NEW YORK – Namibia’s new Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Penda Naanda, says his main task is to carry forward President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah’s vision of strengthening global peace while ensuring development that benefits ordinary Namibians.
In an interview at the UN headquarters on Friday, Naanda said his mission is to push Namibia’s national agenda on the world stage, while building alliances to address both international peace and local development goals.
“As you might know, the United Nations was created to maintain international peace and security following the Second World War. At the moment, there are places where peace is still fragile – Gaza, Sudan, the DRC. Our role is to contribute to resolving these challenges, while also focusing on development issues,” he said.
Naanda stressed that Namibia’s work at the UN is not only about peacekeeping but also about advancing the global development agenda. He pointed to Namibia’s involvement in last year’s Summit of the Future, where countries adopted the Pact for the Future, a plan aimed at speeding up the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
“When you look at the Pact for the Future, you realise that our own Swapo party manifesto and the National Development Plan Six are aligned to it. That means Namibia is not working in isolation – our development vision fits within the global framework. I was tasked by the President to come and propagate this on behalf of Namibia,” he explained.
International solidarity
Naanda reflected on Namibia’s historic ties with the UN, reminding that the country’s independence was achieved through international solidarity.
“Namibia is a child of international solidarity, midwifed by the UN. We are here with the support of many strategic partners who stood by us. Now we must carry forward that spirit by contributing positively to global peace and development,” he said.
While acknowledging the complexity of negotiating among 193 UN member states, Naanda said Namibia will continue to build friendships and alliances.
“You cannot go into this ocean and not expect turbulent waters. But we are making friends. We are not here as if we know it all – we are also standing on the shoulders of others to help us move forward,” he added.
UN Mission
Naanda expressed high expectations for President Nandi-Ndaitwah’s first visit to the UN in her new role as Head of State.
“We expect very positive outcomes from this meeting. It is the first time our President is coming here in that capacity. She will meet many of her counterparts and present Namibia’s report on implementing the Pact for the Future,” he said.
Naanda believes the discussions will bring more partners on board to support Namibia’s national development programmes.
“We hope countries will receive our report positively, and that some will join us in implementing our agenda. This way, both Namibia and the wider world benefit,” he noted.
The ambassador underlined that peace and development are two sides of the same coin. While peace remains the UN’s founding mission, development ensures that nations enjoy real progress.
“We must address the bread and butter issues so that every country can at least benefit from the system we have all created,” Naanda said.
On global conflicts, he admitted that solutions are not easy but emphasised the UN’s central role.
“Rome was not built in a day. We put bricks together one by one. Even within families, two siblings can have different views – imagine 193 countries. The challenge is to harmonise these views and reach common ground for peace,” he said.
With his experience as a seasoned diplomat, Naanda expressed confidence that Namibia will make its mark at the UN.
“We are here to ensure that peace is maintained, development is accelerated, and that Namibia’s voice is heard in the family of nations,” he concluded.