Right Honorable Elijah Tjitunga Ngurare, Prime Minister of the Republic of Namibia,

Honorable Lukas Sinimbo Muha, Chairperson of the National Council,

Honorable Emma Tangi Muteka, Vice Chairperson of the National Council,

Honorable Phillipus Wido Katamelo, Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly,

Dear JNC delegates, Distinguished guests:

Good morning!

It's my great pleasure and honor to attend the Official Opening of the First Session of the Fourth Junior National Council at the kind invitation of the esteemed National Council. I am especially honored that Right Honorable Prime Minister Ngurare and Honorable Chairperson Muha are also with us today.

Prime Minister Ngurare has always been a champion in advancing youth development, not only domestically but also internationally, since he was also the initiator of the China-Africa Young Leaders Forum back in 2011. The inaugural session of this Forum was successfully held in Windhoek the same year, co-hosted by the Swapo Party and the Communist Party of China. And Comrade Ngurare, as Secretary General of the Swapo Party Youth League at that time has played a critical role in the success of that historic event.

I am delighted to tell Prime Minister Ngurare and all our distinguished guests that the China-Africa Young Leaders Forum has today become a sub-forum of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation and continue to serve as an important bridge linking the youths of China and the African Continent.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

The Chinese Embassy is very glad to have provided support for the JNC events since 2023. We understand the unique importance of the JNC as a great platform for Namibian youths to learn about the political mechanism of their motherland and voice their opinions on matters concerning national and international affairs. Youth represents the future of every nation, and the JNC is exactly one of the key training programs to prepare Namibian youth for their future. We are honored to become a sponsor of the JNC, and we will always be there to give our help to JNC whenever necessary.

Support for youth development in Namibia and youth exchanges between our two countries will be a priority task of the Embassy in the years to come, as H.E. President Xi Jinping and H.E. President Dr. Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah have announced to elevate our bilateral relations to a China-Namibia Community with a Shared Future for the New Era and reached important consensus on deepening China-Namibia cooperation in extensive areas including youth development during President Ndaitwah’s state visit to China last month.

This support for Namibian youth development and youth exchanges between our two countries could be reflected in different ways. It could be bilateral cooperation in improving the educational infrastructure by Chinese government funded projects, enhancing capacity building through Chinese government scholarships and training opportunities, or forging even closer ties between the educational institutions and youth organizations of our two countries through exchange of visits or relevant joint programs. Perhaps dear delegates of JNC, you may discuss this topic in the later sessions, and I welcome your proposals.

    Ladies and Gentlemen,

This year marks the beginning of China’s 15th Five-Year Plan, and we are now advancing Chinese modernization in all aspects through high-quality development. As the world’s largest developing country, the world’s second-largest economy, and the world’s biggest manufacturing nation, China will continue to uphold the principles of openness, mutual benefit, universality, and inclusiveness, and through a higher level of opening-up, bring more development opportunities for African countries, including Namibia.

Youth also represents the future of China-Namibia relations. I encourage JNC delegates to learn more about China and China-Namibia friendship and cooperation. I also hope and believe that youths of our two countries will carry on the traditional friendship of our two countries and make their own contribution to the greater development of China-Namibia relations.

In conclusion, I congratulate the success of this conference and even greater achievement of the JNC program in many years to come.

Thank you.