Monrovia – Former Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf is leading a high-level delegation to Namibia, where she will not only represent President Joseph Nyuma Boakai at the country’s presidential inauguration but also campaign for Liberia’s bid for a non-permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council.
Sirleaf’s mission as President Boakai’s Special Envoy is seen as a strategic move to strengthen Liberia’s international standing ahead of the UN vote in June. While attending the swearing-in of Namibia’s President-elect Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah on March 21, Sirleaf is expected to engage with regional and global leaders to rally support for Liberia’s candidacy.
Accompanying Sirleaf on the trip are Liberia’s Ambassador at Large Charles Snetter, Joyce Mendscole, and other officials. The visit also marks an important moment in African politics as Nandi-Ndaitwah, 72, prepares to become Namibia’s first female president and the second woman to lead an African nation.
Nandi-Ndaitwah secured victory in November’s election with 57.31% of the vote, avoiding a runoff and extending the rule of the South West Africa People’s Organization (SWAPO), which has governed Namibia since its independence from Germany in 1990. However, SWAPO’s grip on power has weakened, as it now holds only a slim majority in the National Assembly with 51 seats.
She takes over from interim President Nangolo Mbumba, who stepped in following the death of President Hage Geingob in February last year. The inauguration coincides with Namibia’s 35th Independence Day celebrations.
