Justicia Shipena
President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah has called on members of the diplomatic corps to deepen cooperation with Namibia and strengthen bilateral and multilateral partnerships this year.
She made the remarks during her New Year’s address to the diplomatic corps at State House on Tuesday.
“I encourage you to continue working closely with us to deepen our bilateral and multilateral partnerships, to explore new opportunities for trade and investment, and to further nurture people-to-people relations that bind our nations together in friendship and shared purpose,” Nandi-Ndaitwah said.
She said Namibia enters 2026 with a clear foreign policy direction based on respect for sovereignty, equality among states, non-interference, adherence to international law and peaceful settlement of disputes.
Nandi-Ndaitwah reaffirmed Namibia’s support for self-determination.
“As a nation that emerged from a history of colonialism and apartheid, Namibia continues to support the inalienable right of the Sahrawi people to self-determination and independence, as well as the rights of the Palestinian people to establish an independent, sovereign Palestinian state, living side by side with Israel in peace and security,” she said.
Nandi-Ndaitwah also raised concern about conflicts in Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Middle East. She criticised the continued embargo on Cuba.
“Despite the overwhelming and consistent calls by the international community for the lifting of the economic, commercial, and financial embargo imposed on the people of Cuba, these measures remain in place, inflicting hardship on ordinary citizens and impeding sustainable development,” she said.
She said Namibia’s foreign policy now places strong focus on economic diplomacy.
“We are determined to ensure that our international partnerships translate into tangible and measurable benefits for our people, including increased investment, expanded trade, skills development, technology transfer, and the creation of sustainable employment opportunities,” she said.
At the same event, the ambassador of the Republic of Congo to Namibia and dean of the Diplomatic Corps, Lauria Ngayino, said 2025 was a milestone year for Namibia at both national and international levels.
She said under Nandi-Ndaitwah’s leadership, Namibia has strengthened and diversified its international partnerships.
Ngayino welcomed the establishment of presidential task forces that emerged from the Namibia Public-Private Forum.
“This reflects a strong commitment to consultation, solution-orientated leadership, and all of society engagement,” Ngayino said.
She said the diplomatic corps express interest not only in supporting the sixth National Development Plan (NDP6) policy direction but also in partnering with the government on implementation.
Implementation, she said, is what will translate NDP6 ambitions into tangible results for people, communities and the economy.
