Outjo, Kunene Region. 30 July 2026.
Opening Remarks by Her Excellency Lucia Witbooi, Vice President of the Republic of Namibia, at the High-Level Stakeholder Meeting on the Future of the Hai-//om San Community.
Programme Facilitator, Ms Teopolina Hamutumwa, Chief Regional Officer, Oshana Region;
Honourable Ministers and Deputy Ministers;
Honourable Governors of Kunene, Oshana and Oshikoto Regions;
Honourable Regional Councillors Present;
Esteemed Traditional Leaders, particularly the Hai-//om Traditional Authority;
Executive Directors and Senior Government Officials;
Representatives of our Offices, Ministries and Agencies;
Members of the Media;
Ladies and Gentlemen;
Good Morning.
It is my distinct honour and privilege to address you all at this important High-Level Stakeholders Meeting here in Outjo, convened to deliberate on the future of the Hai-//om San Community residing in and around the Etosha National Park.
Allow me, at the outset, to express my sincere appreciation to each of you for responding to this call and for your continued commitment to advancing the welfare and socio-economic development of one of Namibia’s marginalised communities.
I wish to extend my special gratitude to the Honourable Ministers, Honourable Governors, Honourable Regional Councillors, Traditional Leaders, Executive Directors, and officials from our various Offices, Ministries, and Agencies, and all stakeholders present today. Your presence demonstrates the Government’s collective resolve and shared responsibility to address the challenges confronting the marginalised communities through coordinated action and evidence-based information, and inclusive development.
Ladies and Gentlemen;
Following concerns raised by the Hai-//om san community, regarding the living conditions of community members residing within and around the Etosha National Park, I convened a consultative meeting on 16 February 2026 with the relevant Ministries to chart a coordinated Government response. In line with the mandate of the Office of the Vice President for Marginalised Communities, it was resolved that a comprehensive Livelihoods Options and Development Plan be developed to address the socio-economic challenges confronting the Hai-//om san community.
To inform this process, it was directed that a multidisciplinary technical team drawn from the relevant Offices, Ministries and Agencies (OMAs) undertake a detailed field assessment across Namutoni, Halali, Okaukuejo, Ombika and the Hai-//om san resettlement farms adjacent to the Etosha National Park. I wish to commend the officials who carried out this important assignment over the past week.
Furthermore, yesterday I had an opportunity to undertake a working visit to Ombika, and the resettlement farms meant for the Hai-//om san community, namely, (Farm Serringkop, Farm Bellalaika, and Farm Nuchas) accompanied by relevant Honourable Ministers, Honourable Governors and technical officials. That visit afforded us first-hand insight into both the realities faced by the Hai-//om people and the considerable development opportunities that exist.
The evidence we witnessed and the data we collected reaffirmed the need for a coordinated, practical and sustainable Government.
Ladies and Gentlemen;
Our Government remains steadfast in its commitment to ensuring that no Namibian is left behind. This commitment is firmly anchored in the Sixth National Development Plan (NDP6), particularly under the Human Development and Community Resilience priority area, which seeks to improve the well-being and socio-economic conditions of all citizens, including the marginalised communities. Today’s engagement is therefore not just a consultation, but a demonstration of Government’s resolve to advance inclusive development through collaborative planning, evidence-based decision-making, and sustainable interventions that will restore dignity, strengthen livelihoods, and create lasting opportunities for the Hai-//om community.
I therefore encourage all participants to engage openly, constructively, honestly, and with due respect for one another. Let us focus our collective energies on developing practical, coordinated, and sustainable solutions that respond to the realities on the ground. Our recommendations should be realistic, implementable, and capable of informing the comprehensive Plan that will ultimately be submitted to the Cabinet Committee on Land and Social Issues, and thereafter to Cabinet for consideration.
I am confident that, through our collective wisdom, expertise, and shared commitment, we will produce meaningful outcomes that will significantly improve the livelihoods of the Hai-//om community while reaffirming Government’s unwavering commitment to inclusive development, social justice, and equitable access to opportunities for all Namibians.
With these remarks, it is now my distinct pleasure to officially declare this High-Level Stakeholders Meeting duly opened.
I thank you.
