Namibian President Calls for Multilateral Reform and Urgent Climate Action at 79th UN General Assembly
New York, NY – His Excellency Dr. Nangolo Mbumba, President of the Republic of Namibia, delivered a compelling address at the 79th Session of the United Nations General Assembly, calling for significant global cooperation to advance peace, sustainable development, and human dignity.
In his opening remarks, President Mbumba congratulated Philemon Yang, President of the General Assembly, and praised the leadership of his predecessor, Dennis Francis, for navigating the Assembly through challenging times. He emphasized the relevance of the Assembly’s work in addressing global issues.
Statement by His Excellency Dr. Nangolo Mbumba Dr. Nangolo Mbumba, President of the Republic of Namibia at the 79th Session of the UN General Assembly
25 September 2024
NEW YORKYour Excellency, Philemon Yang, President of the General
Assembly,
Your Excellencies, Heads of State… pic.twitter.com/3McuD72aaw— Dr Nangolo Mbumba (@DrNangoloMbumba) September 25, 2024
Speaking on the theme of the General Debate, “Leaving no one behind: acting together for the advancement of peace, sustainable development, and human dignity for present and future generations,” President Mbumba noted that it aligned with Namibia’s core aspirations. He lauded the recent adoption of the “Pact for the Future” on September 23, 2024, which seeks to reinvigorate multilateralism. “Namibia is proud to have served alongside Germany as co-facilitator of the Summit of the Future,” Mbumba said, congratulating delegates for their efforts in bringing the Pact to fruition.
A critical part of President Mbumba’s address focused on the outdated structure of multilateral institutions, including the UN Security Council, which he argued does not adequately represent African needs. “The institutions created in 1945 must better respond to today’s challenges,” he stated. He further emphasized the need for profound global transformation and the recognition of developing nations as equal partners in tackling global issues such as poverty, inequality, and war.
Namibia’s pressing concerns about climate change also took center stage in President Mbumba’s speech. He highlighted how changes in ocean temperatures are affecting the nation’s fish stocks, jeopardizing livelihoods, ecosystems, and tourism. “Namibia and the rest of the SADC region are going through the El Niño phenomenon, which has adversely impacted food security. In this regard, Namibia had to declare a State of Emergency to address the severe effects of drought,” he said, drawing attention to the urgent need for global climate action.
President Mbumba reiterated Namibia’s commitment to gender equality as the nation approaches the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration. He proudly shared that Namibia is among the top nine countries globally to have closed 80% of the gender gap and achieved perfect parity in the National Assembly, where 50% of representatives are women. He further expressed hope for increased female leadership at the global level, including a female Secretary-General for the United Nations in the future.
As Namibia prepares for its upcoming Presidential and National Assembly Elections on November 27, 2024, President Mbumba underscored the country’s political progress, including the nomination of female candidates from various political parties, a move that aligns with Namibia’s longstanding commitment to gender equality.
In closing, President Mbumba outlined Namibia’s efforts to develop a sustainable energy mix to support industrialization while combating climate change. He called on developed nations to scale up their support for developing countries, enabling gradual transitions to cleaner energy. “Investment in these key sectors is critical,” Mbumba stated, stressing the need for collaboration to decarbonize industries and create green industrial ecosystems.
The Namibian leader’s speech resonated with a strong call for global solidarity, urging world leaders to act decisively for the benefit of both present and future generations.
