International relations minister Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah says the denial of self-determination negates basic human rights.
Nandi-Ndaitwah, who also doubles as the country’s deputy prime minister, was speaking at the opening of the one-day Namibia-EU political dialogue that started in Windhoek on Monday.
“Let me reiterate Namibia’s commitment to multilateralism. In this regard, the issue of self-determination needs the attention and the priority of our European Union partners, because the denial of self-determination, touches on the denial of basic human rights, in particular on the issue of Palestine and Western Sahara,” she told diplomats.
She said there is a great need for the strengthening of a rules-based global governance system for the benefit of regional and global peace and security, stability and inclusive development.
The event was graced by ambassador of the European Union delegation to Namibia, Sinikka Antila, with nine EU member states, Spain, Germany, France, Finland, Portugal, Belgium and Ireland attending in person.
Czech Republic and Netherlands joined online.
The one-day meeting allowed the two parties to engage in an in-depth discussion on a number of topics of shared interest, ranging from the multilateral order; AU-EU relations; climate change, biodiversity and green-recovery to the Covid-19 response and economic recovery.
A special focus was given to the industrialisation aspirations of Namibia, to address youth unemployment and poverty.
To this end, the green hydrogen project was unpacked, giving rise to a new chapter of trade and investment cooperation between Namibia and its EU partners, including the EU private sector.
The dialogue also covered human rights issues, and called for a more detailed discussion. The meeting confirmed the shared interest in the implementation of the women, peace and security agenda.
The EU briefed the meeting that the programming for 2021-2027 for the NDICI Global Europe instrument is ongoing in the following areas: Foundational Skills; Team Europe for Inclusive Green Growth; Good Governance.
Both parties reiterated their respective commitment to and belief in a rules-based world order and multilateral action to resolve global challenges. Both co-chairs declared appreciation for the exchange of views allowing for a better understanding of respective positions and opportunities for reinforced cooperation.