From Moses Magadza in New York

NEW YORK, USA - UNAIDS Deputy Executive Director Ms Christine Stegling has urged global leaders to prioritise HIV prevention and treatment for women and girls in the face of shrinking resources.

She made the call at a high-level side event hosted by the Southern African Development Community (SADC) at the ongoing 69th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW69) here.

Speaking on the theme, “The Urgency of HIV Prevention and Treatment for Women and Girls: Resolution 60/2 in the Context of Shrinking Resources for the HIV Response”, Ms Stegling noted SADC’s leadership in championing the CSW Resolution 60/2 as a critical instrument for advancing gender equality and ending AIDS as a public health threat by 2030.

By Moses Magadza in New York

New York, USA - Zimbabwe’s Minister of Women Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Development, Honourable 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 March 17, 2025.

By Moses Magadza

The Trade and Law Centre (tralac), in collaboration with the SADC Parliamentary Forum, is set to host an online training workshop on trade-related issues from February 18 to 19, 2025.

Ms 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.

By Moses Magadza

Windhoek, Namibia - An online training on trade-related issues has highlighted the challenges and opportunities within African trade, underlining the dominance of global markets over intra-African trade.

The Executive Director of Tralac, Trudi Hartzenberg, and Professor Gerhard Erasmus, a Tralac Associate, facilitated during the training, which drew the participation of SADC Members of parliament and staff of national parliaments.

By Moses Magadza

Windhoek, Namibia - The Speaker of the Parliament of Botswana, Hon. Dithapelo Keorapetse, has urged African nations to move towards economic self-sufficiency by leveraging the continent’s vast natural and human resources.

Hon 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.

By Moses Magadza

Windhoek, Namibia - The Vice President of the Southern African Development Community Parliamentary Forum (SADC PF), Hon. Sylvia Elizabeth Lucas, has reaffirmed the Forum’s commitment to strengthening parliamentary oversight of the security sector as a critical element of fostering peace, security, and development in the region.

The South African lawmaker made these remarks during a four-day National Security Strategy Implementation and Rule of Law roundtable hosted by the Africa Centre for Strategic Studies (ACSS) from February 4 to 7, 2025, in Lusaka, Zambia.

The roundtable brought together approximately 40 participants, including senior officials from Zambia, Botswana, Tanzania, and Malawi, as well as representatives from international partners such as AFRICOM, the African Union, and the SADC Parliamentary Forum.

Discussions focused on sharing best practices and innovative approaches to enhance national security strategies through effective civilian oversight and adherence to the rule of law.

In her address, Hon. Lucas underscored the importance of partnerships and capacity building in bridging the gap between legislative bodies and the security sector.

She said deliberations during the roundtable had been been insightful in unpacking the relationship between Parliament and the security sector," she noted.

“This dovetails with our commitments to democracy, human rights, and governance that promote the parliamentary role of prudent oversight which ensures accountability and transparency,” she said.

The Vice President also highlighted the SADC PF’s strategic partnership with the ACSS. She stated that the collaboration provided an opportunity to strengthen parliamentarians’ understanding of their constitutional mandate in the security sector.

“We are fully committed to capacitating our members to understand and appreciate their role in the oversight of the security sector, but also their constitutional mandate to ensure that the sector is appropriately resourced and supported for optimum performance of its functions,” Hon. Lucas said.

The roundtable featured tailored exchanges designed to address challenges in aligning national security strategies with sectoral objectives, with a focus on fostering healthy civil-military relations.

Discussions also explored how oversight mechanisms could enhance resource management processes to meet national security goals effectively.

Hon. Lucas reiterated the link between peace, security, and economic development, noting that the SADC PF views the security sector as a foundational pillar for regional stability.

“Peace and security are prerequisites to development. We at the Forum are very keen and eagerly look forward to continued collaboration with ACSS on issues relating to peace and security,” she stated.

Hon. Lucas called for more opportunities for dialogue between parliamentarians and security agencies. She said improved collaboration and mutual understanding can advance national security goals.

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

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By Moses Magadza

Windhoek, Namibia - The Southern African Development Community Parliamentary Forum (SADC PF) has paid tribute to the late Dr. Sam Shafishuna Nujoma, Namibia’s Founding President, for his unwavering commitment to regional integration and democracy.

President Nujoma died on February 8 in Windhoek, Namibia. He was 95. In a statement, the President of the SADC PF, Hon. Justin Tokely, extended condolences on behalf of the Forum to the Nujoma family, the Namibian government, and the people of Namibia.

Dr. Nujoma, a towering figure in Namibia’s struggle for independence and a champion of Pan-African unity, was lauded as a visionary leader whose legacy extends far beyond his nation.

Hon. Tokely described him as “a beacon of democracy, regional integration, and unity in the SADC region and beyond,” and said he had played pivotal role in advancing freedom and liberation across Southern Africa.

The SADC PF President said under Dr. Nujoma’s leadership, Namibia played a foundational role in the establishment of the SADC Parliamentary Forum. The historic summit that launched the Forum took place in Windhoek on July 15, 1995, with Namibia generously hosting its headquarters and Secretariat to this day.

Highlighting Dr. Nujoma’s support, Hon. Tokely recalled his inauguration of the SADC Forum House in 2001, describing it as “a testament to his unwavering support for parliamentary institutions as essential pillars of governance and democracy.”

Hon Tokely said Dr. Nujoma’s vision for the Forum went beyond its inception, and recalled that in 1999, he boldly declared the SADC PF as “the nucleus of a future regional parliamentary assembly,” a statement that continues to inspire the Forum’s ongoing mission to foster democratic governance and inter-parliamentary cooperation.

At the 16th Plenary Assembly Session in 2004, Dr Nujoma reiterated Namibia’s readiness to host a fully-fledged SADC Parliament, demonstrating his belief in the transformative power of inter-parliamentary dialogue to promote peace, democracy, and regional development.

“Dr. Nujoma’s visionary role was instrumental in the creation and strengthening of the SADC Parliamentary Forum. His lifelong commitment to Pan-African unity and regional integration has shaped the ethos of the Forum and left an indelible mark on the region,” Hon. Tokely, who is also the Speaker of the National Assembly of Madagascar, said.

Beyond his contributions to the Forum, Dr. Nujoma’s advocacy for regional solidarity and social justice has been hailed as a benchmark for regional leaders. His belief in unity as a catalyst for development inspired mechanisms such as the SADC PF, which today stands as a pillar of democracy and cooperation within the region.

Hon. Tokely also reflected on Dr. Nujoma’s enduring influence even after his retirement from active politics, describing him as a “revered pillar” of the SADC community and a guiding light for future generations.

As the SADC PF joins the world in mourning the loss of this great leader, Hon. Tokely affirmed that Dr. Nujoma’s contributions to regional integration, peace, and democracy would forever be remembered.

“May his exemplary legacy continue to inspire unity, democracy, and prosperity throughout the SADC region and beyond,” he said.

*Additional reporting by Ronald Windwaai, ICT Officer at the SADC PF.

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By Moses Magadza

Windhoek, Namibia - The Vice President of the SADC PF, Hon. Sylvia Elizabeth Lucas, has praised Zambia’s advancements in leadership and national security strategy.

Hon Lucas did this last week during a courtesy call on the Speaker of the National Assembly of Zambia, Hon. Nelly Butete Kashumba Mutti. The courtesy call happened during a roundtable in Lusaka, focusing on security, rule of law, and capacity development.