WINDHOEK: President Nangolo Mbumba has called on Namibians to emulate the late President Hage Geingob's principles of inclusivity and togetherness. He said this during the opening of the ninth Session of the seventh Parliament on Tuesday, where he paid tribute to his predecessor, who passed away in Windhoek on Sunday. 'As Namibians, we should pick up from where he left off and re-dedicate ourselves to the noble ideas of unity and inclusivity for all our citizens in the Namibian house,' he said. The president addressed the joint assemblies of the Namibian Parliament that kicked off the legislative year. Mbumba noted that the assumption of the ninth session of the seventh Parliament is taking place at a time of the loss of the former head of state. The late Geingob was one of the founders of the Namibian Constitution, having chaired the Constituent Assembly that drafted the Namibian Constitution. 'Our country has therefore lost a national icon, a hero, a committed and dedicated leader who not only contrib uted to the building of the modern Namibian nation, but has made durable footprints in Namibia, the African continent, and globally in all spheres of human endeavour,' Mbumba said. Parliamentarians, he added, have an important role to play in ensuring that the legislature positively impacts livelihoods, especially for underserved Namibians in the remote areas of the country. 'In this context, just as Members of the Executive Arm of Government, Members of Parliament are required to self-introspect whether they have executed their mandate of enacting legislation that has positively transformed Namibian lives. I therefore appeal to all Parliamentarians from both houses to complete all outstanding business, including passing critical bills before year-end,' Mbumba said. He also commended Members of Parliament (MPs) for their increased engagement with the citizenry through standing committees. 'MPs play a vital role in ensuring that the laws passed in Parliament respond to the diverse needs and aspirations of our citizens. For that reason, honourable members, you should continue to engage with all stakeholders,' he said. Source: The Namibia Press Agency Female researchers account for 55% of all researchers in Tunisia, said Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research Moncef Boukthir. 66% of the researchers working in the Higher Education and Scientific Research Ministry's research centres are women, i.e. a higher rate than that recorded by some technologically advanced countries, he specified at a study day held, on Wednesday in Tunis, on the Prize for Best Female Researcher for the year 2022-2023 about the adaptation to climate change. The minister further pointed out that female students account for about 70% of higher education graduates and that the number of female PhD students is higher than males, underlining that the number of female students in some fields, such as social sciences and law, far exceeds the number of male students. The presence of women in education and scientific research has grown, Boukthir added, indicating that women account for 50% of the academic staff. Equal chances is the most important principle on which the higher education and scientific research system in Tunisia is based. However, the minister pointed out that the number of unemployed female higher education graduates is higher than that of males. There is need to adopt public policies based on a comprehensive vision of employement and pre-employment so as to increase the number of female higher education graduates, Boukthir said, indicating that the ministry supports Tunisian female researchers, notably in priority sectors. Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse