President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah says Africa Day reminds citizens of the continent’s heroes and heroines, such as Kwame Nkrumah, Julius Nyerere, Sam Nujoma, and many others who founded the Organisation of African Unity in 1963, which later transformed into the African Union. 

She says these leaders kept the flame of freedom burning with pride, passing it to the current crop of leaders with its rays. 

Nandi-Ndaitwah paid tribute to the pan-Africanist role of late Founding President Nujoma, saying he inspired countless Africans through his deeds and acts. 

She noted that this was evident through Nujoma’s advocacy for Namibia to hoist the AU flag alongside its national flag and for Namibians to sing the AU anthem in harmony with the country’s national anthem. 

The Namibian Head of State stressed that such sentiments reflected the late Founding President’s belief that the vision for Africa must be grounded in the visionary aspirations of the forebearers and anchored in the principles of African unity. 

The theme for this year’s Africa Day is “Justice for Africans and the People of African Descent through Reparations”. 

The president acknowledged the theme as relevant, saying the AU has actively supported initiatives aimed at advancing justice. 

The other is facilitating the payment of reparations as well as the restitution of cultural artefacts and heritage that were pillaged during colonialism and enslavement. 

Nandi-Ndaitwah further emphasised that the Namibian government will continue its discussions with Germany in pursuit of reparations and reparatory justice for the genocide committed between 1904 and 1908. 

She says the aim is to achieve a comprehensive resolution which adequately addresses Namibia’s rightful claim for reparations and meets the needs of the affected communities. 

Furthermore , President Nandi-Ndaitwah also urged Africans to reflect on the continent’s ambitions for socioeconomic advancement. 

The adoption of Agenda 63 as Africa’s development blueprint is significant, she says, adding that it led to the establishment of the African Continental Free Trade Area, AfCFTA. 

Its aim is to create a single market for Africa, enable the free flow of goods and services, and strengthen its position in the global economy. 

Nandi-Ndaitwah called on the business community to fully explore these opportunities in a statement to mark Africa Day.