Staff Reporter
President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah expressed optimism that the Namibian and German governments can reach a resolution in the ongoing reconciliation process concerning the genocide committed in Namibia against the Herero and Nama peoples between 1904 and 1908.
“For the past nine years, our Government, accompanied by our people, has been engaging the German Government on the matter. Of course, the process of negotiation has not always been easy. It required patience, resilience, and an unwavering commitment to dialogue. One lesson we have learned is that justice is rarely a straight road. It is often slow and uncomfortable,” she said.
The president made these remarks during a High-Level Consultative Conference on the Next Steps for the Landmark UN Resolution A/Res/80/250 on the Transatlantic Slave Trade in Accra, Ghana.
She explained that Namibia’s engagement with the German government began in 2006, following a motion passed by the Namibian Parliament on genocide, apology and reparations, mandating the government to address the atrocities committed against the Herero and Nama peoples between 1904 and 1908. She noted that discussions are still ongoing, but reaffirmed Namibia’s commitment to achieving a resolution based on truth, acknowledgement and mutual respect, which she described as essential for lasting reconciliation.
“We are not asking the world to carry our pain for us. We are simply asking that our pain be heard, understood and respected on its own terms. No people should have to convince others that their suffering was real. True reconciliation begins when people are allowed to tell their own stories and have those stories accepted with honesty,” the president said.
She stressed that the pursuit of restorative justice is not driven by bitterness, but by the conviction that genuine reconciliation can only be achieved when truth is acknowledged, dignity restored and history confronted honestly.
“For many Namibians, the genocide did not end in 1908. Its echoes continue to this day. The remains of some of those who were killed were removed from our country and transported to Germany, where they became objects of study, research, display, and collection,” President Nandi-Ndaitwah added.
She cautioned that efforts to address this issue should promote unity rather than division, and foster a shared commitment to justice and reconciliation. She also noted that reparations are not the only priority, urging African people and their descendants to reclaim confidence by teaching historical truth and rejecting narratives that diminish African worth.
“For centuries, systems of slavery and colonialism sought not only to control people physically, but also to shape how they saw themselves. The damage was not only done to bodies and lands. It was also done to destroy confidence, identity and self-belief. Many of the physical chains have long been broken. But some of the mental chains remain,”
She called on Africans to unite, emphasising that the future of the continent and its diaspora depends on collective solidarity and shared purpose.
“As we advance this cause, we must remember an important lesson from history. The greatest victories against African people were often achieved when division was allowed to take root among us. Our responsibility is not to revisit old divisions but to strengthen our solidarity. We may come from different countries and speak different languages, but our collective future depends on our ability to stand together around a common purpose. In that same spirit, we extend our hand to our brothers and sisters across the diaspora. The Transatlantic Slave Trade separated millions of Africans from their homeland and, in many cases, from their languages, cultures and ancestral identities,” the president added.
Photo: Namibian Presidency.
