The 20th Dr. Theo-Ben Gurirab Lecture Series held at the Namibia University of Science and Technology emphasised the urgent need for global development, youth empowerment, and addressing international inequalities. 

Discussions centred on the upcoming Summit of the Future, which aims to reshape global governance and ensure sustainable development.

The Summit of the Future, scheduled for September 2024, aims to produce a comprehensive "Pact for the Future" document addressing global challenges such as poverty, climate change, youth unemployment, and gender inequality. 

Speakers stressed the need for developing countries to actively participate in shaping the global agenda.

Youth engagement and empowerment were central themes. 

The Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Dr. Peya Mushelenga, stressed that the Declaration on Future Generations seeks to enhance youth participation in global decision-making. 

"As developing countries of the global south, we must ensure that our voices are not only heard but that they shape the global agenda."

The youth were encouraged to be proactive and innovative and to engage in contemporary issues.

The importance of their roles as leaders and decision-makers was stressed, and gender equality was highlighted as a pillar of the summit's outcome.

 The Executive Director of the Ministry of International Relations and Cooperation, Penda Naanda, emphasised the significance of the lecture series in addressing national and global issues. 

"Today's lecture provides a valuable opportunity for all of us here, especially the youth, to interrogate the challenges we face with the implementation of the SDGs, explore, and devise interventions to mitigate the current affairs in order to realise the future we want."

The United Nations General Assembly President, Dennis Francis, commended Namibia's proactive role in co-facilitating the Summit of the Future with Germany. 

"This historic and timely summit aims to reinvigorate our multilateral system and boost international cooperation to ensure a sustainable, equitable, and peaceful future."

He also highlighted the need to fulfil the promise of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

The transformation of global governance also formed part of the discussion, with calls to re-energise the UN reform process to make it more representative and responsive. 

The lecture series concluded with a call to action for active engagement in negotiations for the Summit of the Future.