A special envoy of Pope Francis says the Vatican City State conveys its warmest blessings to Namibia and its people on Namibia's 35th independence anniversary.

The pontiff is the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State; he made his first appearance today after five weeks of hospitalisation.

Most Reverend Henryk Jagodzinski, who represented the Embassy of the Holy See at the Independence celebrations, says increased representation of women in the church and in politics is important.