Opinion - Go well minder of exiled Namibians … a tribute to Ambassador Nicolas Bwakira
2021-03-08
Dr Peya Mushelenga
An African for Africans has gone; a minder of Namibian exiles has fallen asleep; an astute diplomat is no more; a skilful negotiator has left us. Born in Burundi on 10 November 1941, in Kabuye Village, Bujumbura Province, Bwakira grew from a village boy to a law graduate, eventually becoming the towering figure at the United Nations (UN) and African Union (AU), epitomising selflessness and humanity.
Bwakira joined the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, 1970, as legal advisor and became the UNHCR deputy regional representative for Africa and head of liaison with the Organisation of the African Unity (OAU) and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, from 1971 to 1975.