Windhoek: President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah has reaffirmed Namibia's longstanding commitment to global climate action and sustainable environmental management. The President on Wednesday departed for Brazil, where she will join other world leaders to attend the 30th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP30) taking place in the city of Belem.

According to Namibia Press Agency, speaking to the media before her departure at the Hosea Kutako International Airport, Nandi-Ndaitwah said environmental protection has been central to Namibia's governance since independence, which she described as a constitutional obligation. "From the Rio Earth Summit up to now, we have been closely following issues related to the environment, with particular emphasis on the three Rio conventions - the convention on biodiversity, the convention on desertification, and the convention on climate change," she said.

She stressed that Namibia remains one of the countries most affected by the adverse impacts of climate change. "Namibia is well known all over the world as a country that is hard hit by the impact of climate change. We have benefited from the Green Climate Fund through the Environmental Investment Fund, and we still want to benefit more because we really have areas, particularly Kunene, that are most hit by climate change."

Nandi-Ndaitwah also highlighted the growing link between water scarcity and climate change, while emphasising Namibia's involvement in the Global Water Partnership Programme. "Another thing is the question of water. It is a challenge. Climate change and water are discussed together," she said.

Nandi-Ndaitwah further revealed that Namibia remains committed to hosting a regional Green Climate Secretariat Office in Africa. "We are still on that and trying to get the support of other countries because that will really be very significant for us," she said.

The annual COP summit, launched under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, brought together over 100 member countries to review progress in limiting global warming. COP also functions alongside the Kyoto Protocol, which set binding emission targets for developed nations, and the Paris Agreement, adopted in 2015, which seeks to limit global temperature increases to well below 2°C.