Patience Makwele
Prime Minister Tjitunga Elijah Ngurare has called for Africa to move beyond political independence towards economic liberation, urging governments to ensure the continent’s resources create jobs and opportunities for its people, particularly the youth.
Ngurare made the remarks after representing President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah at the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) Summit in Luanda, Angola, where leaders discussed peace, dialogue and international cooperation as drivers of development.
Speaking on his return, the Prime Minister said lasting peace was the foundation for economic growth and stressed that young Africans should be at the centre of efforts to transform the continent’s economies.
“Now that we are politically free, we must now be economically free. The resources of Africa must benefit Africans and young people must be at the forefront of this beneficiation,” Ngurare said.
His remarks come as Namibia continues to grapple with high unemployment, particularly among young people, amid growing calls for greater local beneficiation of natural resources and increased employment opportunities.
Ngurare said Namibia’s participation in the summit was not only about promoting peace but also about strengthening regional cooperation that could unlock economic opportunities for young professionals.
He said closer collaboration between Namibia and Angola could create opportunities in sectors facing skills shortages.
“We have more than 50 Namibian medical doctors, including experienced practitioners, who are prepared to work with their Angolan counterparts,” he said.
Political analyst and commentator Alex Murangi said the Prime Minister’s remarks reflect a long-standing aspiration shared by many African governments but stressed that economic freedom must ultimately be measured by improvements in people’s lives.
Murangi said political independence alone was not enough if countries remained unable to create jobs, reduce poverty and add value to their natural resources.
“The Prime Minister is articulating an important vision. Africa has long argued that political liberation should be followed by economic liberation. The challenge now is implementation. Economic freedom is not simply a slogan it must translate into jobs, industrialisation, stronger local businesses and improved living standards for ordinary citizens,” he said.
Murangi added that regional cooperation with countries such as Angola could create opportunities, particularly in sectors including health, energy, agriculture and trade.
“Partnerships between African countries should move beyond diplomatic engagements and produce measurable economic outcomes. Young people want to see opportunities that improve their livelihoods.”
The Prime Minister said such cooperation demonstrates how African countries can utilise their own expertise to address development challenges while creating employment opportunities across the continent.
Beyond economic cooperation, Ngurare said the summit reinforced the importance of reconciliation and dialogue in overcoming conflict.
He recalled the testimony of two religious leaders from Kaduna State in Nigeria of a pastor and an imam who were once bitter enemies but later became advocates for peace.
“One of them cut the hand of the other but they were sitting and now talking to each other, saying that reconciliation and peace are possible,” Ngurare said.
He said the story illustrated that even deeply divided societies could rebuild trust through forgiveness and dialogue.
“We thank the two presidents, in this case our President and the President of Angola, for this platform, but also to say to Africa, especially the young people of Africa, that in the presence of peace, everything that we desire can be achieved,” he said.
On the sidelines of the summit, Ngurare also met United Nations Under-Secretary-General and UNAOC High Representative Miguel Ángel Moratinos, where he reaffirmed Namibia’s commitment to implementing the Windhoek+25 Declaration.
The Prime Minister proposed stronger cooperation between Namibia’s National Youth Development Fund and the UNAOC Youth Solidarity Fund, saying the partnership could open new opportunities for Namibian youth organisations to access international support for entrepreneurship, leadership and community development.
He also proposed collaboration between Namibia’s International Women’s Peace Centre and UNAOC’s Young Women Peacebuilders Initiative.
According to Ngurare, the partnership could position Namibia’s peace centre as a regional hub for training, research and engagement with young women peacebuilders and mediators across Africa.
He said strengthening youth empowerment and women’s leadership would contribute to social cohesion, conflict prevention and sustainable development.
The Prime Minister said Africa’s future depended not only on preserving peace but on ensuring that peace translated into tangible economic opportunities for its citizens.
Lecturer and policy analyst, Mushitu Beavers Sinyepe welcomed the emphasis on youth empowerment but questioned how quickly the proposed initiatives would translate into employment.
“The vision is encouraging but young people will want to know how many jobs these partnerships are expected to create, when they will begin and who will benefit. Those are the questions that determine whether such announcements have a lasting impact,” Sinyepe said.
He further added that international partnerships should be accompanied by clear implementation plans and measurable outcomes to ensure they deliver meaningful opportunities for young Namibians.
The summit, which was hosted by Angola under the theme of advancing peace, dialogue and respect among cultures and religions, brought together heads of government, ministers, diplomats and international organisations to strengthen cooperation on peacebuilding and sustainable development.
