Regierungsmitteilungen

Hon PMTHE RIGHT HON. PRIME MINISTER, DR. HAGE G. GEINGOB, PARLIAMENTARY STATEMENT ON THE ISSUE OF GENOCIDE AND REPARATIONS, AND THE RISE OF TRIBALISM

July 31, 2014

Hon. Speaker and esteemed members of the House.

Today, I would like to address the nation through you on two very important national issues: that of genocide and reparations, and the alarming rise of tribalism.

Regarding the question of genocide and reparations, I would like to cool some tempers because this issue is sensitive and emotive. As political leaders we should not use it to try and score cheap political gains just because we are campaigning for the elections.

I promised Hon. Kazenambo Kazenambo, that I would make a statement to update this August House on where we are currently on this matter. When the late Chief Kuaima Riruako was advocating for reparations, may his soul rest in peace, the way he was handling the matter at first looked like a private thing.

That is why at first, I said to him, “Chief for this issue to be embraced by all of us, let us make it a national issue by taking it to parliament.” However, the chief initially thought that he could get recourse in the USA. But I told him also that he would not get any justice from the US courts, since those courts had no locus standi, or jurisdiction over what has happened in Namibia. In the end, my view was proven to be correct.  Read more here....

Durchbruch im EPA-Tauziehen


Do, 2014-07-17 07:23 — Allgemeine Zeitung, Stefan Fischer

Namibia stimmt Handelsvertrag zu und behält alle Exportvorteile in die EU

Dem Abschluss eines Handelsabkommens (EPA) zwischen Namibia und der Europäischen Union (EU) steht nun nichts mehr im Weg. Die namibische Seite hat die Verhandlungen offiziell abgeschlossen und (potenzielle) Nachteile für die hiesige Ökonomie ausgeräumt.Zur Großansicht

  • Handelsminister Calle Schlettwein informierte das Parlament über den Durchbruch bei den EPA-Verhandlungen. Foto: AZ-Archiv

Gut 6,5 Jahre nach Initialisierung eines vorläufigen Handelsabkommens (IEPA) mit der EU hat Namibia die Verhandlungen über eine dauerhafte Vereinbarung beendet. Das erklärte Wirtschaftsminister Calle Schlettwein gestern in der Nationalversammlung in Windhoek. Am Tag zuvor sei der Wortlaut des verhandelten Abkommens – ein 750 Seiten dickes Dokument – in Pretoria initialisiert worden, was „das formelle Ende der Verhandlungen und das Einfrieren des Textes bedeutet“, sagte der Minister.
 
Nun werde das Dokument auf rechtliche Aspekte geprüft, danach dem Kabinett vorgestellt und anschließend dem Parlament zur Ratifizierung vorgelegt. Dieser Prozess könne zwar „bis zu einem Jahr oder länger“ dauern, räumte Schlettwein ein. Dennoch werde dadurch „der bilaterale Handel nicht beeinflusst“, führte er aus. „Auf Grundlage der Ini­tialisierung der Vereinbarung bleibt der aktuelle Marktzugang (zu den EU-Staaten, die Red.) zollfrei und ohne Mengenbeschränkung bestehen, bis die Vereinbarung ratifiziert ist.“ Demnach ist auch das von der EU gesetzte Ultimatum hinfällig, wonach der Exportvorteil Namibias wegfallen würde, wenn das Abkommen nicht bis 1. Oktober 2014 unterzeichnet sei.
 
Minister Schlettwein rief die wichtigsten Bedenken auf namibischer Seite in Erinnerung, über die in den vergangenen Jahren gestritten wurde, und berichtete über die Zugeständnisse der EU. So bestehe die EU nun nicht mehr auf den Handelsstatus einer „meist bevorzugten Nation“; dies bedeute, dass Namibia auch (bessere) Handelskonditionen mit anderen Ländern und Regionen verhandeln könne, was die „Möglichkeiten für künftige Süd-Süd-Handelsvereinbarung offen lässt“. Überdies sei es Namibia nun gestattet, Mengenbeschränkungen für bestimmte Importprodukte aufrecht zu erhalten, solange diese den Bestimmungen der Welthandelsorganisation (WTO) entsprechen. Namibia sei es überdies erlaubt, „Exportsteuern aus ökonomischen Gründen – inklusive Schutz junger Industrien und aus Einnahmegründen – einzuführen. Die Schutzmaßnahmen zugunsten junger Industrien/Branchen seien zudem nicht mehr befristet. Insgesamt seien „Verbesserungen und größere Fairness“ erreicht worden, um Namibia vor der Überschwemmung des Marktes mit Billigprodukten aus Europa zu schützen. Die EU habe in diesem Kontext zugestimmt, „alle Subventionen auf Produkte, die nach Namibia exportiert werden, zu streichen“, so Schlettwein.
 
Im Dezember 2007 hatte Namibia ein Interims-EPA (IEPA) initialisiert, das als Vorstufe für das endgültige Abkommen gilt. Seither dauerten die Verhandlungen an, um das IEPA und später das EPA offiziell zu unterzeichnen.
The Namibian, 2014-07-10Print this page, By Ndanki Kahiurika
Geingob proposes new ministry

large p HAGESPRIME Minister Hage Geingob has proposed that the State-owned Enterprises Governance Council (SOEGC) should become the Ministry of Public Enterprises.
 
Speaking in the National Assembly yesterday Geingob said it was for the good of the enterprises governance council to have a body that oversees the functions and responsibilities of the 72 parastatals.
 
“A new ministerial body should be established to ensure that the SOEs are held accountable for their actions and for there to be supervision and guidance,” said Geingob.
 
The SOEGC was established in terms of Act No.2 of 2006 to provide governance to state-owned enterprises on behalf of government.Its objectives were to handle daily activities in terms of performance monitoring, research and providing advice on company restructuring.
 
Geingob said the body’s ultimate goal was to ensure that the SOE sector is sustainable and contributes to economic development, citizens’ welfare and the realisation of Vision 2030 goals. Read More...

New Era, 08/07/2014

Promote economic diplomacy

President Hifikepunye Pohamba with some of the heads of mission during the Heads of Mission Conference underway in Swakopmund. The conference is being hosted under the theme "Enhancing Economic Diplomacy in Pursuance of Namibia's Foreign Policy.”
By Eveline de Klerk
SWAKOPMUND -  The successful implementation of the policy on economic diplomacy demands a critical analysis and deep understanding of the dynamics of international trade and commerce, says President Hifikepunye Pohamba.
 
Pohamba made the statement when he officially opened the 7th five-day Heads of Mission Conference currently underway in Swakopmund.
 
The conference, which is being attended by Namibian diplomats, consuls and former diplomats, has the theme “Enhancing Economic  Diplomacy in Pursuance of Namibia’s Foreign Policy.”
 
Currently Namibia has 28 diplomatic missions abroad and is represented by 34 honorary consuls in various countries.
 
The aim of the conference is to give heads of mission an opportunity to review the implementation of Namibia’s foreign policy and adopt other policy documents that will further enhance efficiency of foreign services. Read More....

State funeral for Chief Riruako

To mark the state funeral accorded by the Namibian government to the OvaHerero Paramount Chief Kuaima Riruako on Sunday, 29 June 2014, the Namibian Embassy in Berlin will fly the Namibian national flag at half-mast from Friday, 27 June until Monday, 30 June 2014, in honour and respect of the late Paramount Chief.

Ambassador Neville Gertze, his family and the entire staff of the Embassy of the Republic of Namibia convey their condolences to the family, friends and supporters of the late OvaHerero Paramount Chief Riruako.

May he rest in peace.

Click to enlarge
THE government announced on Friday that it will accord the late OvaHerero Paramount Chief Kuaima Riruako a State funeral.
 
The late chief will be laid to rest at the Okahandja Herero heroes and heroines’ cemetery, situated some 68 kilometres north of Windhoek on Sunday.
 
This was announced by the Minister of Presidential Affairs, Albert Kawana, in a media statement on Friday.
 
 
TOURING THE VILLAGES ... The coffin of the late Ovaherero Paramount Chief Kuaima Riruako at the traditional mourning house at Otjongombe village. Otjongombe is located some 150km south-east of Gobabis in the Aminuis Constituency. Nampa

President Hifikepunye Pohamba also directed that all flags in the country must be flown at half-mast with effect from Friday until after the funeral, as a mark of respect for the chief.

The President further directed that a memorial service in honour of the chief will be held at Parliament Gardens in Windhoek on Friday 27 June. Meanwhile, the body of the late chief was taken to his home town of Aminuis in the Omaheke Region on Friday in order to allow the community and thousands of mourners there to pay their last respects to their leader, and for traditional rituals to be performed at his homestead.
 
President Pohamba praised Chief Riruako for playing a significant role in the evolution of Namibian democracy as a Member of Parliament, especially when he moved a motion regarding the German genocide and reparation issue, which was immediately adopted and a resolution passed.
 
The chief passed away at the Roman Catholic Hospital on 2 June 2014 after spending several weeks in that hospital’s intensive care unit.
 
Pohamba was one of the last leaders to see Riruako alive after he visited him in hospital shortly before his death. Riruako was the seventh paramount chief of the OvaHerero community.

He is survived by his wife and 16 children.

- Nampa source: The Namibian

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