Africa-Press – Namibia. PRIME Minister Narendra Modi of India has been conferred with the Order of the Most Ancient Welwitschia Mirabilis, Namibia’s highest civilian award, making him the first Indian leader to receive this honour.
“India and Namibia have a lot in common. We both fought against colonialism. We both value dignity and freedom. Our constitutions guide us to uphold equality, liberty, and justice. We are part of the Global South, and our peoples share the same hopes and dreams. Today, I am deeply honoured to receive Namibia’s highest civilian award as a symbol of the friendship between our peoples,” the Prime Minister said.
The award was conferred by President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah during Prime Minister Modi’s one-day state visit to Namibia on Wednesday. The day also witnessed the signing of several Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) between the two nations, aimed at deepening bilateral cooperation across multiple sectors.
These key agreements include an MoU on cooperation in cybersecurity and another on the sharing of digital public infrastructure solutions. An agreement was also reached between Maharana Pratap University of Agriculture and Technology and the Namibian University of Science and Technology (NUST) to collaborate in the field of agricultural science and technology. Additional MoUs covered cooperation in the fields of health and medicine, and the establishment of an Entrepreneurship Development Centre (EDC) in Namibia.
President Nandi-Ndaitwah hailed the state visit as a reaffirmation of the strong and historic ties between the two countries. Prime Minister Modi echoed this sentiment in his address to the National Assembly before departing, highlighting India’s support for Namibia even prior to its independence.
“The people of India stood proudly with Namibia during your liberation struggle. Even before our own independence, India raised the issue of South West Africa at the United Nations. We supported SWAPO in your quest for freedom. In fact, New Delhi hosted the first-ever diplomatic office abroad,” the Prime Minister said.
He added that India, like Namibia, is also guided by its constitution, which is why both countries have women presidents today.
“A few months ago, you celebrated a historic moment. Namibia elected its first woman president. We understand and share your pride and joy because in India we also proudly say ‘Madam President’,” the Prime Minister added.
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