More than 100 years after the genocide of the Ovaherero and Nama, Namibia is increasing pressure on Berlin: What President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah now demands from Germany.
Windhoek – More than a century after the genocide of the Ovaherero and Nama, Namibia is increasing pressure on Germany. President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah has called on the federal government not only to acknowledge historical responsibility but also to pay concrete reparations for the crimes of German colonial rule.
Content Partnership with FOKUS AFRIKA
News that Germany overlooks. FOKUS AFRIKA reports on political, economic, and social developments in Africa and explains why they are also relevant for Germany, Europe, and international relations.
At fokus-afrika.de current news, background information, and analyses on Africa appear. With the WhatsApp broadcast you receive selected articles directly to your smartphone: compact, relevant, and easy to share.
At an international conference on the implementation of UN Resolution A/RES/80/250 in Accra, the president linked the global debate on reparations for slavery and colonialism directly with the long-stalled negotiations between Namibia and Germany.
"Africa is not trying to reopen old wounds. Africa is trying to heal wounds that have never been healed," Nandi-Ndaitwah told delegates from Africa, the Caribbean, and the diaspora.
Namibia's President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah speaks at the G20 summit in South Africa. © IMAGO/Anadolu Agency/G20 South Africa/Handout
For Namibia, it is not about revenge but about justice. Genuine reconciliation can only succeed if historical crimes are acknowledged and their consequences seriously addressed.
The Dispute over Germany's Colonial Legacy
At the center of Namibia's demands is the genocide of the Ovaherero and Nama between 1904 and 1908. German colonial troops killed tens of thousands of people at the time. Many died from military violence, expulsion into the desert, hunger, and thirst.
Others were interned in concentration camps, where disease, mistreatment, and forced labor claimed numerous additional victims. For Namibia, the consequences are still visible today. "For many Namibians, the genocide did not end in 1908. Its echoes reach into the present," said the president.
The Namibian parliament already passed a motion in 2006 on genocide, apology, and reparations. This still forms the basis for talks with Germany.
"Justice rarely follows a straight path. It is often slow and uncomfortable," Nandi-Ndaitwah explained. Nevertheless, Namibia will continue the dialogue with Germany.
Berlin's Billion Offer Remains Controversial
For years, both governments have been negotiating a so-called Joint Declaration on processing colonial crimes. A draft exists but has not yet been finally adopted.
Germany offered 1.1 billion euros over a period of 30 years. The funds are intended to finance development projects in seven particularly affected regions.
This is precisely one of the central points of contention. Representatives of the Ovaherero and Nama criticize that the payments are not explicitly designated as reparations. They reject treating the funds merely as development cooperation and demand clear legal recognition as compensation for the genocide.
The involvement of the affected communities in the negotiations has also caused conflict for years. UN special rapporteurs accused Namibia and Germany in 2023 of violating the rights of the Ovaherero and Nama because their representatives were not sufficiently included in the talks. Experts called on Germany to assume full responsibility for its colonial crimes.
German Ambassador: "Germany Is Ready to Apologize"
Shortly before the conference in Ghana, the outgoing German ambassador to Namibia, Thorsten Hütter, brought new momentum to the debate. During a farewell visit to Nandi-Ndaitwah, he expressed hope that the Joint Declaration could be completed by the end of 2026. "Germany is ready to apologize," said Hütter.
After his talks with descendants of the victims, it became clear that many Namibians expect not only an apology but also atonement and concrete recognition of the injustice suffered.
At the same time, the ambassador emphasized that many affected people sought closer cooperation with Germany following an agreement. During his meeting with the president, topics such as green hydrogen, renewable energies, and economic cooperation were also discussed.
International Reparations Movement Gains Momentum
Nandi-Ndaitwah's initiative took place within the context of a larger international debate on reparations for slavery and colonialism.
The Accra conference dealt with the implementation of UN Resolution A/RES/80/250. The resolution recognizes the trade in enslaved Africans and their enslavement as crimes against humanity and is intended to provide a basis for concrete steps on reparations, restitution, and accountability.
The host was Ghana's President John Dramani Mahama, who serves as the African Union's commissioner for reparations. Nandi-Ndaitwah described the resolution as an important milestone and called on African states and the African diaspora to act jointly. Historical divisions had long weakened the continent. Now Africa must present a united front.
"Why Were the Enslavers Compensated – and Not the Enslaved?"
Hilary Beckles, chairman of the Reparations Commission of the Caribbean Community CARICOM, reminded that demands for compensation are by no means new. Immediately after the abolition of slavery, former enslaved people had demanded compensation. Instead, in many countries, the former slaveholders were financially compensated.
"They submitted petitions to the parliaments of Europe and asked: If the enslavers receive compensation, why don't we, the enslaved, get any?" said Beckles. He described the UN resolution as an expression of a "global revolution of African consciousness."
Nigerian Nobel laureate in literature Wole Soyinka warned at the same time not to regard slavery as a closed chapter of history. "The slave trade is not over. Rather, it is still very active," said Soyinka, referring to human trafficking, child abduction, and modern forms of exploitation.
