Honourable Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah,Vice-President; Honourable Peya Mushelenga, Minister of International Relations and Cooperation

State House, Windhoek, Tuesday, February 13, 2024

Ladies and Gentlemen: Good morning.

1. I have the honour to welcome you all to this first Cabinet Meeting of 2024, which is taking place against the backdrop of the passing of our beloved President, H.E Dr. Hage G. Geingob. Our country has lost a visionary and revolutionary leader, whose footprints will remain indelible in the annals of our country’s history. As members of Cabinet, let us pick up where he left and take our country forward. This is a difficult and sad time for the widow and children, and our thoughts are with them. It is also a difficult time for you, as Cabinet Members and the entire nation, but we must be strong and forge ahead without faltering. That is what our President Dr Geingob would have wanted us to do!

2. This year is the Year of Expectations; the Year of Elections, in which the citizens of the Namibian House will elect the next leadership to lead the nation for the next five years. As we navigate through the challenges of this year, our citizens have higher and clearer expectations of us. We have to implement Government plans and programs to deliver quality public services to our people.

3. As we commence with the work of Cabinet, we should be mindful that the people of Namibia have entrusted us with the mandate, to grow the economy, to improve their livelihoods and enhance inclusive prosperity for all our citizens in the Namibian House, irrespective of their ethnic origin, race and gender. I encourage all Namibians to hold hands and pull together in the same direction towards national unity, peace and stability which are the prerequisites for meaningful socio-economic development.

4. Over the past few years, our country has faced unprecedented challenges such as the Covid-19 pandemic and devastating droughts which negatively affected the growth of our economy, thereby constraining our national budget. However, I must also indicate that our collective efforts, as a nation, during the past years aimed at achieving economic recovery, inclusive growth and shared prosperity under the Harambee Prosperity Plan I and II, have born the desired results. Our country is back on the positive trajectory of economic recovery in various sectors, particularly agriculture, mining, fisheries, tourism, oil and gas and green energy.

5. I am therefore urging the responsible Government Ministries in the sectors that I have just mentioned to start implementing all pending programmes to fast-track economic development and create employment opportunities for our people, particularly the youth.

Your Excellency, Comrade Vice President; Right Honourable Prime Minister; Honourable Cabinet Members:

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