Windhoek
Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, yesterday called on the United States to immediately lift its unilaterally imposed blockade against Cuba.
Speaking at the annual diplomatic briefing in the capital yesterday, Nandi-Ndaitwah, who is also the Deputy Prime Minister, said Namibia welcomed the restoration of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
“We call for the total lifting of economic embargo imposed by the USA on Cuba in order to allow Cubans to develop at their own pace,” she said.
Cuba has been under US-imposed economic embargo since the 1950s. The US government imposed the embargo in order to stifle Cuba’s socialist principles, which it had implemented since independence. High Commissioners, Deputy High Commissioners and Ambassadors from various countries and organisations stationed in Namibia attended the meeting.
Nandi-Ndaitwah used the opportunity to congratulate the United Nations Secretary-General designate, António Manuel de Oliveira Guterres. She said although she expects a woman to take over the position of the UN SG, she is happy with the election process,which she described as having been free and fair.
“I will continue to lobby for a woman,” she said adding that she looks forward to a female tenth UN secretary general.
Furthermore, Nandi-Ndaitwah touched on the Namibia’s stance on the International Criminal Court (ICC) saying that as it stands Namibia is still a member of the ICC.
“Yes, Namibia is a member of the ICC. Yes, we have taken our own cautious decision to join this organisation and we are part of the Rome Statute, because we believe in what it stands for,” she told those in attendance.
Nandi-Ndaitwah said Namibia still has to decide whether to leave or remain in the ICC.
She also said the ministry is currently in the process of overhauling its website in order to serve its stakeholders better and faster.
“We, at the ministry, are committed to improving communications with the diplomatic corps to make your work easier as well as ours,” she said.