of our society, such as employers, the labour fraternity, non-governmental organisations and of course government departments to share views on issues of national interest. Other consultations were held as part of the drafting of our Third National Development Plan (NDP3).

During the review period, I held several consultations with representatives of the private and public sectors, labour unions, NGOs, traditional and church leaders as well as individual citizens.

Almost invariably, the issues of concern to our people revolve around the questions of unemployment, economic growth, education, health, land reform, development of infrastructure, access to markets as well as safety and security of our people. These are the concerns of the Namibian people. They are the concerns of our Government.

In addressing these concerns and looking to the future, we have taken a clear stand to implement policies, both medium and long term, aimed at achieving our national development objectives. In these endeavours, we have encouraged and secured the involvement of our citizens. In turn, we have sought to keep our people informed about progress that we are making.

My presence here today is in keeping with our democratic practices and constitutional duties which require the President to inform the nation, through our Parliament, about the activities of the Government during the preceding Financial Year and to spell out future policies.

As I reflect on Government’s performance during the past Financial Year, I am pleased to say that our policy interventions are yielding encouraging results. We have introduced several measures aimed at improving our macro economic landscape, reducing poverty and improving our people’s living conditions. As a result, we have managed to bring public debt down to 31.4 percent from 34 percent in 2005 and below the 33.1 percent projected under the current MTEF period. This policy mix of pro-poor budgeting and fiscal consolidation has proved to be an effective approach.

Our commitment to reduce poverty, to create jobs and to facilitate equitable opportunities for all, remains central to all government activities. To give effect to this commitment, education, health and social welfare are prioritised in public spending. Equally, the productive sectors have received significant budgetary allocations mainly for the development of infrastructure.

As a responsible Government, we want to proceed speedily but cautiously and our development agenda aims at achieving lasting outcomes. The past two budgets highlight our priorities aimed at accelerating economic growth and addressing the needs of our people. The aim is to ensure that economic growth translates into improved employment creation and improvement of living conditions. To achieve this, we will continue to invest heavily in the development of our human capital. This calls for improvements in academic outcomes and with it, an increase in the skills levels and employability of our people, especially our youth.

We are addressing the pressing health needs of our people, where HIV/Aids is threatening to undermine many of our developmental achievements. Our continued investments in the social safety nets are increasingly providing welcome relief to the most vulnerable members of our society such as the elderly, Orphans and Vulnerable Children as well as people living with disabilities.

It is noteworthy that enhanced infrastructure development programmes are creating new job opportunities and stimulating higher economic growth in the formerly neglected rural areas. The imperative for continued growth in capital expenditure is necessitated by the skewed nature of our economy and the resulting needs and demands to iron out the existing discrepancies and social injustice.

Namibia continues to experience high capital outflows, which we must work more aggressively to reduce. In 2006, Fitch Ratings Agency affirmed our country’s positive credit standing, while identifying areas where improvements are needed. We must act swiftly in line with these recommendations in order to improve our country’s macro-economic outlook and international competitiveness.

Our long term development targets are, like those of other developing countries, dependent on the extent to which we can access international markets for our goods. As such, the SADC/EU, SACU/USA and WTO Trade Negotiations are vital for the achievement of these important goals. Thus, we are concerned that progress on both of these fronts is rather slow.

2006 marked the end of the implementation period for NDP2, and last December, Cabinet approved the guidelines for formulating the Third National Development Plan (NDP3) under the theme, “Accelerated Economic Growth through Deepening Rural Development”. The formulation of NDP3 involves Government structures, both at national and regional levels, the Private Sector, Civic Organizations, and our Development Co-operation Partners.

Our Government will continue to work closely with our social partners in addressing poverty and underdevelopment in our society. As regards Development Cooperation, the Government successfully mobilized external resources from Multilateral and Bilateral partners amounting to approximately N$870 Million during the 2006/2007 Financial Year. These resources will be allocated to various development projects, with a special focus on rural development. Namibia’s classification as a lower middle income country has led to a shift in development aid. Traditional support through grants is being phased out and there is a move towards commercial trade, investments and loans.

While working within these new parameters, our Government finds it fitting to sensitise our development co-operation partners about the need for increased grant aid to overcome the huge socio-economic gaps that still exist, such as the prevalence of HIV/Aids, poverty and the high unemployment rate in our country. I am pleased to inform the nation that a number of development partners have responded positively and have decided to continue their support to Namibia. In the spirit of south-south co-operation, new bilateral agreements were concluded with China, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Angola, South Africa and Tanzania. Our development plans, namely, Vision 2030, the National Development Plans and the Poverty Reduction Strategy have been aligned to achieve the Millennium Development Goals.
In this regard, Cabinet has approved the transformation of the Central Bureau of Statistics into an autonomous agency with a mandate to monitor progress towards the achievement of our national development goals.

Honourable Speaker
Honourable Chairperson,

The social, economic and political history of Namibia demands that we implement proactive policies to achieve social justice, while improving economic performance in different sectors. It is in this light that our policy interventions in various social and economic sectors should be viewed. I am pleased to report that, despite resource constraints, notable achievements were recorded in the provision of social amenities and public goods to our people in different parts of the country.

New health facilities such as clinics and health centres were constructed at places such as Fransfontein, Otjokavare, Ongwediva and Ongha, while the provision of Anti-Retroviral treatment was extended to all state hospitals. In total, about 12 health facilities and a number of mortuaries were inaugurated during the period under review.

The HIV/Aids pandemic remains a huge challenge. It is our collective task as a country to strengthen prevention measures and to ensure that all Namibians, particularly the youth, contribute to the fight against this disease by choosing responsible lifestyles.

It is a sign of the positive change in the attitudes of our people towards HIV/Aids that more than 90 percent of expectant women now agree to be tested for HIV/Aids when they visit pre-natal clinics. Five years ago, only ten percent chose to undergo such tests. I, therefore, congratulate Namibian women for their contribution to the fight against the pandemic in such a practical manner.

By getting tested, they make it possible for the provision of the necessary treatment, for themselves, their children and their spouses in case of those who are infected. Those who are not infected are given the assurance and peace of mind to continue living responsible lifestyles. I also believe that the high percentage of expectant women who are tested indicate that our country is slowly but surely shattering the stigma associated with HIV/Aids infection. Today, 75 percent of women who deliver at health facilities, know their HIV status. This is useful for them and their families to make informed choices about their health care needs.

In order to counter further outbreaks of diseases such as cholera and polio, public health promotion programmes have been intensified. These include the dissemination of information and the construction of pit latrines in various parts of the country to improve public health. We have also intensified efforts to address the shortage of doctors, nursing staff and other health professionals at our health facilities. In 2006, 19 doctors, 115 registered nurses and 287 enrolled nurses graduated and took up posts in our health system. We expect about 17 doctors, 137 registered nurses and 415 enrolled nurses to graduate this year.

With regard to the provision of potable water in rural areas, it is the aim of our Government that by the year 2010, all rural residents who receive potable water from improved sources, will be in a position to own, manage and operate their water infrastructure.

During the period under review, many boreholes were rehabilitated, while new ones were drilled. Government has also allocated funds for the construction of rural secondary pipelines, through which thousands of people and livestock will benefit. The infrastructure will provide water to households, businesses, schools and clinics in rural areas.

Our Government is aiming to provide adequate and affordable shelter within the broader context of social and economic development. This is based on the belief that proper housing is a major factor in creating wealth, and improving the quality of life of communities. It is for these reasons that the 1991 National Housing Policy is currently being reviewed by the National Housing Advisory Committee and relevant stakeholders in order to ensure that it is effective and falls in line with our policy of decentralization.

Government continues to deliver affordable houses to our citizens under the Build Together Programme. Since its decentralisation in 1998, the Programme has facilitated the construction of individual houses, transformation of single quarters into better housing units, construction of social houses for welfare cases and the provision of basic services to those living in informal settlement areas. During the 2005/2006 financial year, 1926 houses were constructed around the country.

Our Government also funded the construction of forty-eight houses for War Veterans during the same period. This is the first phase of the project to provide housing to eligible War Veterans during the same period. On 10 February this year, I had the pleasure to hand over a house to one of the beneficiaries and former commander of the People’s Liberation Army of Namibia, Comrade Matias Mbulunganga Ndakolo at Eenghango Village in Ohangwena Region. The occasion served as a symbolic hand-over of similar houses to other eligible beneficiaries in other parts of the country.

Our Government is committed to upgrading physical infrastructures in our towns, especially in places where the bucket system is still in use. At present that system is still operational at Kalkfeld, Stampriet, Tses, Aus, Warmbad, Berseba, Koës, Kalkrand and other places in the South and Central parts of the country. Our Government has allocated N$20 Million to phase out this unhygienic system through the construction of modern vacuum sewerage systems at the affected towns.

The process of decentralisation is progressing well, as witnessed by the building of new Regional Council and Local Authority Offices in different parts of the country. Our Government has also adopted a phased approach in proclaiming new towns. Elections for Local Authority Councillors for Nkurenkuru were held in March this year and in the next three years, Omuthiya, Bukalo and Otjinene will elect their Councillors.

The proclamation of towns brings new challenges as we are confronted by the lack of economic growth in many existing towns. Places such as Usakos, Karibib, Okakarara, Opuwo, Aranos and others have recorded slow economic growth resulting in difficult living conditions for residents. We must find ways and means of revitalising these towns through public private partnerships and capital projects in order to stimulate the creation of jobs.

The problems experienced by our smaller local authorities are, in many ways, similar to those faced by our rural communities. I am happy to report that efforts are under way to sharpen rural development co-ordination. Our Government is in the process of reviewing and reorienting the operations of the Rural Development Centres in various places to become more responsive to the needs of rural communities. As part of our Government’s commitment to address poverty among marginalised communities, assistance was provided to our San Communities in the form of training in livestock management, crop production, nutrition and small business management.
Following the training, several poor San households were provided with large and small livestock, as well as agricultural implements. Others received start-up materials for a woodwork project. More poor San households are to be assisted under the “Livestock Revolving Project” in selected areas during the next financial year.

Also, during the period under review, the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Forestry and the Namibia Agronomic Board gave agricultural implements and livestock, including oxen, heifers, and donkeys, to more than 160 poor San households under the San Animal Draught Power Programme, at places such as, Tsumkwe, M’kata, Tsintsabis, Bagani, Chetto, Omega and Skoonheid. In addition, the Food for Work Programme supported 180 projects, which benefited more than 6000 people. Forty nine projects were supported under the Cash for Work Programme, benefiting more than one thousand people at different locations.

The vulnerable members of our society deserve special protection. This is the orientation of our social safety nets which benefit women, orphans and vulnerable children and the elderly. In order to support expectant working mothers, maternity benefits from the Social Security Commission have been increased by 100 percent from the current N$3000.00 to N$6000.00.

Our Government attaches great importance to the welfare of our vulnerable children. More than 60 000 orphans and vulnerable children are currently receiving grants from our Government. The Ministry of Gender Equality and Child Welfare is currently implementing a programme aimed at providing special protection for Vulnerable Children with support from UNICEF.

It is imperative that, as we reach further to bring development to rural areas, we also expand access to electricity through rural electrification. During the period under review, about 45 villages in different parts of the country were energised. Moreover, the solar revolving fund, established by the Ministry of Mines and Energy, has assisted more than 300 individuals to acquire home solar systems.

Honourable Speaker
Honourable Chairperson,

Education continues to receive our Government’s serious attention because it holds the key to the future of our country. It is common knowledge that education determines the success of all our endeavours.
In an increasingly competitive global environment, our place can only be secured and determined by educated and skilled citizens.

In the 21st Century, knowledge is the most valued commodity and our people can only take advantage of the latest technological and business developments if they receive proper education. Therefore, the education of all our children and the enhancement of skills of our people at different levels remains one of the most important duties on our shoulders. I am happy to report that as part of our efforts to strengthen the foundation of our education system, pre-primary education has been reintegrated into the public education system with effect from this year.

As a Government, we cannot afford to be oblivious to the voices of many Namibians who are calling for improvements in our education system. At present, we face a real challenge regarding young school leavers who end up on the streets without prospects for employment or chances to further their education careers because of lack of finances and shortage of study opportunities. I have noted with dissatisfaction that, of the total number of full-time Grade 10 candidates who sat for examination last year, only 45 percent passed and proceeded to Grade 11. My wish is to see higher pass rates from now onwards.

I wish to call upon the Ministry of Education and all relevant stakeholders to ensure that in the implementation of the Education and Training Sector Improvement Programme (ETSIP), no effort is spared to see the pass rate rise to at least 90 percent or better. In addition, there should be overall improvement in quality and performance of our education system as a whole. In this regard, we must ensure that those who fail Grade 10 and 12 have access to vocational training programmes such as those provided by the National Youth Service and our vocational training institutions. Let us aim higher to make our education system one of the strongest in the SADC Region.

For us to succeed in these efforts teachers, as well as managers and administrators in the education sector must know that they can be held accountable for poor results in our education system. Our education programmes and curriculum must be aligned with the achievement of Vision 2030 while ensuring that, collectively, at every level of society education plays a productive role of reshaping our society.

I can report that good progress has been made towards the introduction of the new Namibia Senior Secondary Certificate Examinations, which will replace the Cambridge examinations. For the first time since independence, examinations for Grades 12 will be set, marked, moderated and certified in Namibia.

Relevant Namibian authorities will continue to work with Cambridge International Examinations division during this process of transition. It is a significant development that within 17 years of independence, we have achieved what some countries have not done, namely, to localize an examination system. The first Namibian Senior Secondary Certificate examination will be written at the end of 2007.

I am happy to note that the Vocational Training Bill has been tabled in the National Assembly. When passed, this legislation will drive the transformation of vocational education and training in our country as we endeavour to provide our youth with marketable skills and competencies. It is with keen anticipation that we look forward to the passing of this Bill and the expected transformation of our Vocational education to make it truly beneficial to our economy and our society.

I wish to mention that the plight of our youth is also being addressed through various programmes under the Ministry of Youth, National Service, Sport and Culture. These include initiatives dealing with matters such as juvenile justice, environmental education, life skills, leadership and development, career guidance, as well as the Namibia Youth Credit Initiative and the Gender and Youth Reproductive Health Programmes.

Honourable Speaker
Honourable Chairperson,

The speedy implementation of our capital projects remains central to Governmental actions, because we believe that this will stimulate economic activities, create employment opportunities and contribute to our economic reconstruction efforts.

Today, all Namibians are proud of the historic completion of Phase 1 of the Northern Railway Extension Project, which was inaugurated in July last year. Phase 2 from Ondangwa to Oshikango has commenced and we are looking forward to its completion, which will link our national rail network with that of our northern neighbour, Angola.

Allow me, therefore, to take this opportunity to thank His Excellency, the Founding President and Father of the Namibian Nation Comrade Sam Nujoma who continues to volunteer his labour on this very important project. I hope that the Honourable Members will again find time to work on this national project.

The capital projects undertaken by the Government during the period under review cover a wide range of sectors. They include new projects as well as the continuation of ongoing projects that were started in earlier financial years. The Aus-Lüderitz Railway Line which started a few years ago will be completed during the 2007/2008 Financial Year.

Several road construction projects were completed in 2006 and others are currently underway. The roads from Outapi to Okahao via Tsandi, from Omakange to Opuwo and from Aus to Rosh Pinah were completed and opened to traffic. Work on the Kamanjab-Omakange road is currently under way, while construction of the Rundu-Nkurenkuru-Elundu Road will commence this financial year.

In addition to the construction of bitumen roads, Government is also funding the construction of gravel roads in different parts of Namibia. Those in the pipeline include the roads from Kongola to the Zambian border, from Ngoma to Muyako and from Epukiro to Eiseb Block. It is our hope that the construction of new roads will lead to safer journeys for all our road-users. Therefore, I call upon our road users to always drive safely at all times in order to avoid unnecessary loss of life and injuries.

Substantial amounts of resources were spent on the construction of various public facilities such as the Rundu Recreation Centre, Okongo Crafts Centre, Mariental Recreation Centre, Phase 5 of the France Dimbare Youth Centre, the Fresh Water Institute at Kamutjonga, and Epalela Fish Farm, to mention just a few. We will continue with the implementation of more capital projects in the coming years as part of our efforts to achieve our national development goals.

Honourable Speaker
Honourable Chairperson,

Periodic public service reforms are critical for effective service delivery.

As such, the public service must relentlessly strive for excellence, effectiveness, efficiency and accountability in all modes of service delivery.
It is imperative that in all public offices, from the issuing of birth certificates and national identification documents, from the registration of companies to the issuance of various permits, from the advertisement of public tenders to the adjudication of such tenders, our public officials must work speedily and without bias. This is the only way that we can add value, reduce administrative backlogs and do away with unnecessary bureaucratic red tape. Civil servants must live up to their designation, namely, that they are appointed to serve the public, not to do otherwise at the expense of tax payers.

A Performance Management System (PMS) is vital for public service managers to ensure quality performance of individual civil servants, by providing a structured method of measuring efficiency, effectiveness and accountability. The implementation of this system is continuing.

Furthermore, the Government has embarked upon a programme to introduce innovative solutions and incorporate new technologies in order to improve service delivery. Through this partnership, basic training in essential public service management will be provided to our civil servants to ensure that the services we deliver meet the needs of our people.

We need to embrace the culture of honesty, accountability and transparency. In this regard, our civil service reforms must go hand-in-hand with our drive to root out corruption and dishonesty, in both public and private sectors. I therefore call upon all our citizens to report all suspected cases of corruption to relevant authorities without fear or favour. I also call upon the Office of the Prime Minister and the Ministry of Justice to facilitate the tabling of legislation to protect whistle blowers.

Likewise I call upon our public institutions such as the Police, the Anti-Corruption Commission and the Office of the Ombudsman to fight corruption tooth and nail. This will enable our scarce public resources to reach their intended beneficiaries, especially the rural poor, orphans, vulnerable children, women and the unemployed youth.

Honourable Speaker
Honourable Chairperson,

My fellow countrymen and women, peace, unity and stability in our country are threatened by crime.
We must, therefore, strengthen our law enforcement agencies. We must make a cultural shift to promote the concept of community policing in order to make our streets and homes safer.

As part of crime prevention efforts, we intend to implement two initiatives namely, strengthening the capabilities of our Police Force and initiating a public education campaign to encourage citizens and communities to work with law enforcement agencies in the prevention of crime.

Combating crime and the maintenance of peace and security are crucial elements for the development of our country. Where there is no peace and security, there can be no development. I am very concerned about the spate of violent crimes that have occurred in different parts of the country in recent months. Our law enforcement agencies should leave no stone unturned in their efforts to combat crime in all its manifestations.

I wish to use this opportunity to call upon our law enforcement agencies to rid our society of unlicenced firearms. Operations that were carried out by the police to confiscate illegal firearms indicated that more needs to be done in order to improve the security of our people.

Honourable Speaker
Honourable Chairperson,

The process of land reform is continuing, albeit at a rather slow pace, due to a number of factors. In a few instances, land has been expropriated and compensation paid in terms of our laws. In order to augment the land reform efforts and to improve the living standards of our people, a system was introduced to provide for the allocation of rights in respect of communal land. For the first time in the history of land administration in Namibia, we now have a unified legal mechanism for all communal areas.

A decision was also taken to provide for structured development of under-utilised communal land, by subdividing it into small scale farming units to be managed on commercial basis. To date, 721 small scale commercial units have been surveyed in Kavango, Caprivi and Ohangwena Regions. A similar survey will be carried out in Omusati Region in the near future.

There is no doubt that more needs to be done to make the land reform programme more successful. Resettled families and individuals need support from Government in order to establish themselves on the land. In many cases, beneficiaries of land reform are unable to cope with the sheer volume of inputs that are necessary to run a successful farming enterprise.

While the Ministry of Lands and Resettlement is providing some technical support, it is clear that more needs to be done in this respect. As such, our Government must continue to devise ways and means of empowering landless Namibians through the land reform process in accordance with the Namibian Constitution and other laws of our Republic.

Honourable Speaker
Honourable Chairperson,

In my view, the labour relations atmosphere at present is far from ideal. On too many occasions, in fact, with frequent regularity, we hear about labour disputes and alleged unfair treatment of workers by their employers. It is clear that there is an urgent need to address discord in labour relations in our country before greater harm befalls our economy. We need a harmonious labour atmosphere in order to attract investors and improve productivity in our economy. Labour tensions are disruptive and lead to loss of productive time. Against this background, I call upon Labour Unions, employees and employers to use the existing legal mechanisms to resolve labour issues amicably.

I am concerned about employers who fail to comply with our legislation governing the wellbeing of Namibian workers. Several companies have failed to register their employees with the Social Security Commission, while others have not submitted their Affirmative Action Reports to the Employment Equity Commission. These anomalies must be rectified without any further delay.

Our drive to promote economic growth and attract investments is continuing. SME Business Parks are under construction at Oshikuku, Katwitwi, Okalongo and Okongo, while an Agro Foods Processing Centre is being built at Oshakati. Our Government is fully aware of the concerns expressed by some representatives of our small indigenous businesses regarding unfair competition with some foreign enterprises.

I wish to assure our nation that Government is committed both to fostering foreign direct investment and to bringing formerly disadvantaged Namibians into the mainstream of our economy. To this end, a sum of N$24 million has been allocated to various programmes and projects aimed at promoting and supporting the SME sector.

In addition, we have completed a study on Government procurement with a view to develop policy measures that will facilitate access for SME’s, particularly Namibian-owned and registered enterprises, to the Government procurement of goods and services. We are confident that the measures will contribute to the growth of Namibian enterprises so that they become competitive both in the domestic, regional and international markets.

We expect increased inflows of tourists to Namibia this year as we celebrate the 100th Anniversary of the establishment of Etosha National Park. Communal conservancies, which now stand at about 51 are providing welcome financial benefits to communities. However, some concerns have been raised by some community members regarding animal-human conflicts which are taking place due to the increase in the number of wild animals, such as elephants, in protected areas.

The mining sector has seen encouraging growth in recent years. This year saw the official opening of the Langer Heinrich Uranium Mine. It also saw the finalisation of negotiations between our Government and De Beers as shareholders in Namdeb. Among other things, the negotiations resulted in the establishment of the Namibia Diamond Trading Company. It was agreed that a certain percentage of cuttable diamonds mined by Namdeb will be supplied to local cutting and polishing factories. We are encouraged by the on-going mineral exploration activities in different parts of the country and hope to see more mining operations come on stream in the near future.

Honourable Speaker
Honourable Chairperson,

The phenomenon of globalisation demands a whole new approach to the way we conduct diplomatic relations with other countries. It is for this reason that Namibia’s foreign policy places so much emphasis on economic diplomacy in order to attract foreign investment and to establish smart partnerships. Our Missions abroad are working tirelessly to accomplish just that.

Our country can only assume its rightful place within the global community of nations by being an active participant in international forums, such as the United Nations, African Union and SADC. Namibia fully supports the reform of the United Nations system, especially that of the Security Council, to become more representative of the realities of our times.

Our country continues to play an active role in promoting global peace through our involvement in peace-keeping operations and other missions, under the auspices of the UN, AU and SADC. More recently, our country formed part of the SADC Observer Mission to the recent elections in the Kingdom of Lesotho. Similarly, a few days ago, a contingent of Namibian troops left for Liberia to replace our troops who were carrying out peace keeping duties in that country as part of the UN Peace keeping force.

Last year we participated in the Africa-South America Summit in Nigeria, the Non-Aligned Movement Summit held in Cuba, the China-Africa Forum held in Beijing and the Franco African Summit in Cannes, France. I also attended SADC Extra-Ordinary Summit in Tanzania and the UN General Assembly Meeting in New York, to mention but a few.

As a matter of course, Namibia upholds the principle of the right of peoples to self-determination. In this context, our Government has actively supported UN resolutions on the right of self-determination of the Palestinian people. Namibia is, therefore, concerned about the lack of progress with the Middle East peace process. We will continue to support international efforts to find a long lasting negotiated settlement to the conflict between Israel and the people of Palestine. By the same token, Namibia continues to support the just cause of the people of Western Sahara for self-determination. We, therefore, join other nations in calling for a speedy implementation of UN resolutions on Western Sahara.

Honourable Speaker
Honourable Chairperson,

The task of nation building rests on our shoulders, collectively, as citizens of this beautiful Republic. Each and everyone of us can make a contribution towards the achievement of our national development goals. As such, we must work towards greater co-ordination at all levels of Government. We will work within the mandate given to us by the electorate to realise their aspirations, their hopes and their dreams.

With commitment and zeal, we are determined to move our country forward in line with our national priorities and our stated development agenda as reflected in the 2004 SWAPO Party Election Manifesto, NDPs, and Vision 2030.

Economic growth, combating unemployment, providing quality health care, education, potable water, electricity, housing and addressing landlessness will continue to be our top priorities, among other priorities. We are fully aware of the needs of our youth, women and workers, whose education, training, economic empowerment and emancipation are paramount. We are fully aware of the needs of our senior citizens, orphans and vulnerable children and will continue to address them.

We are fully aware of the needs of our citizens who are infected and affected by HIV/Aids, malaria and tuberculosis and we will continue addressing them. Our relentless focus on the rural poor will continue through the intensification of development projects in rural areas, including the building of new infrastructures and facilities. We are working hard to find ways to address the difficulties faced by the former combatants of the liberation struggle. Their needs have not been forgotten.

The successes that we scored during the period under review are an indication of what is possible. The remaining challenges can only inspire us to work harder towards victory in this second phase of our struggle, the struggle for economic emancipation and the improvement of the living conditions of all Namibians.

The maintenance of law and order, peace and security will continue to be one of our primary concerns, because these are pre-conditions for the realisation of economic prosperity. Crime must be eradicated from our society. It must be nipped in the bud in order to ensure the safety of all our citizens at all times and in all parts of our country.

I look forward to the future, full of hope that we will continue to make strides in all our national development endeavours by drawing inspiration from the hard work and bravery of our forbearers who paved the road to our national independence. Their heroic deeds are the torch that illuminates our path towards a more prosperous Namibia. Let us, therefore, maintain national unity at all times, let us guard against division, let us guard against racism, let us guard against tribalism and let us guard against regionalism. I am honoured to lead a nation whose best hour has yet to come, a people whose greatness and prosperity are achievable.

Let us make Namibia a winning nation.

Long Live the Republic of Namibia!

I thank you.