Geingob networks in London
Details have emerged of President Hage Geingob's two-day visit to London where he was presumably due to address British lawmakers.
It has come to light that Geingob addressed business leaders and not necessarily British parliamentarians, as was widely reported last week.
Geingob, who left for London on Sunday, yesterday spoke at the Burj CEO Business Summit, a sought-after international business awards launched in Washington DC last year.
The impression created last week was that Geingob would be addressing British MPs in the upper house of the United Kingdom, known as the House of Lords.
A press officer of the UK parliament, Anouska Russell, told Namibian Sun yesterday that they were informed of Geingob's presence at a private event in the House of Lords.
“I've been informed that the President of Namibia spoke at an event today in the House of Lords. Unfortunately I do not have any further information on the details as this was a private event,” she said.
The British High Commission to Namibia said yesterday they were not involved in the travel arrangements for Geingob and his delegation, but played a key role in organising a meeting with Baron Ahmad of Wimbledon and minister of state for the Commonwealth and United Nations.
“We at the British High Commission were involved in arranging an official meeting between the president and minister of state Lord Ahmed of Wimbledon,” Hans-Christian Mahnke, the political and press officer at the British Embassy, said yesterday.
On his Twitter page, Lord Ahmed said he met with Geingob on Monday to discuss Commonwealth renewal and bilateral trade agreements.
Geingob was quoted by NBC as saying that Britain remained an important trading partner for Africa and also emphasised value addition to raw material as key focus for mineral rich countries on the continent.
State House press secretary Albertus Aochamub yesterday declined to comment and referred Namibian Sun to last week's statement.
The statement by the presidency last week noted that British prime minister Theresa May would attend the event. However, there was no record of her presence at the two-day event.
The presidency said Geingob was the only African leader invited to speak at the House of Lords. According to its website, the Burj CEO Awards is attended by British and international executives, the Dubai royal family members, parliamentarians as well as British government officials.
Geingob was accompanied by a ministerial delegation, which included finance minister Calle Schlettwein, Tom Alweendo of economic planning and Obeth Kandjoze of mines and energy.
JEMIMA BEUKES
It has come to light that Geingob addressed business leaders and not necessarily British parliamentarians, as was widely reported last week.
Geingob, who left for London on Sunday, yesterday spoke at the Burj CEO Business Summit, a sought-after international business awards launched in Washington DC last year.
The impression created last week was that Geingob would be addressing British MPs in the upper house of the United Kingdom, known as the House of Lords.
A press officer of the UK parliament, Anouska Russell, told Namibian Sun yesterday that they were informed of Geingob's presence at a private event in the House of Lords.
“I've been informed that the President of Namibia spoke at an event today in the House of Lords. Unfortunately I do not have any further information on the details as this was a private event,” she said.
The British High Commission to Namibia said yesterday they were not involved in the travel arrangements for Geingob and his delegation, but played a key role in organising a meeting with Baron Ahmad of Wimbledon and minister of state for the Commonwealth and United Nations.
“We at the British High Commission were involved in arranging an official meeting between the president and minister of state Lord Ahmed of Wimbledon,” Hans-Christian Mahnke, the political and press officer at the British Embassy, said yesterday.
On his Twitter page, Lord Ahmed said he met with Geingob on Monday to discuss Commonwealth renewal and bilateral trade agreements.
Geingob was quoted by NBC as saying that Britain remained an important trading partner for Africa and also emphasised value addition to raw material as key focus for mineral rich countries on the continent.
State House press secretary Albertus Aochamub yesterday declined to comment and referred Namibian Sun to last week's statement.
The statement by the presidency last week noted that British prime minister Theresa May would attend the event. However, there was no record of her presence at the two-day event.
The presidency said Geingob was the only African leader invited to speak at the House of Lords. According to its website, the Burj CEO Awards is attended by British and international executives, the Dubai royal family members, parliamentarians as well as British government officials.
Geingob was accompanied by a ministerial delegation, which included finance minister Calle Schlettwein, Tom Alweendo of economic planning and Obeth Kandjoze of mines and energy.
JEMIMA BEUKES
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