President Hage Geingob says the challenges facing the world today are not insurmountable, as they can be addressed with renewed commitment to multilateralism.
President Hage Geingob delivered Namibia's statement at the 78th session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA) at the UN Headquarters.
"By holding hands and renewing our commitment to multilateralism, we can reverse the worst effects of the unprecedented global challenges of global warming, global inequality, pandemics, and conflicts. By holding hands, we have it within us to act now and to build the world we want. In that world, no one should feel left out."
As some parts of the world continue to be marred by tensions and conflicts, President Geingob underscored that the United Nations Charter remains an important source of inspiration, reflecting the commonly agreed-upon values of diplomacy and peaceful coexistence.
The Charter enshrines the right to self-determination for all people as essential.
"While our right to self-determination has been upheld, the people of Western Sahara continue to remain under occupation. Similarly, the people of Palestine yearn to transition from the inhumane conditions of oppressive rule. Namibia is therefore pleased with the decision of the General Assembly to submit to the International Court of Justice a request for an advisory opinion on the legal consequences arising from the ongoing violation by Israel of the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination."
The President also used the UNGA platform to appeal to the US to reconsider the economic embargo it has imposed against Cuba for more than 50 years now.
These punitive measures have brought untold hardship to the island nation, which Dr. Geingob said disenfranchised the Cuban people.
"Namibia appeals to the United States of America to remove the Republic of Cuba from the list of state sponsors of terrorism, as there is no evidence to support such a classification. Selective punitive measures against Zimbabwe and Venezuela must also be lifted, as these measures constitute the greatest obstacle to the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development."
The UNGA debates continue under the theme "Rebuilding trust and reigniting global solidarity: accelerating action on the 2030 Agenda and its Sustainable Development Goals towards peace, progress, and sustainability for all".