2016-01-29Staff Report 2 "Windhoek Decisions taken by African leaders at continental platforms are of no use if they are not implemented, President Hage Geingob said yesterday ahead of the much talked about 26th African Union (AU) summit, which takes place in Ethiopia this weekend. Geingob shared his views with the media yesterday before he departed the country from Eros Airport. “We always come up with good recommendations, but will we implement them? So many good decisions, but implementation remains a problem,” he said. “Let us not talk about deciding things. Rather focus on implementing decisions that we have taken,” Geingob said before jetting off with First Lady Monica Geingos and some of his advisors. The First Lady is scheduled to attend meetings of the Organisation of African First Ladies against HIV/AIDS, on the sidelines of the AU summit. The theme for this year’s summit is: ‘The African Year of Human Rights with Particular Focus on the Rights of Women’. The decision whether to authorise the deployment of an armed force in the troubled central African country of Burundi ranks high among the key points on the summit’s agenda. Also on the agenda is South Sudan, where rebel forces have refused to join the government set up by President Salva Kiir, because of his decision to create extra regional states in Africa’s newest country. Escalating terrorism in Somalia, as well as the creation of a new Peace and Security Council - as all 15 seats are now vacant - also feature high on the AU agenda. Reports suggested the summit might also deliberate on the looming economic crisis in Africa, considering the fall in the prices of export commodities, persistent drought across the continent, and floods. Geingob said the summit would also discuss human rights issues on the continent, as well as the empowerment of women. “We are going to address human rights issues. In Namibia we talk a lot about human rights violations, but this happens all over the world. This can be things, such as women not being paid equally compared to men, as well as [limited] available job opportunities for them,” said Geingob, who is expected back in the country by Monday. Geingob also pointed out that women should start championing their own rights and vowed that Namibia will continue empowering women. “We have the prime minister who is a woman and several women in key positions. They are there not because of tokenism and we are making great strides when it comes to women’s representation in parliament,” he said. Geingob’s remarks come after AU chairperson Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma remarked during an interview with the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) earlier this week that Africa will not be able to reach its full developmental potential as long as women are sidelined. " 2016-01-29Staff Report 2
