Speaker Gurirab honoured

Dr. Theo-Ben Gurirab, Speaker of the National Assembly is the winner of the 2011 Drivers of Change Award. The award was presented to Dr Gurirab at the celebration held at Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg last week.
According to the Southern Africa Trust ( the organisation that hosts the awards), Dr. Theo-Ben Gurirab won the government category, and was honoured for his life-long work to create a stable and prosperous Namibia, for presiding over the adoption of the UN Millennium Declaration that resulted in the adoption of the worldwide Millennium Development Goals, and for chairing the UN reform process.
He was the president of Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) from October 2008 to October 2011. He led IPU with resolve,giving it political direction and speaking on behalf of the organisation and the global parliamentary community that is part of this institution.
“In a changing world where the governance of international organisations and development strategies needs urgent transformation, Dr. Gurirab has been a driver of change,” the organisers said.
The prestigious non-monetary awards recognise outstanding new ways of working to overcome poverty. They recognise individuals and organisations from business, government, and civil society that are making real and lasting differences to overcome poverty by doing things differently.
The awards especially recognise efforts that work for systemic or transformative change that addresses the root causes of poverty and underdevelopment, rather than just the immediate symptoms of poverty. They are presented in partnership with the Mail & Guardian newspapers’ Investing in the Future Awards.
The Southern Africa Trust is an independent non-profit agency that supports deeper and wider regional engagement to overcome poverty in Southern Africa. President Ian Khama of Botswana gave the keynote address. The awards ceremony also hosted Mrs Graca Machel and Ms Bongo Ngema-Zuma as guests of honour.