Report by Staff Writer
Namibia’s President, Dr. Hage Geingob, has said that Politics in Africa is taking a new turn. He made this known at the 7th Annual African Leadership Summit & Awards, which held recently at the Four Seasons Hotel, Washington DC, on the sidelines of the 70th United Nations General Assembly, holding in New York.
The President was speaking at the annual gathering of African Business, political and diplomatic leaders, with the theme: Rethinking Social Responsibility & Governance structures in Africa.
In his words, “Politics in Africa is changing, and we are gradually moving from the past. In the past, we used to have presidents and heads of government, move from the statehouse to the grave or the prison. Now we have Presidents serving out their term and leaving honorably. They remain well respected and play the statesmanly role afterwards.”
He maintained that this was the case in his home country, Namibia, which witnessed a largely successful exchange of baton between him and the former President, Hifikepunye Pohamba.
The President was the first Prime Minister of Namibia and credited with a strategic role in the formulation of the country’s first constitution. He was honoured at the event for his contribution to the country’s economic and political growth.
The event also became an avenue to honour African Leadership Magazine’s list of 100 deserving African-Americans who are doing America and the African continent proud globally.
Some of the guests at this event include: Congressman John Lewis; Congressman Gregory Meeks; Congressman Hank Jonhson; Her Excellency Isatou Njie-Saidy, Vice President of the Republic of Gambia; General William Ward, former Commander US-Africa Command; Martin Luther King Jr. III; Hon. Dee Dawkins-Haigler, Chair, Georgia Legislative Black Caucus; amongst Government Ministers, diplomats, Business Leaders and other senior US and Africa government officials.
The African Leadership Summit & Awards, have become a premium gathering of African Business, political and diplomatic leaders, aimed at fashioning out ways of enhancing the continent’s economic and political growth. The event which is in its 7th year, have become a foremost peer review platform and an informal setting for engagements among the continent’s leading lights in business, politics and diplomacy and provides a setup for the friends of the continent to express their views from without . The event has hosted some past and setting presidents in Africa. Some of them, includes President Jakaya Kikwete, the President of Tanzania; President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, President of the Republic of Liberia, President John Kuffor, former President of Ghana, His Excellency, Xavier Luc-Duval, Vice Prime Minister of Mauritius; President John Maxwell, President of Seychelles, amongst others.
