EDITORIAL: Diplomatic missions are not retirement villages
Over the years, there has been little focus on the area of diplomacy and positioning Namibia to make headway in the affairs of the world.
The country needs a serious overhaul in terms of diplomacy to be able to champion national, regional and even continental development.
Ambassadorial positions are critical postings and require dynamic diplomats to fight for our nation and position it in a global battle for resources, especially amid the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.
We should not treat ambassador postings as retirement villages or a way to exile those who have run their course in the different political meanderings and strategies within the ruling party. Our foreign missions need an injection of energy and President Hage Geingob has had perfect opportunity to appoint strategic and capable Namibians in these roles. Sometimes he bungled some of these opportunities and appoint tired loyalists such as Clemens Kashuupulwa to Russia.
World powers like China have placed high priority on foreign policy by appointing young, dynamic diplomats to defend their interests abroad. They are doing so effectively, even here in Namibia.
We should take a stand in the interest of our country’s future and stop putting old wine into new bottles or recycling those who will lay back in deckchairs while on an overseas jaunt, paying little attention to Namibia’s interests.
The country needs a serious overhaul in terms of diplomacy to be able to champion national, regional and even continental development.
Ambassadorial positions are critical postings and require dynamic diplomats to fight for our nation and position it in a global battle for resources, especially amid the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.
We should not treat ambassador postings as retirement villages or a way to exile those who have run their course in the different political meanderings and strategies within the ruling party. Our foreign missions need an injection of energy and President Hage Geingob has had perfect opportunity to appoint strategic and capable Namibians in these roles. Sometimes he bungled some of these opportunities and appoint tired loyalists such as Clemens Kashuupulwa to Russia.
World powers like China have placed high priority on foreign policy by appointing young, dynamic diplomats to defend their interests abroad. They are doing so effectively, even here in Namibia.
We should take a stand in the interest of our country’s future and stop putting old wine into new bottles or recycling those who will lay back in deckchairs while on an overseas jaunt, paying little attention to Namibia’s interests.
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Namibian Sun
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