Windhoek
Visiting Indian President Shri Pranab Mukherjee yesterday announced a generous assistance package from his country to Namibia, which includes 1 000 tonnes of rice, 100 tonnes of essential medication, including much-needed ARVs, and a US$20 000 grant for the Indira Gandhi Clinic.
Also, Mukherjee said the number of Namibians undergoing short-term training in India under the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) programme would increase from 100 to 200 in 2016/2017.
The Indian Head of State, who jetted into the country on Wednesday night for a State visit, made the remarks as he sat with President Hage Geingob for official talks at State House yesterday. Mukherjee also applauded Geingob for his radical initiative to transform Namibia through his Harambee Prosperity Plan (HPP).
“India stands ready to extend any assistance that you may declare for achieving the HPP’s social and economic objectives,” Mukherjee told Geingob and some of his Cabinet ministers. “Your commitment to democracy and the policy on national reconciliation has made Namibia a role model for Africa and we admire Namibia’s progress towards building a vibrant, peaceful and prosperous nation.”
“India will be happy to partner with Namibia in the implementation of Namibia’s Vision 2030, for uplifting Namibia’s economy and citizens through inclusive development and capacity building.”
Mukherjee also indicated that the Namibia-India Joint Business Council should convene to advise the leaders on how to expand and strengthen the two countries’ bilateral trade. He also vowed India’s commitment to supporting Namibia.
“Also, India’s commitment to capacity building through the ITEC programme has been the pillar of solid cooperation, as well as other bilateral programmes. I am happy to see that more than 1 000 Namibian candidates have been trained in India so far. We are also considering the request for a mining scholarship and capacity building process for Namibia’s paramilitary staff.”
“We are happy to note that the construction of the twin faculties of mining and engineering at the University of Namibia’s northern campus is completed and handed over to your government.”
He then advised Namibia to take advantage of the Pan-African e-network project, which has been extended for another five years. He further said Namibia should identify key solar energy projects, which his country can assist with.
Mukherjee said India has been a staunch supporter of the struggle against apartheid and colonialism and was among the first nations to raise the question of the Namibia’s independence at the United Nations (UN). He noted it was India that inscribed on the agenda of the UN General Assembly in 1946 the problem of colonial oppression and discrimination against black people in South Africa and Namibia.
“We take this opportunity to express our deepest appreciation for Namibia’s consistent support to India’s permanent membership of the UN Security Council. It is some sort of anomaly and irony that the world’s most effective organization, which aims to handle the problems of the international community, does not have the representation of the countries that house one-sixth of the world’s population.”
“A whole continent – 54 countries of the African continent – do not find a single representative on the UN Security Council’s permanent membership. Therefore, the realities which established the UN system in 1945 requires drastic changes and reforms in all its architecture.”