Angola reaffirms commitment to Sweden-funded SRHR, HIV and AIDS Governance Project

The National Assembly of Angola this week reiterated its commitment to the Sweden-funded Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR), HIV and AIDS Governance Project of the SADC Parliamentary Forum (SADC PF), with senior parliamentary leaders affirming their support during courtesy calls held on the sidelines of the Project’s annual review in Luanda.

The reaffirmation came when the Secretary General of SADC PF, Ms Boemo Sekgoma, paid courtesy calls on the Secretary-General of the National Assembly of Angola, Dr Pedro Agostinho de Neri, and subsequently on the Speaker, Dr Adão de Almeida.

In an interview, Ms Sekgoma said the engagement sought to assess the extent to which the Project had been institutionalised within the Angolan Parliament.

She said Dr De Neri described the Sweden-funded SRHR and HIV and AIDS Governance Project as “an important one and one which the National Assembly of Angola fully associates with.” He assured the delegation that systems had been put in place to operationalise the project and stressed that it was aligned with the work of the National Assembly.

The agreement with each national Parliament is signed by the Clerk/Secretary General of Parliament for administrative convenience, and the SADC PF SG and her entourage went to the Office of the Secretary General of the National Assembly of Angola to appreciate the extent to which the Project had been institutionalised.

Ms Sekgoma said the SG confirmed that the Project was operational in Angola and was supervised and led through the Clerk’s office.

She added that the delegation proceeded to the Office of the Speaker, Dr Adão de Almeida, to formally register the Forum’s appreciation for the political will demonstrated by Angola. Typically, the Speaker ensures that MPs are engaged and that they discuss issues under the Project.

The Speaker affirmed that the Government of the Republic of Angola was committed to the Project, according to Ms Sekgoma.

The courtesy calls coincided with Angola’s commemoration of National Women’s Day. During the meeting, the Speaker underscored the Government’s support for women and girls, noting that Angola values efforts to enable women to occupy positions of power and influence.

Ms Sekgoma was accompanied by SADC PF’s Director of Finance and Administration, Mrs Yapoka Mungandi; Ms Elisabeth Harleman from Sweden; and the Project’s Monitoring and Evaluation Consultant, Ms Pamela Nyikavaranda.

Now in its third year (2023–2026), the Sweden-funded SRHR, HIV and AIDS Governance Project was formally launched in Angola on 30 April 2024 under the theme: “Promotion of Family Planning as a fundamental factor in reducing early pregnancy in adolescence.”

The annual review, bringing together development partners and Members of Parliament, formed part of efforts to promote transparency and accountability in implementation.

The Project seeks to address structural challenges related to SRHR and climate change, eliminate gender inequalities, eradicate child marriage, reduce early and unintended pregnancies, and promote the protection of key populations through comprehensive sexuality education. Over the past year, it has also focused on climate justice, democratic accountability and the implementation of human rights as prerequisites for democracy.

-Moses Magadza is the Media and Communications Manager at the SADC Parliamentary Forum.

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