Editing History of Namibia (section)

===Independence===
{{Main|New York Accords}}
[[File:Windhoek-Skyline.jpg|thumb|Windhoek skyline]]
By 9 February 1990, the Constituent Assembly had drafted and adopted a constitution. Independence Day on 21 March 1990, was attended by numerous international representatives, including the main players, the UN Secretary-General [[Javier Pérez de Cuéllar]] and President of South Africa [[F W de Klerk]], who jointly conferred formal independence on Namibia.{{citation needed|date=October 2024}} [[United States Secretary of State]] [[James Baker]] arrived to Namibia on 19 March to join the celebration marking Namibia's independence.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Baker arrives in Namibia|url=https://www.upi.com/Archives/1990/03/19/Baker-arrives-in-Namibia/7008637822800/0042.html|date=19 March 1990|website=UPI|language=en}}</ref>

[[Sam Nujoma]] was sworn in as the first [[List of Presidents of Namibia|President of Namibia]] watched by [[Nelson Mandela]] (who had been released from prison shortly beforehand) and representatives from 147 countries, including 20 heads of state.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.klausdierks.com/Chronology/132.htm |title=Chronology of Namibian Independence |access-date=4 August 2007 |archive-date=23 May 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200523021428/http://www.klausdierks.com/Chronology/132.htm |url-status=live }}</ref>

On 1 March 1994, the coastal enclave of [[Walvis Bay]] and 12 offshore islands were transferred to Namibia by South Africa. This followed three years of bilateral negotiations between the two governments and the establishment of a transitional [[Joint Administrative Authority]] (JAA) in November 1992 to administer the {{convert|780|km2|sqmi|abbr=on}} territory. The peaceful resolution of this territorial dispute was praised by the international community, as it fulfilled the provisions of the [[UNSCR]] 432 (1978), which declared Walvis Bay to be an integral part of Namibia.