President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah has appointed Ambassador Penda Naanda as Namibia’s Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations, effective immediately. Ambassador Naanda takes over from Ambassador Neville Gertze, who now serves as the Executive Director in the Private Office of the President.
Since 2021, Ambassador Naanda has served as Executive Director in the Ministry of International Relations and Cooperation, which has recently been renamed the Ministry of International Relations and Trade. He previously represented Namibia as Ambassador to the Swiss Confederation and Permanent Representative to the United Nations Office in Geneva from 2018 to 2020.
Ambassador Naanda has a vast experience in international relations and diplomacy, having previously served as First Secretary Economic to the High Commission of Namibia in Pretoria, First Secretary to the Namibian Mission in Vienna and Deputy Permanent Representative of Namibia to the United Nations in New York, where he is now headed as Permanent Representative.
President Nandi-Ndaitwah expressed confidence in Ambassador Naanda’s ability to advance Namibia’s diplomatic priorities on the global stage and extended her best wishes as he assumes his new responsibilities.
