On behalf of the American people, I send best wishes to the people of Namibia as they celebrate 23 years of independence on March 21. I hope that all Namibians will enjoy the benefits of peace and prosperity in the coming year.

The United States and Namibia share many binding ties: our respect for human rights and the rule of law, our commitment to democracy and development, and our belief in prosperity for all.

We look forward to building further on our strong friendship to achieve our common goals.