Popular Democratic Movement lawmaker Nico Smit has questioned Namibia’s decision to abstain from voting on a resolution on Russia’s war against Ukraine that sought to isolate Russia diplomatically. Smit asked Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Netumbo Nandi-Ndiatwah, what message she thought “was sent to Namibia’s friends by its abstention during this vote,” insisting that “this clearly indicated that it favoured Russia but didn’t have the courage to vote against the resolution”. Smit further questioned if Namibia would “condone the forced change of government in Kyiv that [Russian] President [Vladimir] Putin says is the only way to persuade him to withdraw his troops from Ukraine”. Nandi-Ndaitwah is expected to respond next Thursday.
