Saara Kuugongelwa

n 1995, she returned to Namibia and worked as a Desk Officer in the President’s Office for a few months before being appointed Director-General of the National Planning Commission. At the age of 27, Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila was named Director-General of the National Planning Commission, marking her political debut. In 2003, she was appointed Minister of Finance.

Following her graduation from Lincoln University, Kuugongelwa-Amadhila returned to Namibia and worked as a desk officer in President Sam Nujoma’s Office of the President. At the age of 27, she was appointed Director-General of the National Planning Commission, a ministerial position. In 2003, she was appointed Minister of Finance.

Much of Rt. Hon. Saara Kuugongelwa-opening Amadhila’s remarks focused on Namibia’s commitment to promoting gender equity and recognizing women’s rights as human rights, recognizing the multifaceted value women bring to societal wellbeing in terms of poverty reduction, business performance, and environmental protection from unsustainable activities. She emphasized that Namibia has made considerable progress in establishing legislation to promote gender equality in the legislature, the workplace, and the home.

In May 2016, she took part in a moderated conversation with the Wilson Center’s Women in Public Service Project, the Wilson Center Africa Program, and the African Constituency called “Discussion with the Right Honorable Prime Minister of the Republic of Namibia, Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila.” She has talked about gender equality on multiple occasions, including during the visit of Mali Prime Minister Modibo Keita and in a speech (given on her behalf by Christine Hobbes) at the 10th Namibian Women’s Summit, where she indicated that closing the gender wage gap across Africa would take 70 years.

She was awarded the Most Brilliant Order of the Sun, Second Class on Heroes’ Day in 2014. On March 21, 2015, she was sworn in as Namibia’s 4th Prime Minister alongside President Hage Geingob. She is the first woman to be elected to the post. She took part in “A Conversation with The Right Honourable” in May 2016. Prime Minister of the Republic of Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila