OSHAKATI – President Hifikepunye Pohamba last Saturday expounded and hailed the unwavering support rendered by the Senegalese to Namibia during “the difficult days of our struggle”.
Pohamba was speaking at the state banquet hosted at Oshakati State House at Oshakati for visiting Senegalese President Macky Sall who some hours earlier had landed at Ondangwa airport in the Oshana Region for the start of his six-day state visit to Namibia.
“I wish to reaffirm to Your Excellency, our deep appreciation for Senegal’s steadfast support to the people of Namibia during those difficult days of our struggle. In 1973, the Government of Senegal invited Swapo to establish an office in Dakar and accorded the movement diplomatic status with the attendant benefits. The Government of Senegal also issued diplomatic and official passports to high-ranking Swapo officials. The Founding President (Dr Sam Nujoma) and I received such passports which made it possible for us to carry out an effective diplomatic and political mobilisation around the world in support of our struggle,” recalled Pohamba at the state banquet.
“Among the decisions made by the Government of Senegal which had a profound impact was the declaration of 26 August as a Day of Solidarity with the people of Namibia, which was observed on an annual basis in Senegal.
Equally, the Government of Senegal also provided other forms of support, including education to many young Namibian exiles to study in Senegal.
“Today, many of these beneficiaries hold prominent positions in government, the private sector and elsewhere in our society.
“Relations between the Senegalese and the Namibian people were not confined to the political sphere. These also included people-to-people relations exemplified by inter-faith exchange between our two countries,” he told his guests.
“For example, in keeping with its culture of religious tolerance, and despite the fact that Senegal is predominantly a Muslim country, the people of Senegal welcomed a group of Namibian Christians sent by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Namibia (ELCIN) in 1976 to work freely among Senegalese communities.
“The people I am referring to included a pastor, a teacher and two nurses. They worked in Mbour, Fatick and Gandjaye,” Pohamba said.
“In addition to the French language, they also learned and spoke the local language, Serere. Some of them are present here tonight. The religious tolerance in your country is all the more admirable considering the religious intolerance in some parts of the world,” further said President Pohamba.
“Under the able leadership of the first president, Léopold Sédar Senghor, the Republic of Senegal joined other African countries and progressive forces the world over in rendering active support for and demonstrating practical solidarity with Namibia’s cause at the United Nations,” he reminisced.
In 1973, Senegal was among the members of the United Nations Council for Namibia and the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) that successfully sponsored a UN General Assembly Resolution declaring Swapo as the sole and authentic representative of the Namibian people.
In 1976, Senegal joined other members of the OAU to sponsor yet another important UN General Assembly Resolution endorsing the legitimacy of the use of the armed struggle by the people of Namibia. The diplomatic and political mobilisation in favour of Namibia’s struggle brought global focus on the decolonisation and illegal occupation of Namibia by apartheid South Africa, said Pohamba.
In 2003 Namibia and Senegal signed the General Agreement on Economic, Trade, Cultural, Scientific and Technological Cooperation in 2003. Under this framework agreement, the new areas such as the Agreement on the Tourism and Hospitality Industry, Memorandum of Understanding on Political Consultations and many others will enhance effective and sustained bilateral cooperation for the political, social and economic benefit of the two countries’ peoples, he said.
Pohamba, several Cabinet ministers, senior government officials, armed forces commanders and some members of the public had welcomed Sall the Senegalese leader earlier on Saturday at Ondangwa airport for the start of his six-day state.
Sall was received with a 21-gun salute, before proceeding to inspect the guards of honour upon his arrival.
From the airport, Sall proceeded by road to Oshakati with his host President Pohamba and other members of the Namibian delegation.
While in northern Namibia, Sall was expected to visit the Etosha National Park in the Oshikoto Region and the Etunda irrigation scheme in the Omusati Region.
The 51-year-old Senegalese president was also a guest of honour at the commemoration of Heroes Day at Omugulugwombashe in the Tsandi constituency of the Omusati Region that was held yesterday. Sall was elected as president of Senegal in March 2012.
Under former Senegalese President Abdoulaye Wade, Sall served as that country’s Prime Minister from April 2004 to June 2007, and as President of the National Assembly from June 2007 to November 2008.
After coming into conflict with Wade, Sall was removed from being president of the National Assembly in November 2008.
He then founded his own political party and joined the opposition. Sall became Senegal’s president after winning the second round of voting against Wade, with the backing of the opposition parties on March 25 2012.
Other previous Senegalese presidents, apart from Wade (2000-2012), were Léopold Sedar Senghor (1960-1980) and Abdou Diouf (1981-2000).
• Additional reporting by Nampa
By Staff Reporter