Namibia congratulates Gawanas, Ashipala-Musavyi on UN appointments

The Southern Times, Jan 17, 2018, by Ellen Shihepo

Please click here to read the official Press Statement by Hon. Nandi-Ndaitwah, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of International Relations and Cooperation on the appointment of Advocate Bience Gawanas and Ambassador Ashipala-Musavyi

Windhoek – The Namibian Ministry of International Relations on Tuesday congratulated Advocate Bience Gawanas on her appointment as new UN Special Advisor for Africa by UN Secretary General, Antonio Guterres.

In her new position as Special Advisor on Africa, Adv Gawanas follows in the footsteps of African luminaries such as the illustrious and distinguished diplomats and scholars that includes Professor Ibrahim Gambari of Nigeria; Ambassador Legwaila Joseph Legwaila, former Permanent Representative and Ambassador of Botswana to the UN who served as Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Namibia during the implementation of Resolution 435 in 1989.

Adv Gawanas (picture left side) becomes the first woman to be appointed to that exalted position taking, over from Maged Abdelaziz of Egypt. The ministry further congratulated its permanent secretary, Ambassador Selma Ashipala-Musavyi (below right side), on her appointment as a member of the United Nations Secretary-General Advisory Board on Disarmament Matters.

“Since assuming office as Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, I made it my priority to advance the case for Namibian citizens to join international organisations, including the UN, AU and the Commonwealth Secretariat,” said Minister Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah in a statement. “I am proud that our collective lobbying efforts at the ministry, with the support of friends, have paid off handsomely with the appointment of Adv Gawanas and Ambassador Ashipala-Musavyi.”

Gawanas was the AU’s first woman Commissioner for Social Affairs for eight years. Ashipala-Musavyi was Namibia’s first resident Permanent Representative for the UN office in Vienna, Austria.

Nandi-Ndaitwah, who is Namibia’s deputy prime minister, also commended the UN, saying that “the government of Namibia expresses appreciation to UN Secretary General Guterres for selecting Adv Gawanas and Amb Ashipala-Musavyi from amongst equally qualified candidates.”