President Geingob of Namibia jets to United Nations assembly despite US call for virtual attendance

WINDHOEK, Namibia

PRESIDENT Hage Geingob jetted off to New York on Friday for a meeting of the United Nations General Assembly, despite the United States having asked world leaders a month ago to deliver virtual addresses to the meeting because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The US said in August that with world leaders and their entourages going to New York it could turn into a Covid-19 “super-spreader event”.

"[This will] needlessly increase risk to our community, New Yorkers and other travellers,” the country said in a note from the US mission sent to the 192 other UN member nations.

According to the Associate Press, the administration of president Joe Biden stated that it was particularly concerned about UN secretary general Antonio Guterres and incoming General Assembly president Abdulla Shahid hosting high-level in-person events on climate change, vaccines, the 20th anniversary of the UN World Conference Against Racism, food systems and energy.

Geingob's office stated that the president is to participate in the 76th session of the UN General Assembly, but did not say whether he would address the assembly or what he would focus on while at the UN headquarters in New York.