• Namibia commemorates its first official Genocide Remembrance Day on May 28, 2025.
• The genocide, targeting the Herero and Nama tribes, resulted in approximately 70,000 deaths between 1904 and 1908.
• Political leaders and affected communities voice renewed calls for reparations from Germany.
• The Namibian government rejects Germany's 2021 development aid package, demanding direct reparations instead.
• Community activists express skepticism over negotiations, calling for apologies and land restitution.

On May 28, 2025, Namibia held its inaugural Genocide Remembrance Day to honor the victims of the Herero and Nama genocide, which occurred during the German colonial period from 1904 to 1908. This day was specifically chosen as it marks the closure of German-run concentration camps in 1908, following international condemnation of their brutal practices, including mass killings, starvation, and forced labor, according to Africanews, BBC, and AA.

The genocide, described as "Germany's forgotten genocide" and the first of the 20th century, is remembered for the systematic murder of at least 70,000 Africans, primarily from the Herero and Nama communities, who resisted colonial encroachment, according to BBC, TRT Global, and Al Jazeera. The Namibian President, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, emphasized the importance of this day not only as a memorial but as a step towards national healing and acknowledgment.

In 2021, Germany formally recognized the atrocities as genocide, pledging €1.1 billion for development aid over the next 30 years, yet many Namibians view this as insufficient and not a direct compensation for the suffering endured. Community leaders argue that Germany's offer falls short of the expected reparations that also encompass a formal apology and land restitution, reflecting ongoing frustrations with the discussions, according to Africanews, TRT Global, and Reuters.

Community representatives, including those from the Ovaherero and Nama groups, expressed grievances over their exclusion from reparative negotiations. Calls for Germany to return land and issue a proper apology continue as key demands from the affected communities, spotlighting the need for inclusivity in deliberations surrounding historical injustices, as reported by BBC, Al Jazeera, and TRT Global.