WINDHOEK: President Hifikepunye Pohamba on Monday Commissioned Anna Namakao Mutelo as Namibia´s Ambassador Extra Ordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia and the African Union (AU). The Mutelo who is a long serving staff member of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs joined the ministry in 1990.
Speaking at the occasion of the commissioning of Mutelo held at State House here, Pohamba said she served as a Namibian diplomat in various capacities at Namibian diplomatic missions.
¨Throughout this time, she distinguished herself as a committed diplomat in the promotion of Namibia´s interests abroad,¨ the president said.
Pohamba said he is confident that Mutelo will acquit herself well in her new assignment as Ambassador to Ethiopia.
He said the two countries enjoy excellent bilateral relations adding that Ethiopia played an important role in the decolonization of the country. ¨I recall, how in 1960, Ethiopia and Liberia brought a case before the International Court of Justice in the Hague to declare South African occupation of Namibia illegal. Ethiopia also provided military support to the Swapo-party,¨ Pohamba recalled.
Still now after independence, the president said the two countries continue to work on consolidating bilateral co-operation in a number of areas. Thus he called on the new Ambassador-Designate to Ethiopia to work hard in order to strengthen and expand the existing areas of bilateral co-operation and to identify more fields of co-operation for the mutual benefit of the two countries.
¨This assignment comes at a time when our continent is making concerted efforts to address the social and economic challenges facing millions of Africans,¨ he said. Pohamba said the new assignment also comes at a time after the AU recently concluded its Summit held under the theme ¨Boosting Intra African Trade¨ in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Some of the areas which require attention following the summit include the expansion of infrastructure such as roads, railways as well as information and communication technologies in order to achieve the summit´s goal, Pohamba said. ¨In this regard, you are charged with the duty of working closely with other representatives of the AU member states and the African Union Commission to advance the development agenda of the continent,¨ the president said.
Pohamba further explained that Mutelo will be expected to articulate the countries position in a number of areas, including the country´s dedication to the promotion of international peace and security.
He said at present the issues occupying the attention of the AU include the crisis in Somalia, Guinea Bisau and Mali as well as the situation between Sudan and South Sudan. Another concern is the escalating conflict in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, he said.
Just before her commissioning as new Ambassador -Designate to Ethiopia, Mutelo who hails from Caprivi served as First Secretary and Permanent Mission of Namibia to the United Nations in Newyork from 2010 to 2012 as Counselor respectively.
Mutelo served a short stint at the Namibia High Commission in London from August to November 1991 and as second Secretary, at the Namibia High Commission in Botswana from 1995 to 1999.
Mutelo also served as Deputy High Commissioner for the Namibia High Commission in South Africa from 1999 to 2000 and as First Secretary for the Namibian Embassy in Ethiopia and Permanent mission to the African Union and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa from 2005 to 2007.
Mutelo was also responsible for Europe and Sub-Saharan Africa in the Department of Bilateral Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs from 2007 to 2009.
(edited) WINDHOEK) – President Hifikepunye Pohamba on Monday appointed Anna Namakao Mutelo as Namibia’s Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Ethiopia and the African Union (AU).
Mutelo is a long-serving staff member of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, having joined the ministry in 1990.
Speaking at the commissioning ceremony at State House, Pohamba said Mutelo has served as a Namibian diplomat in various capacities prior to this latest assignment. “Throughout this time, she distinguished herself as a committed diplomat in the promotion of Namibia’s interests abroad,” the President said.
Pohamba said he is confident that Mutelo will acquit herself well in her new assignment as Ambassador to Ethiopia. He said the two countries enjoy excellent bilateral relations, adding that Ethiopia played an important role in the decolonisation of the country.
“I recall how, in 1960, Ethiopia and Liberia brought a case before the International Court of Justice in the Hague to declare South Africa’s occupation of Namibia illegal. Ethiopia also provided military support to Swapo,” Pohamba recalled. After Namibia’s independence, the President said, the two countries continued to work on consolidating bilateral co-operation in a number of areas.
He thus called on the new Ambassador-Designate to Ethiopia to work hard in order to strengthen and expand the existing areas of bilateral co-operation, and to identify more fields of co-operation for the mutual benefit of the two countries. “This assignment comes at a time when our continent is making concerted efforts to address the social and economic challenges facing millions of Africans,” he noted.
Pohamba added that the new assignment also comes after the AU recently concluded its summit, which was held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia under the theme ‘Boosting Intra-African Trade’.
The President stated that some of the areas which require attention, as identified at the AU
Summit, include the expansion of infrastructure such as roads and railways as well as information and communication technologies in order to achieve the summit’s goal.
“In this regard, you are charged with the duty of working closely with other representatives of the AU member states and the AU Commission to advance the development agenda of the continent,” the Head of State said.
He further explained that Mutelo will be expected to articulate Namibia’s position in a number of areas, including the country’s dedication to the promotion of international peace and security.
Pohamba said at present the issues occupying the attention of the AU include the crises in Somalia, Guinea Bisau and Mali as well as the situation between Sudan and South Sudan. Another concern is the escalating conflict in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), he added.
Before her commissioning as the new Ambassador-designate to Ethiopia, Mutelo last served as Counsellor of the Permanent Mission of Namibia to the United Nations (UN) in New York from 2010 to 2012.
At Independence, she also served a short stint at the Namibia High Commission in London from August to November 1991, and then as Second Secretary at the Namibia High Commission in Botswana from 1995 to 1999.
Mutelo in addition served as Deputy High Commissioner for Namibia’s High Commission in South Africa from 1999 to 2000, and as First Secretary for the Namibian Embassy in Ethiopia and Permanent Mission to the AU from 2005 to 2007.