Iipumbu appointed chief of protocol

LEONARD Iipumbu finds himself back in diplomatic circles after he was appointed the new chief of protocol, effective from Monday.

“I feel duty-bound as a citizen. I have been considered by the President to serve the country, which I have accepted,” Iipumbu told The Namibian yesterday following the announcement of his appointment by the Ministry of International Relations and Cooperation.

He was previously the Agribank chief executive officer, and his contract at the bank ended in April last year. It was, however, extended for another 15 months to the end of July this year.

“I consider myself more of a diplomat than a corporate leader,” said Iipumbu adding that he feels he is back home and looking forward to being back in a field he knows.

He joined Agribank in February 2005 after serving as Namibian ambassador to France and the United States.

Iipumbu takes over from Neville Gertze, who served in the position for just over a year since March 2015. Gertze has been assigned to other diplomatic duties, according to the statement from the international relations ministry. He now holds the position of deputy permanent secretary within that ministry.

Gertze confirmed the change in his position, saying he is ever-ready to contribute his experience and expertise wherever and whenever it may be required.

“I was honoured to serve our head of state from his first day in office, and to make contributions to the protocol department as a whole over the past 17 months,” he noted.

Iipumbu has been in diplomacy for 14 years.

He said he felt honoured to have been considered by President Hage Geingob, and that it is not about the position, but about fulfilling the responsibility given to him, and the opportunity to serve the country and assist Geingob where he is needed.

Although diplomacy is no new field to him, Iipumbu said since the world is ever-changing and developing, he will be fully relying on other ambassadors to be able to serve in the position to the best of his ability.