It is with great joy and anticipation that I accepted the invitation for this reunion and to address you all on this wonderful occasion. My joy has to do with meeting old friends yet again and my anticipation could not be anything else but a rewarding interaction with you on matters of mutual interest. Professor Hornhues has for many years now embraced many aspects of Africa’s worthy causes. In the context of Namibia, in particular, he and I go back many years before Namibia’s independence and since. Professor Hornhues was back in Windhoek again during the month of November 2006. Together with other friends we share in common, we were hosted by His Excellency Arne Freiherr von Kittlitz und Ottendorf, German Ambassador to Namibia, at his residence in Windhoek. It was a relaxed and pleasant gathering. On 22 June 2007, just the other day, I shared a platform with another old friend who too is here with us, namely Klaus Hess of the German-Namibia Association (DNG) at the Goethe Centre in Namibia. The occasion marked the opening of the Exhibition: “Namibia and Germany – A Special Relationship”. We were joined by German Ambassador, as well as many Namibians and friends with working connections one way or another. I said to the assembled audience: “The framework of this ‘Special Relationship’ will greatly enhance Namibia’s capacity to deal with the challenges of implementing Vision 2030. I know that Germany is committed to assisting the various Namibian communities to overcome the legacies of the past and the present hardships. This will involve good faith discussions and targeted regional projects in the country that will be of benefit to all Namibians.” I also recalled, for those who might have been unaware, that prior to our independence, and I quote myself “the divided German nation stood by us and supported our yearning for freedom.” I was referring here to the Federal Republic of Germany and the German Democratic Republic and how each one of them respectively did so much consistently and in practical ways to accelerate the process towards implementation of UNSC Res. 435 (1978) and taking care of the “GDR Kids”. Some of them were present. This, I admit, is a bone-dry synopsis of an exceedingly larger story of solidarity and investment in human capital to meet the needs in the future. I elaborated quite a bit on the extraordinary role played by my friend Herr Hans-Dietrich Gensher. But it would be incorrect if I neglected to add the names of Klaus Kinkel and Joschka Fischer, his eminent successors I also had many dealings with in later years as Foreign Minister. The untold stories of collaboration and successes are many indeed and we would be always grateful for the generous support. As many of you know, no doubt, I am no stranger to Germany. I have visited Germany in different incarnations, from the mid-1970s through the next two decades and up to the present. Even so and while Germany is a smaller country than Namibia, I have not visited all of it. Of course, I mean in size only. But who said the time is up for me to see the rest of this great nation and meet more of its friendly citizens. With Ambassador Katjavivi, going about places is a thing of instinct, for him. Where he goes, he drags along his victims. Ask Dr Hage Geingob. I was back here at the beginning of December last year, on a pilgrimage of a sort to Wittenberg. But I was also able engaging my counterpart Hon. Dr Norbert Lammert, President of the German Bundestag, in fruitful exchanges and mutual undertakings. Continuing from were we left off is the primary purpose of our parliamentary visit this time. The German-Africa Foundation provides yet another high-level and constructive platform for the two sides to promote better understanding through dialogue on current affairs and future perspectives on peace, development, stability and prosperity for all. I have given my own interpretation of the topic on which I am invited to speak: “Namibia’s Way Into the 21st Century”. Very often the common view on this is to invoke the whole story of Africa since the slave trade, 1884/1885 Berlin Conference, colonialism, with its dispossession of land and other injustices of underdevelopment, as well as the arrival of half-dark or half-pale faces, new tribes, particularly in Southern Africa, for example in Namibia. Our children, I mean! I won’t pursue that line. History is always the way but it has its place of honour until it is needed. In this case, I will do it differently to save time. There are specific things I really want to touch on. Suffice it to confirm that Namibia’s fate or fortune lies with Africa and there are no two ways about that. If not by blood and heritage, certainly by political geography and strategic considerations, Africa is one and indivisible. Even as we speak, African leaders are hard at work with a view to agreeing on how and when to establish the United States of Africa, or that by another name. What I have said is true for Namibia as it is for other SADC countries and indeed for the rest of Africa that none of us lives on an island unto itself. That is why African unity is not an empty slogan but rather an encompassing vision for socio-economic reconstruction, accountable government and empowerment of the masses of our people for self-development. For all these good things to happen, constitutional democracy, viable administration of justice and gender equality must meet the high standards of political legitimacy and verifiable combat against all forms of corruption and organised crime. We Africans must assume full ownership of the kind of transformation and a new beginning that must happen for our own sake. In Namibia, we have integrated MDGs into the implementation mechanisms of Vision 2030. In other words, before we reach 2030, we must first meet the eight MDGs, namely to: 1. Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger 2. Achieve universal primary education 3. Promote gender equality and empower women 4. Reduce child mortality 5. Improve maternal health 6. Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases 7. Ensure environmental sustainability 8. Develop a global partnership for development NEPAD and APRM are constructive ideals but unfortunately their efficacy is doubtful nearly seven years on. The MDGs themselves and G8 intimations call for democracy, the rule of law and lately for “Growth and Responsibility”. Whether it is the G8 commitments in Gleneagles or Heilingdamm undertakings on policy directions, we need resources to make progress. Let me hasten to congratulate German Chancellor Angela Merkel and her dedicated team for having kept Africa’s concerns upfront during German Presidencies of both European Union and G8. We realise that poverty, terrorism and now climate change compete for equal attention everywhere. It is becoming a question of choices. The bottom-line is which among these challenges should be on top of the list of priorities for resource mobilisation on a sustained basis? Africa is a victim on all these fronts. But for us poverty is actual and present danger and it comes first. It, of course, goes without saying that Namibia warmly welcomes the G8 pledge of US dollars 60 billion to combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis. While we like promises, the problems we face call for delivery in real terms. We seek global partnership and Germany is on top of that list. I will thus be repeating to you all what you already know and for which the Namibian people are very thankful. Over a period of the past 17 plus years, the Federal Republic of Germany has provided manifold development assistance to the Namibian people, through our Government but not exclusively. The ongoing exchange of high-level visits particularly at the level of Heads of State and Government is a great tradition worth preserving for all times. We are also making our own best efforts to enlarge this tradition by doing the same between the German Bundestag and the Namibian Parliament. My delegation and I are here to interact with our counterparts and take home best practices that will further enhance our lawmaking, debating and committee system efforts. In 2005, our President Hifikepunye Pohamba said the following to his counterpart Professor Dr Horst KÃÆ’Æ‘Æ‘ÃÆ”šÃ‚¶hler in Berlin: “I believe that Africa is on the way to take its place among the nations of the world. Our commitment to the vision of the African Union (AU) to maintain peace, security and democracy on our continent is just one proof…Africa also wants to become a partner among partners in the multilateral arena within the United Nations System. In this context, we shall continue to make concerted efforts toward the reform of the United Nations Security Council, in order to achieve equality, mutual respect and to secure a prosperous future for all humanity.” We Parliamentarians of all political parties are behind our President in this and Africa is united towards achieving that end. In 2004, German and Namibian relations reached a major milestone in respect of our common colonial history. A century later, Ms Heidemarie Wieczorek-Zeul, German Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development, made a passionate speech on 14 August 2004 at Ohamakari. The Minister admitted “genocide” reiterating that “All what I have said has been an apology by the German government …The atrocities committed at the time would today constitute genocide.” Those words reverberated across the entire country and our people said yes, at long last! It was that painful remembrance that triggered off a process about which we speak today as “German Special Initiative”. I was Prime Minister at that moment and I welcomed the Minister’s admission of “genocide” and her quest for apology on behalf of the German government and the people. I further called upon all Namibians especially those of the affected communities to adopt a forward-looking attitude and a common cause on the way forward. We have come a long way! During the next two years, public reaction took different shapes and intensity. Some communities engaged in conferencing on political direction and formal response. Others approached the government for consultations seeking to determine its official position, if any. In urban areas, prominent personalities assumed the role of mediators or back channels attempting to hearing out all the stakeholders. The media, local, regional and international as well gave their own spin and forecasting on this, that or the other. There was no shortage of ideas and advice. Last year, our Parliament joined the public debate already in full swing. On 19 September 2006, Chief Riruako introduced a motion in the National Assembly on “Genocide Committed Against the Namibian People”. In the course of the debate which, I must say, was frank and constructive, sufficient consensus was reached among the MPs. Consultations among key players outside the House helped in creating a common cause and mutual understanding. During my last visit to Berlin, the President of the Bundestag and I did exchange preliminary reflections on what had transpired in the Namibian Parliament as regards that motion without meaning to drawing any conclusions. Subsequently and recently, that is, we saw a similar debate in the Bundestag itself. We are looking forward to gaining better insight into this when we meet our counterparts. Our Parliament is not yet a party to our Government’s decision aimed at consulting local communities in the country on issues of reparations and of German Special Initiative. At the present time, our position is informed by the motion unanimously adopted by the National Assembly. My own view is that all tracks should be kept open and all inclusive dialogue which seeks consensus and satisfactory outcome must guide all the parties concerned. But a dialogue, while avoiding a rush, must, however, be time bound. For, a dialogue which does not find a lasting solution would unhappily be a waste of time. By default, that will end up yet again as a betrayal of trust. Neither the German government nor the Namibian government can stand up in the face of such an indictment. I know, we can and we want to do better to close this ominous chapter of the brutal colonial history. I want now to refocus attention a bit away from government to government relations to parliamentary diplomacy which, take it from me, fits into this discussion. Since 2000, the role of world parliaments in international affairs has expanded enormously. Today, MPs are called upon to become involved more in conflict resolution, peace building and mitigation of transnational strands in respect of human security. Parliaments have resorted to establishing bilateral parliamentary friendship groups, working closely with portfolio standing committees, to prompting exchange of visits and sharing of best practices in the field of oversight responsibilities. Areas of activity include MDGs, HIV/AIDS, women’s rights, multilateral trade negotiations, financing of NEPAD projects and now burning issues of climate change. Our Parliament and German Bundestag should quickly formalise similar arrangements and share experiences. Let me conclude by thanking the German Africa Foundation and the German-Namibian Association for inviting us and affording me an opportunity to share my thoughts with you all. I am done and I thank you.