WINDHOEK, The vast experience of Namibia’s Minister of Poverty Eradication and Social Welfare, Bience Gawanas, will serve her in good stead in her new position as United Nations Special Adviser on Africa, says Deputy Prime Minister Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah.
The UN on Monday announced that Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has appointed Gawanas as the UN’s Special Adviser on Africa, succeeding Maged Abdelaziz of Egypt.
Nandi-Ndaitwah, who is also Minister of International Relations and Co-operation, said in a media statement here Tuesday that the Namibian government had full confidence in the intellectual abilities and professionalism of Gawanas.
Gawanas is currently the Special Adviser to Namibia’s Minister of Poverty Eradication and Social Welfare and who previously served as the African Union (AU) Commissioner for Social Affairs, a position she held for eight years.
Nandi-Ndaitwah said Gawanas, who was the first African woman o serve as AU Commissioner for Social Affairs, had been deservedly credited for having made significant contributions towards the development of the AU’s social policy.
Nandi-Ndaitwah also congratulated the Permanent Secretary to the Ministry of International Relations and Co-operation, Selma Ashipala-Musavyi, on her appointment as a member of the UN Secretary-General’s Advisory Board on Disarmament Matters.
Source: NAM NEWS NETWORK