Mover:                       Honourable Mfanawemakhosi J Dlamini, MP, Swaziland

Seconder:                Honourable Innocent Gonese, MP

Date for which Notice is given: Wednesday, 12 July 2017

Mr. President, I rise to second the Report of the Trade, Industry, Finance and Investment (TIFI) Standing Committee being moved by my Chairperson, His Royal Highness Prince Dlamini, MP.   

I wish to recall and remind this august Assembly that the TIFI Committee previously held its session under the theme: “Enhancing Access to Medicine through the Adoption of Human Rights-based Approach in harnessing the Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPs) flexibilities within the SADC region.”  The outcome of this meeting was presented and adopted by the 39^th Plenary Assembly which was held in June 2016, in the Kingdom of Swaziland.

This is therefore the second time that we are reiterating the importance of parliamentary engagement in issues of Intellectual Property (IP) Rights in general and TRIPs in particular. Africa including our beloved Region is known for contributing so much to international trade but yet getting so little in return. This is generally due to our continued detrimental trade in primary commodity products but also our failure to sufficiently take advantage of all available trade opportunities including those available through the TRIPs.

Mr. President, Honourable Members,

Intellectual property barriers, complex as they may sound to be, - inhibit access to affordable and safe generic HIV, TB and Hepatitis C medicines.  This is a global health challenge which is further compounded by (i) inadequate health systems, (ii) underdevelopment & poverty and (ii) high prices of medicines.

Patent laws, which are regulated through the TRIPs Agreement, as well as bilateral and multilateral trade agreements between different countries, are regrettably contributing to restricted access to essential medicines. The Good News is that there are countries in the Region including my country Zimbabwe which were able to make use of the TRIPS flexibilities to provide cheaper generic medicine to fight the AIDS pandemic. The bottom line is that this flexibilities are there for all the Least Developed Countries (LDCs) including those in our Region but we are simply not taking advantage of them.

Our beloved people who graceful put us in office will continue to suffer and die until we decide to take practical and decisive steps to harness the flexibilities within the TRIPS Agreement.  

Mr. President, I beg to second the motion.