President of the Republic of Finland Sauli Niinistö attended the state funeral of the late former President of the Republic of Namibia Hage G. Geingob in Windhoek, Namibia, on 24–25 February 2024.
President Geingob’s memorial service was held on Saturday 24 February at the Independence Stadium, where President Niinistö also gave a memorial speech. In his memorial speech, the President said that President Geingob left a strong legacy: “We came to know him as a determined statesman who dedicated his entire life to freedom and nation-building of Namibia. He also left a legacy of close friendship with Finland.”
President Niinistö said that the friendship is built on a solid foundation of over 150 years of shared history. But it also rests on strong bonds between individuals. A notable example is the bond between President Geingob and the late Finnish President Martti Ahtisaari.
President Niinistö said that he had personally learned to know President Geingob during his state visit to Namibia in 2023. “We shared thoughts and ideas on peace, equality and the importance of multilateralism.”
President Geingob’s funeral and wreath laying took place at the Heroes’ Acre memorial on Sunday 25 February.
President Niinistö and President Geingob met for the last time in connection with the funeral of President Martti Ahtisaari in November 2023.