Parliament agrees to UN immunities and privileges

THE National Assembly on Tuesday unanimously ratified a Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the United Nations, which would among other things allow the organisation in Namibia to acquire and dispose of property, grant it immunity from any legal processes and exempt its assets and income from any taxes.

These privileges and immunities are granted to officials in the interest of the United Nations and not for the personal benefit of individuals. Although the UN has been operating in Namibia even before Independence, the 60-year-old convention was only brought to Parliament last week.Leader of the Congress of Democrats Ben Ulenga questioned why Parliament had not earlier been asked to ratify the convention, given its importance.He said he did not know of any UN member state refusing to accede to the convention.Ulenga was supported by the DTA’s McHenry Venaani, who said given that the UN would soon move into its own premises in Windhoek, Namibia should accede to the convention before this happened.When he brought the convention to the House last week, Foreign Affairs Minister Marco Hausiku said that the agreements between Government and UN agencies working in Namibia included clauses which state that the Government shall apply the provisions of the convention.Accordingly, the UN will be exempt from customs duties for articles imported for official use by UN and UN officials will be immune from legal process for words spoken or written and all acts performed by them in their official capacity.Hausiku said Namibia’s accession to the Convention was of utmost importance to regulate the relationship between the UN and the country.Although the UN has been operating in Namibia even before Independence, the 60-year-old convention was only brought to Parliament last week.Leader of the Congress of Democrats Ben Ulenga questioned why Parliament had not earlier been asked to ratify the convention, given its importance.He said he did not know of any UN member state refusing to accede to the convention.Ulenga was supported by the DTA’s McHenry Venaani, who said given that the UN would soon move into its own premises in Windhoek, Namibia should accede to the convention before this happened.When he brought the convention to the House last week, Foreign Affairs Minister Marco Hausiku said that the agreements between Government and UN agencies working in Namibia included clauses which state that the Government shall apply the provisions of the convention. Accordingly, the UN will be exempt from customs duties for articles imported for official use by UN and UN officials will be immune from legal process for words spoken or written and all acts performed by them in their official capacity.Hausiku said Namibia’s accession to the Convention was of utmost importance to regulate the relationship between the UN and the country.