Africa / World

Moses Magadza The President of the SADC Parliamentary Forum, Justin Tokley of Madagascar, has called on the region’s parliamentary leaders to act decisively in defense of democracy, social justice, and regional resilience. Tokley made the call at the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Geopolitical Group meeting last week in remarks made on his behalf by Dithapelo Keorapetse, the Speaker of the Parliament of Botswana. The meeting took place on the sidelines of the 150th Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) Assembly in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. “We meet at an opportune time when the geopolitics of the world call for further regional and international cooperation,”…

Moses Magadza The SADC Parliamentary Forum (SADC PF) has expressed sorrow following the death of Roy Ngulube, the clerk of the National Assembly of Zambia, who died on 7 April 2025 while on official duty in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. Ngulube was in Tashkent as part of a Zambian parliamentary delegation attending the 150th Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) Assembly, led by Speaker Nelly Mutti.  His sudden passing has sent shockwaves across the region, with tributes pouring in to honour a man widely respected for his dedication to parliamentary service and regional cooperation. In a condolence message, the Secretary General of the SADC Parliamentary…

Moses Magadza A technical working group formed by the SADC Parliamentary Forum (SADC PF), in partnership with regional and international stakeholders, has finalised a Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) Framework aimed at tracking progress in the fight against child marriage across Southern Africa. The group met for a week in Windhoek to complete the framework and begin developing a digital dashboard that will monitor how Member States implement the SADC Model Law on Eradicating Child Marriage and Protecting Children Already in Marriage. The workshop brought together 28 experts from across the region, including M&E specialists from Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Kenya, and…

Moses Magadza  The secretary general of the Southern African Development Community Parliamentary Forum (SADC PF), Boemo Sekgoma, has called for urgent and sustained parliamentary action to eliminate Female Genital Mutilation (FGM). Speaking at the launch of the updated Global Report on FGM/Cutting at the 69th Session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), Sekgoma described FGM as a “very live and serious issue” in the SADC region that must be tackled with urgency. She noted that, despite regional and international frameworks, the practice continues to devastate the lives of millions of girls, particularly in Africa. “Over 50%…

Moses Magadza  UNAIDS Deputy Executive Director Christine Stegling has called on global leaders to prioritize HIV prevention and treatment for women and girls amid shrinking resources.  She made the appeal at a high-level side event hosted by the Southern African Development Community (SADC) during the 69th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW69).  The event focused on the urgency of HIV prevention and treatment for women and girls, emphasizing the importance of CSW Resolution 60/2 in advancing gender equality and ending AIDS as a public health threat by 2030. Stegling praised SADC’s leadership in championing the resolution,…

Moses Magadza  Zimbabwe’s Minister of Women Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Development, Monica Mutsvangwa, has urged Southern African countries and the global community to intensify efforts in tackling the structural drivers of women and girls’ vulnerability to HIV and gender inequality. The minister made the call during a Southern African Development Community (SADC) side event at the ongoing 69th session of the commission on the Status of Women (CSW69) here on 17 March. Speaking under the theme “Beijing+30: Taking Stock of CSW Resolution 60/2; Keeping the Promise for Women and Girls”, Mutsvangwa, representing Zimbabwe as the current SADC chair,…

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…