… She says the 2021 Joint Declaration between Namibia and Germany was a step forward, but concerns raised during negotiations still need to be fully addressed to ensure justice and reconciliation. …
… All these complex geopolitical factors, coupled with internal dissonance, have caused significant setbacks and, sadly, as a result, the Joint Declaration (JD) has yet to have the seal of the Namibian parliament, if it ever was intended and destined for Parliament to seal and deli …
… On 12 October 2002, minister of state Keul responded in no uncertain terms that the German and Namibian governments would stick to the Joint Declaration. …
Namibia observed its second Genocide Remembrance Day to reflect on the 1904–1908 genocide against the Ovaherero, Nama, Damara, and ≠Nkhoen San peoples. The commemoration emphasises the need for truth-telling, restorative justice, and Germany's full acknowledgment of responsibility for the genocide.
Why it matters
Genocide Remembrance Day observance reiterates calls for truth-telling and German accountability, keeping a historic injustice at the centre of national discourse.
Namibia observed its second Genocide Remembrance Day to reflect on the 1904–1908 genocide against the Ovaherero, Nama, Damara, and ≠Nkhoen San peoples. The commemoration emphasises the need for truth-telling, restorative justice, and Germany's full acknowledgment of responsibility for the genocide.
National Assembly speaker Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila said Namibia's Genocide Remembrance Day commemorates the systematic killing of Ovaherero and Nama people by German colonial forces between 1904 and 1908, and stressed that remembrance alone is insufficient—addressing unresolved recognition and reparations issues remains necessary, despite the 2021 Joint Declaration between Namibia and Germany.
The Okandjoze Chiefs' Assembly on Genocide has rejected the Joint Declaration between Namibia and Germany, telling President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah that it is "beyond reform" and fails to meet international reparations standards for the 1904-1908 genocide. The traditional leaders called for a new national conference, stronger domestic involvement of descendants, and alignment with the African Union's Algiers Declaration instead.
An opinion piece argues that geopolitical tensions—including Germany's support for Israel and Namibia's backing of Palestinian statehood—have hindered negotiations for reparations over the 1904–1908 genocide of Ovaherero and Nama. The author calls for Namibia to strengthen its negotiating position by unifying internally, centering victim communities' voices, and demanding legal recognition and direct reparations.