United Nations Institute for Namibia
Encyclopedia
The United Nations Institute for Namibia (UNIN) was an educational body set up by the United Nations Council for Namibia from 1976-1990. Based in Zambia
's capital of Lusaka
, UNIN was the brainchild of United Nations Commissioner for Namibia
Seán MacBride
, the proposal creating UNIN was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly
in December 1974. The forerunner to the current University of Namibia
, UNIN sought to educate Namibians for roles in an independent Republic of Namibia.
. Treated as a fifth province, Namibia did not have its own tertiary educational system. Bantu Education
, or purposely inferior education for Black Namibians, was the norm education in Namibia
for Black Namibians. The United Nations Council for Namibia under Seán MacBride put forth a plan in February 1974 for a tertiary educational institution for Namibia in Africa
, preferably Zambia. On 26 August 1976 (Namibia Day
), President of Zambia Kenneth Kaunda
formally inaugurated the institute in Lusaka.
.
Zambia
Zambia , officially the Republic of Zambia, is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. The neighbouring countries are the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the north, Tanzania to the north-east, Malawi to the east, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Namibia to the south, and Angola to the west....
's capital of Lusaka
Lusaka
Lusaka is the capital and largest city of Zambia. It is located in the southern part of the central plateau, at an elevation of about 1,300 metres . It has a population of about 1.7 million . It is a commercial centre as well as the centre of government, and the four main highways of Zambia head...
, UNIN was the brainchild of United Nations Commissioner for Namibia
United Nations Commissioner for Namibia
United Nations Commissioner for South-West Africa was a post created by the United Nations General Assembly in 1966 to assert the UN's direct responsibility for South-West Africa which was then under illegal occupation by apartheid South Africa....
Seán MacBride
Seán MacBride
Seán MacBride was an Irish government minister and prominent international politician as well as a Chief of Staff of the IRA....
, the proposal creating UNIN was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly
United Nations General Assembly
For two articles dealing with membership in the General Assembly, see:* General Assembly members* General Assembly observersThe United Nations General Assembly is one of the five principal organs of the United Nations and the only one in which all member nations have equal representation...
in December 1974. The forerunner to the current University of Namibia
University of Namibia
The University of Namibia is the national university of Namibia, located in the Pioneers Park district of Windhoek. Established by an act of National Assembly on 31 August 1992, UNAM includes Colleges of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Economics & Management Science Education, Humanities and...
, UNIN sought to educate Namibians for roles in an independent Republic of Namibia.
Background
As states across Africa achieved independence, Namibia remained illegally ruled by Apartheid South AfricaSouth Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
. Treated as a fifth province, Namibia did not have its own tertiary educational system. Bantu Education
Bantu Education Act
Bantu Education Act of 1953 was a South African law which codified several aspects of the apartheid system. Its major provision was enforced separation of races in all educational institutions. Even universities were made 'tribal', and all but three Missionary schools chose to close down when the...
, or purposely inferior education for Black Namibians, was the norm education in Namibia
Education in Namibia
Education in Namibia is compulsory for 10 years between the ages of 6 and 16. There are approximately 1500 schools in Namibia of which 100 are privately owned...
for Black Namibians. The United Nations Council for Namibia under Seán MacBride put forth a plan in February 1974 for a tertiary educational institution for Namibia in Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
, preferably Zambia. On 26 August 1976 (Namibia Day
Heroes' Day (Namibia)
Heroes' Day is a national public holiday in Namibia. It is recognized by the United Nations as Namibia Day. Celebrated annually on 26 August, the day commemorates the Namibian War of Independence which began on 26 August 1966 at Omugulugwombashe....
), President of Zambia Kenneth Kaunda
Kenneth Kaunda
Kenneth David Kaunda, known as KK, served as the first President of Zambia, from 1964 to 1991.-Early life:Kaunda was the youngest of eight children. He was born at Lubwa Mission in Chinsali, Northern Province of Northern Rhodesia, now Zambia...
formally inaugurated the institute in Lusaka.
Funding
Funding for UNIN was provided for, on a short term basis, by the United Nations Fund for Namibia, itself funded by individual government donations and private organizations such as the Ford FoundationFord Foundation
The Ford Foundation is a private foundation incorporated in Michigan and based in New York City created to fund programs that were chartered in 1936 by Edsel Ford and Henry Ford....
.
Since independence
Closing in September 1990 (6 months after formal independence was achieved), UNIN's files have been transferred to the archival unit at the University of Namibia.Notable people affiliated with the United Nations Institute for Namibia
- Hugh Africa, Instructor at the Institute; South African academic
- Martti AhtisaariMartti AhtisaariMartti Oiva Kalevi Ahtisaari is a Finnish politician, the tenth President of Finland , Nobel Peace Prize laureate and United Nations diplomat and mediator, noted for his international peace work....
, member of the Senate of UNIN from 1975 to 1976; FinnishFinlandFinland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
politician and diplomat - Hage GeingobHage GeingobHage Geingob is a Namibian politician who was the first Prime Minister of Namibia following its independence, serving from 1990 to 2002...
, Founding director from 1975–89, Prime Minister of NamibiaPrime Minister of Namibia-Prime Ministers of Namibia :-See also:*Namibia**Politics of Namibia**List of colonial heads of Namibia **List of Presidents of Namibia...
from independence until 1999 - Petrus DamasebPetrus DamasebPetrus Tileinge Damaseb is a Namibian judge.-Education:Damaseb studied at schools in Tsumeb, Grootfontein and Uis prior to joining the liberation struggle and going into exile in Zambia. In Zambia, he studied at the United Nations Institute for Namibia and obtained a Diploma in Development...
, High Court Judge, CAF and FIFA official - Kalla GertzeKalla GertzeReinhard Gertze was a Namibian university lecturer and parliamentarian as a member of the Congress of Democrats party. He was in the National Assembly from 2005 until his death in 2008. He had previously been a lecturer at the University of Namibia.-Personal:Gertze was born in 1960 in...
, student and future Congress of DemocratsCongress of DemocratsThe Congress of Democrats is a political party in Namibia, led by Ben Ulenga. It is an opposition party represented in the National Assembly.The party is an observer of the Socialist International.- 2004 elections :...
MP - Tsudao GurirabTsudao GurirabTsudao Immanuel Gurirab is a Namibian politician. A member of Congress of Democrats , Gurirab was formerly a member of the ruling South West Africa People's Organization until Gurirab, Ben Ulenga, Ignatius Shixwameni and others left SWAPO to form CoD in 1999...
, earned diploma in Management and Development Studies in 1982, future Congress of DemocratsCongress of DemocratsThe Congress of Democrats is a political party in Namibia, led by Ben Ulenga. It is an opposition party represented in the National Assembly.The party is an observer of the Socialist International.- 2004 elections :...
MP - Hidipo HamutenyaHidipo HamutenyaHidipo L. Hamutenya is a Namibian politician. A long-time leading member of the South West Africa People's Organization , Hamutenya was a member of the Cabinet of Namibia from independence in 1990 to 2004...
, founding member, Deputy Director and Head of the History and Political Science Department from 1976 to 1981; founding member of opposition party Rally for Democracy and ProgressRally for Democracy and Progress (Namibia)The Rally for Democracy and Progress is an opposition political party in Namibia. It was launched on November 17 2007 under the leadership of Hidipo Hamutenya and Jesaya Nyamu, both former leading members of the ruling SWAPO party and cabinet ministers. Hamutenya had unsuccessfully sought the SWAPO...
(RDP) - Albert KawanaAlbert KawanaAlbert Kawana is a Namibian politician. A member of the SWAPO, Kawana has been a member of the National Assembly and Cabinet since 2000, reaching the post of Minister for Presidential Affairs in March 2005...
, earned diploma in Management and Development Studies in 1979, future SWAPO MP and prominent cabinet member beginning in 2000 - Nangula Mbako, obtained a Diploma in Development Studies and Management in 1986; Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources of Namibia since April 2000
- Ngarikutuke TjiriangeNgarikutuke TjiriangeNgarikutuke Ernest Tjiriange is a Namibian politician, a member of the National Assembly and former Secretary General of the ruling SWAPO Party. He is the Minister of Veterans' Affairs in the Namibian cabinet....
, assistant professor from 1977–82; Minister for Veteran's Affairs of Namibia - Abdelrahim Elshayeb, social science lecturer at the educational department from 1984 to 1990. Mr. Elshayeb was assigned to the institute by the Egyptian government.
- Inge ZaamwaniInge ZaamwaniIngenesia Zaamwani is a Namibian businesswoman. She has been the managing director of Namdeb, the mining joint venture between the government of Namibia and De Beers corporation, since 1999...
, 1981 graduate in development studies, managing director of Namdeb mining venture since 1999.