German president Frank-Walter Steinmeier says it is high time that his nation extends an apology to the people of Namibia for the atrocities inflicted upon them during the 1904 to 1908 genocide.
Steinmeier said this during his speech at the state memorial honouring president Hage Geingob in Windhoek on Saturday.
“I hope I will be able to return to his country. I believe it is high time to tender an apology to Namibia. My only regret is that Geingob will not be there to close the process he started,” Steinmeier said.
Namibians have long demanded that Germany apologise and pay reparations for the genocide it perpetrated against Namibia.
Steinmeier highlighted Geingob’s courageous efforts to address the atrocities committed by German forces, acknowledging the challenging nature of this reconciliation process.
“When I talked to Geingob for the last time last year, he spoke of his wish for the conclusion of the genocide negotiations. We are committed to the path of reconciliation. It is not about closing the past. It is about taking responsibility for this past and committing to a better future,” Steinmeier said.
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