Pan-African Women’s Organisation president Eunice Iipinge has hailed President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah’s call for a woman to become the next United Nations secretary general as a significant moment for women across Africa. Iipinge described Nandi-Ndaitwah’s decision to end her UN General Assembly address with the call as powerful, particularly because it came from Namibia’s first woman president. This move has brought women’s representation in global leadership into sharper focus.
Nandi-Ndaitwah told the UN General Assembly in New York that Namibia would work with whoever succeeds outgoing secretary general António Guterres, but argued that the time had come for a woman to lead the organisation. She noted that since the establishment of the UN in 1945, no woman has served as secretary general. The leadership of the organisation has yet to reflect the principle of gender equality that it promotes across the international system.
The next secretary general is due to take office in January 2027, with the selection process already underway. Nandi-Ndaitwah’s call for a woman to lead the UN has placed gender representation firmly on the agenda ahead of the leadership transition. According to political analyst Sakarias Johannes, her call is more than a symbolic appeal – it puts gender representation on the agenda as the organisation prepares for a leadership transition.
Johannes noted that the issue would now be whether UN member states would turn the call into a concrete choice when selecting Guterres’ successor. Former ambassador Pius Dunaiski said he was not surprised by Nandi-Ndaitwah’s position, given Namibia’s election of its first woman president. He described her speech as not outstanding but one that spoke to Namibia’s foreign policy outlook and the challenges faced both domestically and internationally.
Dunaiski said Nandi-Ndaitwah was “surely basking in the historic instance when Namibia selected a woman president”. He added that the international pressure is on to do so now for the UN, and that it seems that moment has come. Landless People’s Movement national youth leader Duminga Ndala said African leaders should use the general assembly to pursue concrete reforms that strengthen the continent’s influence.
Ndala noted that Africa’s 54 countries remain without permanent representation on the security council and should advance the African Union’s position for at least two permanent African seats. He said these seats should have full prerogatives, including veto rights if the veto is retained, and five non-permanent seats. Nandi-Ndaitwah also called for reform of the UN Security Council, saying prolonged stalemates were eroding confidence in the international system.
The call for reform is based on equitable representation and reflects contemporary geopolitical realities, with Africa’s common position on the security council reform reaffirmed in the pact for the future. With this, President Nandi-Ndaitwah’s address to the UN General Assembly has brought attention to critical issues that require urgent attention, including the need for a woman to lead the UN and reforms to the UN Security Council.
Key points
- President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah calls for a woman to lead the UN, highlighting gender equality.
- The next UN secretary general will take office in January 2027.
- Nandi-Ndaitwah also calls for reform of the UN Security Council.
