Members of the Cuban Embassy in Ethiopia signed the book of condolences at the diplomatic mission of Namibia on Tuesday, paying tribute to the founding father and first president of that African country, Sam Nujoma, who passed away on Sunday at the age of 95 in a hospital in Windhoek.

Cuban Ambassador in Addis Abbaba, Meylin Suárez, and the ambassador before the African Union, Lucas Domingo Hernández, as well as Third Secretary Natalys Dinza, honor Nujoma paid tribute in a solemn event. The Cuban diplomats expressed to the Namibian people and government their deepest condolences for the loss of a historic leader, whose legacy of struggle and commitment to the independence and development of his nation will live on in the collective memory of Africa and the world, according to a press release from the Embassy.

In their written messages, they highlighted the strong friendship between Nujoma and Cuba, forged in the common struggle against colonialism and the apartheid regime.

They underlined his key role in Cuba-Namibia cooperation, strengthened by the Caribbean island’s support for the independence of that African nation and the training of generations of young people in Cuban universities.

In 1960, Sam Nujoma became one of the founders of the South East Africa People’s Organization (SWAPO) and the national liberation movement that led Namibia to independence from the racist South African regime in 1990. He was the president of Namibia from 1990 to 2005.

His contribution to the consolidation of Namibia’s sovereignty and South-South cooperation remains a benchmark in the history of Africa and international relations.

The Cuban Embassy reiterated its unwavering commitment to friendship and cooperation between the two countries, reaffirming the historic ties that unite them on the path of solidarity and shared development.