Niël Terblanché
The President of the 78th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), Dennis Francis, will visit Namibia from 18 to 21 June.
This visit, at the invitation of Peya Mushelenga, Namibia’s Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, serves as a prelude to the much-anticipated Summit of the Future (SOTF) that Namibia will co-host with Germany on 22 and 23 September.
Announcing the visit, Ambassador Penda Naanda, Executive Director of the Ministry of International Relations and Cooperation, stressed the visit’s significance and said that it is part of the President of the General Assembly’s outreach activities to various UN Member States, focusing on the urgent need to accelerate the implementation of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
“The SOTF, to be co-facilitated by Namibia and Germany, aims to forge a new international consensus and reinvigorate the commitment to multilateralism and sustainable development,” Ambassador Naanda said.
During his visit, President Francis will meet with key Namibian leaders, including President Nangolo Mbumba, Vice President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, and Mushelenga.
He will also engage with civil society organizations to discuss the practical implementation of the SDGs, highlighting Namibia’s active role in driving sustainable development initiatives.
In addition to high-level meetings, Francis will be the keynote speaker at the 20th Session of the Dr Theo-Ben Gurirab Lecture Series on 20 June.
His lecture is expected to address the importance of multilateralism in the current global context and the critical role of the SOTF.
He will also address a Joint Parliamentary Session, focusing on multilateralism and the forthcoming summit.
Naanda outlined the broader objectives of the SOTF, which is set to be a pivotal event under the umbrella of the 79th Session of the UNGA in New York.
“The Summit of the Future is a high-level event leveraging the convening power of the UNGA to build a new international consensus among world leaders, aimed at renewing trust in the multilateral system and accelerating the sustainable development agenda,” he said.
Namibia’s role in co-leading the intergovernmental negotiations for the summit reflects its commitment to addressing global challenges and seizing emerging opportunities.
“Namibia’s co-leadership gives impetus to global efforts to meet existing international commitments and take concrete steps to respond to emerging challenges and opportunities,” Naanda added.
The Summit of the Future is set to be a transformative gathering, with Namibia and Germany at the forefront of discussions that will shape the global agenda.
The summit will focus on building a renewed international consensus on critical issues such as climate change, global health, and sustainable development.
The SOTF aims to address the gaps in global governance and foster a more inclusive, equitable, and sustainable future.
With world leaders expected to attend, the summit will seek to renew commitments to multilateralism and devise strategies to tackle pressing global challenges, from climate change to economic inequality.
The Summit of the Future is part of a series of high-level UN events aimed at fostering international cooperation and sustainable development.
The summit will further cement Namibia’s role as a key player in international diplomacy and sustainable development.
