The first lady of the United States, Jill Biden, said to an enthusiastic group of Namibian officials on Thursday that the fates of the US and Africa are “intertwined,” adding that the world’s most urgent problems require the voices and leadership of Africa.
Speaking at a luncheon in her honor that featured vibrant singing, dancing, and drumming, Biden said that as she and President Joe Biden discussed her five-day visit to the continent, he shared with her how much Namibia’s struggle against apartheid had motivated him to speak out when he was a US senator. Namibia was once ruled by South Africa, whose administration utilized a now absorbed form of white minority rule.
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The first lady addressed an audience of roughly 200 Namibian government representatives, past first ladies, diplomats, nongovernmental organization and community-based leaders, United Nations personnel, and others, saying, “He understood then, as he does now, that our futures are intertwined.” Monica Geingos, the first lady of Namibia, told Vice President Joe Biden that her visit was a “powerful” gesture of solidarity for a nation that “needs work.” Geingos continued, “one of the reasons Namibia doesn’t make international headlines is because it’s a functioning democracy with the fundamentals in place”.
Among the major issues facing the globe, Biden listed economic disparity, promoting democracy, and climate change.
“African voices, African leadership, and African innovation all are critical to addressing the most pressing global challenges and realizing the vision we all share, a world that is free,” she noted.
She continued, “We’re committed to making sure that African countries not only have a voice” in international organizations like the UN Security Council, “but that those voices are valued as equal partners, working side by side, to advance our shared priorities and empowering women and youth, strengthening global health and building economic prosperity.”
