27 Jun 2021

The SADC Parliamentary Forum has been credited for being instrumental in addressing various issues of regional concern. 

Speaker of National Assembly, Mr Phandu Skelemani told the plenary assembly in Gaborone on Friday that the forum had enabled members to deliberate on issues of HIV/AIDS, democracy and good governance, trade, natural resources, climate change and the development of model laws. 

He said the Parliament of Botswana was appreciative of the work the Forum had done over the years by building parliamentary capacity, cooperation and solidarity in the SADC region.

Mr Skelemani also affirmed the National Assembly’s commitment towards the SADC regional integration agenda.

He expressed gratitude towards being granted the opportunity to host the 49^th forum, adding that the national assembly remained active in its participation in the affairs of the SADC Parliamentary Forum. 

“We are committed to seeing the forum grow from strength to strength until it ultimately becomes a SADC regional parliament,” he said.

He noted that Botswana’s legislators have served the forum in different leadership capacities with distinction and expressed appreciation to the fact that the Clerk of the National Assembly of Botswana, who is the current Chairperson of the Committee of Clerks and Secretary-General of the SADC-PF.

SADC Parliamentary Forum secretary-general, Ms Boemo Sekgoma noted that the forum remained committed to deepening regional parliamentary integration and building the capacity of its member parliaments to face emerging challenges. 

She said it also strove to uphold socio-economic inclusion of all segments of the SADC population without discrimination while assisting parliaments to enact laws that were inclusive and responsive to the needs of the SADC citizenry.

Ms Sekgoma said the forum intended to act as the flag bearer of regional democratisation. 

“As a forum, we pledge to honour democracy in all its facets that are consonant with parliamentary activism,” she said.

 She said the organ would continue collaborating with national parliaments in spearheading the domestication of international and regional norms such as the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). 

These include SDG 3 on Good Health and Well-being, Commitments on Universal Health Coverage, as well as the Political Declaration on HIV and AIDS of 2021.

 The drive for domestication within a democratic framework, she said, was likely to be crucial in the coming decades for the SADC region to meet its multiple health challenges due to HIV and COVID-19.  

Ms Sekgoma noted that the various capacity-building initiatives conducted by the forum had mirrored the culture of promoting human rights and democratisation. Ends