Windhoek: Namibia must continue to champion the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification and Drought (UNCCD) and the Namib Declaration, the Minister of International Relations and Trade, Selma Ashipala-Musavyi, has said. The minister made the call during the ministry's general staff meeting held in Windhoek on Tuesday.

According to Namibia Press Agency, adopted in 1994, the UNCCD is the only legally binding international agreement that links the environment and development to sustainable land management. The Namib Declaration was issued in 2013 by the then Minister of Environment and Tourism and President of the UNCCD COP 11 Bureau, Uahekua Herunga. It calls on stakeholders to commit to sustainable land management, drought mitigation, and improved livelihoods.

Ashipala-Musavyi noted that such efforts are necessary as Namibia is a drought-prone country and climate pressures are intensifying, affecting multiple sectors. 'Extreme weather events and climate-related shocks are increasing across the globe, and these directly affect food security, water security, migration patterns, and sustainable development,' the minister stated.

'For Namibia, climate diplomacy must be pursued not only as an international obligation, but as a national priority aligned to resilience and development,' she added. She further stressed that intensifying geopolitical competition and the disregard for international law are disrupting global trade systems, logistics, and supply chains, thereby affecting the cost of living, access to markets, and national economic stability.

'Such disruptions remind us that no country is immune to external shocks, and therefore our work must be proactive and strategic,' she stated, calling for Namibia's approach to be more calculated and dynamic. The minister concluded by urging staff to be strategic, discreet when necessary, and loyal to the country's interests.

'Our work must reflect unity and a clear understanding that we represent not ourselves, but the Republic of Namibia and its people,' Ashipala-Musavyi said.