Gurirab elected IPU President

The Speaker of the National Assembly of the Republic of Namibia, Hon. Dr. Theo-Ben Gurirab, has been elected in the afternoon of Oct 15 as the new President of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (World Parliament). The voting took place by secret ballot whereby Theo-Ben Gurirab has got 200 votes and his competitor, H.R Angung Laksono, Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Republic of Indonesia, got 113 votes.

The Speaker will serve for a 3 year term. This is the first time that the IPU President comes from the SADC Region.

During his election campaign, Gurirab also delivered a lecture in Vienna’s Palais Epstein on Sept 22, on invitation by the President of the Austrian Parliament, Mrs Barbara Prammer. This also marked one of the key events of the Namibia Week organised by the Namibian Embassy in Austria in cooperation with the Austrian Namibia Society. Other activities included the opening of an exhibition at the Vienna International Centre, talks about cooperation with a wide range of Austrian government departments, a business meeting organised by the Austrian Economic Chamber, and a concert. (SADOCC)