President Hage Geingob
President Hage Geingob yesterday said Namibia is making inroads in eradicating poverty and reducing inequalities in income and wealth.
Addressing the 74th Session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York Wednesday, Geingob said his government allocates a high percentage of resources to the social sectors, including universal access to education and a highly subsidized healthcare system, with the aim to reverse the effects of the skewed economy.
“Goals indicates that worldwide, poverty is still on the rise, compounded by multiple factors including, natural disasters. This places under threat the, economies of our nations and jeopardizes the aspirations of developing nations, exacerbating inequalities and plunging our people further into poverty and despair,” Geingob said.
He added that despite these realities, Namibia is making inroads in eradicating poverty and reducing inequalities in income and wealth.
These investments, Geingob said, have attained a measure of success. Within a period of 22 years, poverty in Namibia has declined from a 70 per cent baseline, down to 18 per cent by 2016, lifting more than 400,000 members of our population out of poverty since independence.
According to Geingob, the June 2017 World Bank Report shows that Namibia’s gradual decline in poverty is attributable to a targeted policy framework.
“The administration of social safety nets has been a cornerstone in our multi-pronged fight against poverty.
Namibia remains among the most unequal societies in the world, attesting to the deeply embedded structural nature of our problem,” he added.
Geingob said the so-called “upper middle-income countries” like Namibia find themselves in was causing problems.
DROUGHT
The president said Namibia reiterates her commitment to the implementation of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change since the principle of Common but Differentiated Responsibilities (CBDR), should guide this commitment to tackling the global environmental challenges.
“The year 2019 has brought the reality of climate change to the shores of every continent. We have witnessed numerous weather phenomena globally, which have caused immense destruction and human suffering. We extend our solidarity to all people whose lives have been upended by these adverse weather phenomena.
“Currently, Namibia is under a state of emergency due to a severe, widespread and prolonged period of drought, with an adverse effect on the livelihoods of our people. This vulnerability poses a major obstacle in achieving Agenda 2030,” he said.