The 37th SADC Parliamentary Assembly draws to a successful end
The Southern African Development Community Parliamentary Forum (SADC-PF) concludes its week-long sitting in Ballito, KwaZulu-Natal, which began on 6 July and ended today, Friday 10 July, 2015.
As the curtain closes on the 37th Plenary Assembly Session, the Vice President of the SADC PF, Mr Joseph Njobvuyalema says, “I am glad that Parliamentarians for the Region have extensively considered, debated and made resolutions on a number of topical issues of regional interests and concern.” These issues ranged from the need for “democratic elections in the region, legislative budgets, climate change, disaster risk management, early and forced child marriages,” he said.
Secretary General of the SADC PF, Dr Essau Chiviya, echoed Mr Njobvuyalema’s sentiments: “This was a very productive Plenary Assembly Session where progressive resolutions were passed on various issues with a commitment to see them implemented at the national level.”
SADC Parliamentary Forum held the 37th Plenary Assembly which comprised of round-table discussions, plenaries and tours to some of South Africa’s historic monuments in the province including the great King Shaka and some of the ancestors of the liberation struggle, John Dube and Chief Albert Luthuli as well as a visit to Ohlange high school, where former President Nelson Mandela cast his first vote in 1994.
The round-table, hosted by the Parliament of South Africa on 6 July, brought together Members of Parliaments, experts, civil society and interest groups to sensitise members and the community at large about migration and related issues in the SADC region. The Round-table formed part of a series of activities initiated by the Parliament of RSA, in an ongoing campaign against xenophobia that launched earlier this year, on Africa Day.
Delivering her address at the roundtable discussion, Speaker of the National Assembly, Ms Baleka Mbete said she hoped that the ensuing discussions will help to draw much-needed attention to the complex migration and displacement facing the African Continent. “The recent incidence of violence on foreign nationals in the country, which occurred just a few months ago, however, suggests that we need a more focused approach to manage migration, whilst simultaneously addressing the triple challenges of poverty, unemployment and inequality that our people continue to face,” she said.
Ms Mbete said the SADC Parliamentary Forum has a role to play in the issue of migration: “The SADC PF in particular has to advocate for a regional policy framework to govern migration in SADC, as there is currently no overall regional policy in place.”
The SADC Parliamentary Forum held under the theme “Industrialization for SADC Regional Development and Integration” was attended by 74 Members of Parliament including Speakers of National Assemblies in the Region and it is notable that 30 of the MPs were women.
All 14 Member countries of the South African Development Community attended and participated robustly in all the debates that were on the agenda for the 37th Plenary Assembly Session. Secretary to the Parliament of RSA, Mr Gengezi Mgidlana, was encouraged by the “The quality of debate and the commitment of members was very high, which bodes well for the SADC PF and the region as a whole.” Tabled and passed reports and motions include:
- Report of the Standing Committee on Democratisation, Governance and Human Rights;
- Report of the Standing Committee on Food, Agriculture and Natural Resources;
- Report of the Standing Committee on Human and Social Development and Special Programmes;
- Report of the Standing Committee on Gender Equality, Women Advancement and Youth Development;
- Report of the Standing Committee on Trade, Industry, Finance, Development Integration and Infrastructure;
Additionally, the Executive Committee report was adopted, dealing with the financial and administrative arrangements of the Forum and the implementation of the committee system in line with the proposed SADC Regional Parliament.
The Assembly also considered various Motions that were proposed by individual Members on various topical regional issues as follows:
- Motion on the Importance of the Blue Economy to economic development of Island States and regional integration.
- Motion on SADC Member States’ readiness to deal with Food Security, Disaster Risk Management and Climate Change challenges and
- Motion on the need for SADC Member States to prevent and eliminate Child Marriages and
Ms Mbete said it has been an honour for Parliament of South Africa to successfully host the 37th SADC PF in Kwazulu-Natal.
“The SADC Parliamentary Forum affords us, as members of our respective Parliaments in the SADC region, a platform to engage in the interests of our people… Progressive and positive discussions have further enhanced the momentum towards the establishment of a regional parliament, formulation of model laws which foster an environment towards industrialisation, to compliment regional integration,” Mbete concluded.
