Namibia's first female president vows to diversify economy, tackle joblessness

Record ID: 1985014

  • Title: Namibia's first female president vows to diversify economy, tackle joblessness
  • Date: 21st March 2025
  • Summary: WINDHOEK, NAMIBIA (MARCH 21, 2025) (REUTERS) ***WARNING: CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** OUTGOING NAMIBIA PRESIDENT, NANGOLO MBUMBA, WALKING TOWARDS NEWLY ELECTED PRESIDENT, NETUMBO NANDI-NDAITWAH / MILITARY GUARD APPROACHING STAGE GUESTS SEATED AT CEREMONY MBUMBA AND SOLDIER PLACING SASH ON NANDI-NDAITWAH GUESTS WATCHING MBUMBA AND SOLDIER PLACING CHAIN ON NANDI-NDAITWAH NA
  • Embargoed:
  • Keywords: Africa Election Female President Inauguration Independence Namibia SWAPO Party Voting
  • Location: WINDHOEK, NAMIBIA
  • City: WINDHOEK, NAMIBIA
  • Country: Namibia
  • Topics: Africa,Government/Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA001067921032025RP1
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Namibia's newly-elected President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah pledged on Friday (March 21) to boost investments in the agricultural sector and diversify the country's resource-focused economy in an attempt to address high unemployment rates.
    Nandi-Ndaitwah, 72, became Namibia's first female president after her ruling SWAPO party, which has governed the nation of around 3 million people for more than three decades, secured victory in both the presidential and parliamentary elections in November.
    Namibia has seen relatively strong economic growth in recent years, primary due to investments in oil, gas and green hydrogen. However, World Bank data indicates that the nation ranks second highest globally for income inequality.
    "We are going to increase investments in the agriculture sector to increase output and meet domestic food requirement," Nandi-Ndaitwah said in her inaugural speech after being sworn in as president.
    She also committed to diversifying the economy, enabling citizens to "derive maximum benefits from our country's natural resources, through value addition."
    She also stressed the need for maintaining high ethical standards among public servants and combating corruption.
    SWAPO's support has fallen in the last decade due to dissatisfaction with high unemployment, inequality and corruption allegations. The party secured 57% of the votes in November's presidential race, compared to 87% in the 2014 election.
    Nandi-Ndaitwah's inauguration was attended by several dignitaries, including seven incumbent and nine former African presidents.
    Last month, Namibia's Supreme Court dismissed a challenge against the presidential election brought by opposition parties, which claimed the vote was flawed and potentially invalid due to an extension of voting for several days, among other issues.
    (Production: Siyabonga Sishi, Sisipho Skweyiya)
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2025. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
Register