Geingob rings diplomatic changesTwo career diplomats as well as former home affairs deputy minister Elia Kaiyamo have been handed diplomatic postings. New ambassadors commissioned President Hage Geingob on Friday cautioned newly commissioned ambassadors not to let him down and force him to recall them but to represent the country with dignity and honour. The president further told the diplomats that they are sent to countries which have strong ties with Namibia and urged them to make the best of their time while representing the country abroad.
The three ambassadors are former chief of protocol and career diplomat Neville Gertze, former home affairs deputy minister Elia Kaiyamo as well as Panduleni Shingenge.
Gertze has been named as Namibia’s ambassador to the United Nations, while Shingenge will head the Namibian mission in Algeria.
Kaiyamo will replace Ringo Abed in China.
“Don’t go and sit in your office, we are now in the second phase of the struggle - economic emancipation. China is a big economic power; it is called a super power, very important country. You have been chosen to therefore leverage the relationship with China and to bring business,” Geingob said.
The president further said he appointed Kaiyamo to represent the country in China because of his “revolutionary, academic and struggle credentials”.
Shingenge will be the first ambassador of Namibia to Algeria following the opening of a mission in that country this year.
Gertze, who will be taking charge of the United Nations office in New York, had a brief stint as chief of protocol until early last month until he was replaced by former Agribank CEO Leonard Iipumbu.
Gertze is expected to take over from the retiring Wilfried Emvula.
Geingob made it clear to Gertze that he was the appropriate candidate for the UN position because of his wealth of experience in bilateral relations.
Speaking to Namibian Sun on the sidelines, Gertze said it was an honour for him or any other Namibian to go and represent the country abroad.
“We look forward to gain support for what Namibia stands for, the project that our government has. And to network, to bring friends to Namibia that can help us fast track the development of our country,” said Gertze.
“The future of our young generation, the future of our country, these are matters that deal with environmental issues, climate change as we are experiencing first-hand in Namibia. Dealing with drought, dealing with soil erosion dealing with all these issues that affect food security and Namibia’s efforts to deliver to its nation, its nationals the life that it deserve and the place in the international community that Namibia is entitled to.”
All-weather friend
Kaiyamo made it clear that Namibia and China are all-weather friends and that his main focus is to improve this relationship to create a win-win situation for both parties.
“China is a big power and the second biggest economy of the world. We need to bring investors to Namibia from that part of the world. To make sure that our Harambee Prosperity Plan (HPP) and Vision 2030 are supported,” he said.
JEMIMA BEUKES