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COMMUNIQUÉ OF THE 57TH SADC PARLIAMENTARY FORUM PLENARY ASSEMBLY SYMPOSIUM ON THE THEME: 03 JUNE 2025
06 Jun. 2025 Written by SADC Parliamentary ForumWHEREAS: Article 6 of the SADC Parliamentary Forum (SADC PF) Constitution enjoins the SADC PF to strengthen the implementation capacity of SADC by involving Parliamentarians in the affairs of SADC as well as to provide a Forum for discussion on matters of common interest to SADC;
AWARE THAT: The Fourth Industrial Revolution, driven by advancements in Artificial Intelligence (AI), is truly and firmly underway; and,
Speaker says Zimbabwe ready to host 57th SADC PF Plenary Assembly in Victoria Falls
01 Jun. 2025 Written by SADC Parliamentary ForumWINDHOEK, NAMIBIA — The Speaker of the Parliament of Zimbabwe, Honourable Advocate Jacob Francis Nzwidamilimo Mudenda has declared readiness to host the 57th Plenary Assembly Session of the SADC Parliamentary Forum (SADC PF), which starts this week.
The picturesque tourist city of Victoria Falls will be the venue of the plenary that will take place from 2nd to 8th June 2025 under the theme “Harnessing Artificial Intelligence for Effective and Efficient Parliamentary Processes in the SADC Region: Experiences, Challenges, and Opportunities.”
Sweden urges stronger integration of SRHR in climate response
20 maio 2025 Written by SADC Parliamentary ForumWIHDHOEK, NAMIBIA - Sweden has called for urgent action to address the intersection of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) and climate change, warning that the synergies between the two remain critically underestimated despite their profound impact on vulnerable populations, especially women and girls.
Ms Veronica Perzanowska, representing the Embassy of Sweden in Lusaka, made the call when she delivered a keynote address at the beginning of a virtual capacity-building seminar for parliamentary staff in Southern Africa on Tuesday.
SADC PF head calls for economic self-reliance amid rising tariffs
16 maio 2025 Written by SADC Parliamentary ForumWINDOEK, NAMIBIA - The Secretary General of the Southern African Development Community Parliamentary Forum (SADC PF), Ms Boemo Sekgoma, has urged Southern African nations to seize the moment to reinforce their economies and reclaim control over their development trajectory.
Speaking via zoom at the opening of the High-Level Dialogue on Trade Justice: Mitigating the Impact of US Reciprocal Tariffs on SADC Economies and Women and Girls, on Thursday, Ms Sekgoma acknowledged the far-reaching implications of tariff increases and called for a recalibration of regional trade and production strategies.
Africa Trust calls for feminist, people-centred Trade Justice Framework
16 maio 2025 Written by SADC Parliamentary ForumThe Chief Executive Officer of the Southern Africa Trust, Ms Alice Kanengoni, has called for a bold reimagining of trade justice in Southern Africa, urging a shift away from exclusive technical approaches to inclusive, people-driven frameworks that centre those most affected by global economic shifts.
Ms Kanengoni made the call when she delivered welcome remarks at the beginning of a High-Level Dialogue on Trade Justice in Johannesburg co-convened with the SADC Parliamentary Forum.
Lesotho’s Trade Minister urges rethink of global trade amid tariffs crisis
16 maio 2025 Written by SADC Parliamentary ForumWINDHOEK, NAMIBIA - The Kingdom of Lesotho’s Minister of Trade and Industry, Mr Mokhethi Shelile, has advocated for a radical reimagining of global trade, warning that the recent imposition of reciprocal tariffs by the United States threatens to unravel years of progress in inclusive trade across the Southern African region.
SADC Region set for high-level dialogue on trade justice amidst US tariff shockwaves
16 maio 2025 Written by SADC Parliamentary ForumWINDHOEK, NAMIBIA - A high-level dialogue on trade justice is set to take place on 15 May 2025 in a hybrid format in Johannesburg.
The dialogue comes in the wake of the United States’ recent announcement of sweeping reciprocal tariffs that disproportionately affect economies in the Global South.
SADC PF President praises Namibia’s leadership, urges robust regional parliamentary integration
06 maio 2025 Written by SADC Parliamentary ForumWINDHOEK, NAMIBIA - The President of the SADC Parliamentary Forum (SADC PF), Hon. Justin Tokely, has saluted Namibia’s long-standing contribution to regional integration and parliamentary diplomacy, and called for sustained collaboration as the Forum prepares to transition into a fully-fledged regional parliament.
Speaking during a courtesy call on Wednesday by members of the Executive Committee of the SADC PF on the newly inaugurated President of Namibia, Her Excellency Madam Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, Hon. Tokely congratulated her on her historic ascension as the country’s first female Head of State.
“Your recent assumption of office is a source of inspiration to our entire region. It represents a landmark victory for gender equality in African leadership,” he said.
Growing calls for stronger Parliamentary oversight of prisons in Southern Africa
06 maio 2025 Written by SADC Parliamentary ForumA joint sitting of five standing committees of the SADC Parliamentary Forum began in Johannesburg South Africa on Thursday with the Secretary General of the SADC PF, Ms. Boemo Sekgoma, calling for enhanced parliamentary oversight of prisons across the Southern African region.
The Joint Session follows separate standing committee meetings that took place on Wednesday and is deliberating on a proposed Model Law on Prison Oversight to be developed by the SADC PF with the financial support of Sweden.
Addressing delegates at the opening of the two-day session, Ms. Sekgoma stated that the state of prison systems reflects the health of democracy and the extent to which nations uphold human rights and justice.
SADC PF Committee proposes bold recommendations on prison oversight
06 maio 2025 Written by SADC Parliamentary ForumJohannesburg, South Africa
A one-day meeting of the SADC Parliamentary Forum’s Standing Committee on Human and Social Development and Special Programmes (HSDSP) ended in Johannesburg on Wednesday with strong calls for systemic reform, strengthened oversight, and improved healthcare in prisons across the region.
The committee (one of five standing committees of the SADC PF that met separately on Wednesday ahead of a joint session scheduled for 24 April 2025) engaged in robust deliberations informed by expert presentations and video testimonies by regional judges who had undertaken prison visits. The judges described alarming conditions marked by overcrowding, poor sanitation, and the incarceration of minor offenders alongside hardened criminals.
