Africa / World

Moses Magadza The Speaker of the Parliament of Botswana, Dithapelo Keorapetse, has urged African nations to move towards economic self-sufficiency by leveraging the continent’s vast natural and human resources. Keorapetse, Southern Africa’s youngest ever Speaker at the age of 42, made the call at the official opening of an online training workshop on trade-related issues, jointly organised by the Trade and Law Centre (TRALAC) and the SADC Parliamentary Forum (SADC PF), with support from SIDA. He stressed the importance of regional integration and intra-African trade. Hon Keorapetse said Africa had untapped economic potential and urged SADC member states to fully…

Moses Magadza The Trade and Law Centre (TRALAC), in collaboration with the SADC Parliamentary Forum, is hosting an online training workshop on trade-related issues from 18 to 19 February. Masenate Molapo, the manager for the Standing Committee on Trade, Industry, Finance, and Investment (TIFI) programme of the SADC PF, said the training seeks to equip Members of Parliament (MPs) and parliamentary staff with a foundational understanding of trade and trade agreements to better contribute to regional economic integration and policy development. “Trade liberalisation and cooperation are central to SADC’s mission of promoting sustainable economic growth and development. Through this training,…

Moses Magadza The vice president of the SADC PF, Sylvia Elizabeth Lucas, has praised Zambia’s advancements in leadership and national security strategy. Lucas did this last week during a courtesy call on the Speaker of the National Assembly of Zambia, Nelly Butete Kashumba Mutti.  The courtesy call happened during a roundtable in Lusaka, focusing on security, rule of law, and capacity development. Clare Musonda, Programme Manager for the Regional Women’s Parliamentary Caucus, and  Paulina Kanguatjivi, Assistant Procedural Officer both at SADC PF, accompanied Lucas on the visit.  “We have been privileged to participate in the National Security Strategy Implementation and…

Stefanus Nashama Former Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta, in his role as facilitator of the East African Community (EAC)-led Nairobi process, has expressed concerns over the ongoing instability in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Despite ongoing dialogue efforts, Kenyatta highlighted in a report on Thursday that both the political and security situations in eastern DRC remain precarious. Kenyatta, who was tasked by the EAC with leading peace efforts in the region, explained that, despite consultations between DRC President Félix Tshisekedi and the M23 rebel group, instability continues to plague the region. "The political and security landscape in the DRC became…

Moses Magadza In a groundbreaking innovation poised to transform lives, 15-year-old Mwape Chimpampa, a Grade 11 pupil from Naboye Secondary School in Kafue District in Zambia, has developed an organic sunscreen to address the dire need for sun protection among people with albinism.  Her invention, named The Organic Sunscreen, is incubated at the Zambia Research and Development Center (ZRDC), where efforts are underway to bring it to mass production. For Chimpampa, this innovation is deeply personal. Having lost her father to skin cancer  in the year 2017, she was determined to create a solution to prevent others from facing the…

Moses Magadza A project titled, “Strengthening Parliamentary Capacity in the Southern African Development Community” that the SADC Parliamentary Forum implemented from 2019 to 2023 posted impressive results despite the impacts of COVID-19, an official has said. Last week, Sheuneni Kurasha, the manager of the Programme on Democracy, Governance & Human Rights at SADC PF, highlighted some of the project’s successes. The project sought to enhance parliamentary capacity in the SADC region, with a vision of transforming the SADC PF into a fully-fledged Regional Parliament.  This transformation was endorsed by the 41st SADC Summit of Heads of State and Government in August…

Moses Magadza A workshop aimed at enhancing the monitoring and evaluation framework for the SADC Model Law on Eradicating Child Marriage and Protecting Children Already in Marriage got underway in Johannesburg, South Africa. The SADC Parliamentary Forum partnered with United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), Plan International, Hivos, Girls Not Brides and United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) to convene the workshop that drew members of the Regional Parliamentary Model Laws Oversight Committee (RPMLOC) of the SADC PF and technical partners. The workshop follows the recent launch of the SADC PF’s Strategic Plan (2024-2028), which seeks, inter alia, to promote robust democracy,…

Moses Magadza The Regional Women’s Parliamentary Caucus (RWPC) of the SADC Parliamentary Forum recently held a virtual statutory meeting and public hearing, focusing on enhancing women’s leadership roles in climate change and disaster risk management. The meeting, chaired by Shally Josepha Raymond of Tanzania, also addressed key barriers to women’s political participation and discussed strategies for gender-responsive budgeting within national and regional development plans. Additionally, it addressed barriers to women’s political participation and strategies to strengthen regional cooperation in tackling gender inequality. The public hearing highlighted necessary policy reforms aimed at economically empowering women in rural and informal sectors, ensuring…

Moses Magadza As Batswana started voting on Wednesday , the secretary general of the SADC PF, Boemo Sekgoma, issued a message encouraging active participation in the electoral process. “Dear Batswana, as you vote today, I extend my warm wishes on behalf of the SADC PF,” wrote Sekgoma. “This year’s elections represent yet another milestone in Botswana's long established democratic tradition, which began with the first election under universal suffrage in 1965,” she said. Sekgoma underscored the role of voter participation. “Your participation in the voting process today is crucial as it demonstrates your unwavering commitment to democratic principles and is…