As we embark on this august 55^th Plenary Assembly Session, I wish to express my gratitude to all delegates from our member parliaments across the SADC region for their active participation and involvement.

The diversity of SADC-PF delegates present here today demonstrates that the Forum is alive not only at its Headquarters in Windhoek, but also across the different member countries within the SADC region. This warm atmosphere in Luanda is a testament to the reality that we indeed have a SADC family, that is united beyond geographical borders.

Today, we feel proud to be in Luanda, Angola which is one of the two Lusophone countries of the Forum. By holding this august Plenary Assembly in Angola, we are also celebrating the strong cultural bonds which prevail within the Forum’s Membership as well as the beauty and diversity of languages which bind our region together.

I wish to put it on record that this is the fifth time that the National Assembly of the Republic of Angola is hosting the SADC Parliamentary Forum Plenary Assembly Session.

As usual, the Parliament of Angola has extended its legendary hospitality to the Forum, and we are ever grateful for this special relationship.

I wish to applaud Madam Speaker, Hon. Carolina Cerqueira, MP, Speaker of the Parliament of the Republic of Angola, our Host, as well as my highly capable brother, the Secretary General of the National Assembly, Dr. Pedro Agostinho de Neri, for the meticulous arrangements made for the convenience of delegates to this 55^th  Plenary Assembly Session.

We owe them a huge debt of gratitude for their excellence and professionalism in providing befitting facilities for convening this Assembly.

Before I introduce our delegates, I wish to first applaud Angola for its recent economic prowess and the progress it has made to improve the quality of life of its citizens. Today, Angola is one of the fastest growing economies in Southern Africa and its flexible policies have attracted significant real estate developments, an influx of Foreign Direct Investment, and has secured employment for thousands of citizens.

Angola is well on the path of sustainable development and the Government has taken concrete steps in the past years to improve and modernise its public infrastructure. Angola is now a hub for trade and commerce and is the home for a range of agro-industries which are bringing sophistication to traditional agricultural practices, leading to an upscaling in jobs and skills. Without doubt, Angola continues to remain a strong economic partner within SADC as well as a promising pillar in implementing the coveted aspirations of the AU’s Africa Agenda 2063.

Related to this development is the role  of the national Assembly of Angola in passing enabling legislation, responsive budgets and exercising oversight over Government initiatives to ensure that democracy thrives. This symbiosis between Parliament and the Executive has been mutually beneficial and is indeed an example for other nations to emulate.

I would also like to seize the opportunity of making these introductory remarks to commemorate the International Day of Parliamentarism which was celebrated by the Forum on the 30th June 2024, just a few days ago. Parliamentarism is what the Forum stands for and we are pleased to find that that the core values and guiding principles of the Forum in preserving the rule of law and democracy, also inhabit the distinguished National Assembly of Angola.

Parliamentarism, as we know it, is what is keeping the world alive. Parliamentarism means that democracy is in action. It also means that oppression is thwarted through checks and balances exercised by Parliamentarians. It is a guarantee that minorities will be protected, without discrimination of any kind, and where human rights prevail. Parliamentarism also means the peaceful resolution of dispute through dialogue. A country where Parliament is active and functional is a country which that enjoys and security.

Parliament is the last rampart against the breakdown of society, chaos or a coup d’etat.

If we look around the world, parliamentarism is perhaps today the most important attribute or characteristic of a thriving democracy.

The 55^th Plenary Assembly hosted by the National Assembly of Angola is the first such event occurring under the auspices of the SADC-PF after the International Day of Parliamentarism and it is befitting to the Membership to unite in Luanda, a cradle of democracy and belief in parliamentary values, to recall the merits of inter-parliamentarism in Southern Africa and around the world.

With these words and without further ado, I will now turn to the introduction of delegates to this august gathering.

INTRODUCTION OF DELEGATES

Director of Ceremonies, this 55^th Plenary Assembly Session has drawn delegates from the following countries (I wish to request the delegations to kindly rise to allow the Plenary Assembly to welcome you and for you to feel at home in Angola, as I mention your country):

Analysis of the Credentials

But first, it is noteworthy that,

• 12 out of the 15 Parliaments of SADC PF are in attendance.
• 9 delegations are led by Speakers. Of these, 3 are female Speakers – Angola, Zambia and United Republic of Tanzania (33%) while six are male (67%).
• Two delegations are led by Deputy Speakers, and one delegation is led by a Member of Parliament.
• Three Parliaments are absent with apologies: Madagascar, Mauritius, and South Africa.
• We have a total of 67 Parliamentarians attending the meeting, of which:

1. 12 are presiding officers (18%),
2. 31 are from ruling or governing parties (46%),
3. 14 are from opposition parties (21%),
4. 10 are either independents, chiefs, or not members of any political parties (15%).

• In terms of gender, 27 of the 67 Members are female, representing approximately 40% of the total Members in attendance.
• 9 of the 12 Parliaments include the Chairperson of the National Women’s Parliamentary Caucus in their delegation.
• There are 23 Members attending as observers.
• There are 13 partner organisations in attendance.
• 3 Regional Parliaments namely Forum of Parliaments of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region, EALA and IPU are represented.

Now to those present specifically:

1. The National Assembly of Angola, a Delegation of six (6) Members led by our host Carolina Cerqueira, MP, Speaker of the National Assembly of the Republic of Angola.
2. The Parliament of Botswana, a Delegation of six (6) Members led by Phandu Tombola Chaha Skelemani, MP Speaker of the Parliament.
3. The Parliament of the Democratic Republic of Congo a delegation of nine (9) Members of which three (3) are observers led by Isaac Musawu, 1^st Vice President of the National Assembly
4. The Parliament of the Kingdom of Eswatini, a Delegation of six (6) Members, led by Jabulani Mabuza, Speaker of Eswatini Houses of Parliament;
5. The Parliament of the Kingdom of Lesotho, a Delegation of six (6) Members led by Tlohang Sekhamane, Speaker of the National Assembly.
6. The Parliament of Malawi, a Delegation of six (6) Members led by Aisha Adams Mambo, Second Deputy Speaker.
7. The Parliament of Namibia, a Delegation of eight (8) Members of which two (2) are observers led by Prof. Peter Hitjitevi Katjavivi, Speaker of the National Assembly.
8. The National Assembly of Seychelles, a Delegation of six (6) Members led by Roger Mancienne, Speaker of the National Assembly and President of the SADC Parliamentary Forum.

9. The Parliament of the United Republic of Tanzania, a Delegation of six (6) Members led by Dr Tulia Ackson, Speaker of Parliament and President of the IPU.
10. The National Assembly of Zambia, a Delegation of six (6) Members led by the Hon. Nelly Butete Kashumba Mutti, SC, MP, FAPRA, Speaker of the National Assembly.
11. The Parliament of the Republic of Zimbabwe, a Delegation of six (6) Members led by Adv. Jacob Francis Nzwidamilimo Mudenda, Speaker of the National Assembly.
12. Clerks and Secretaries General of 11 of our 15 Member Parliaments are present representing 73% attendance.
13. The SADC Parliamentary Forum Secretariat, a Delegation of 8 (eight) staff Members led by me, the Secretary General.
14. Finally, all the staff from Member Parliaments and the National Assembly of the Republic of Angola, our host.
15. The Parliaments of Madagascar, Mauritius, and South Africa sent apologies of absence.

Before I turn to invited Guests present, I wish to pay tribute to the beaming participation of female delegates today who ensure that the Forum shines in upholding gender equality. As you are aware, the Forum strives to ensure that both male and female delegates form part of the leadership of its Standing Committees and other organs. In this respect, I applaud the commitment of Member Parliaments to continue ensuring that SADC-PF representatives appointed to the Forum consists of both male and female delegates, as far as possible in equal numbers, in view of fulfilling the criteria for equal gender representation at Committee level.

Although we know the reality that equal representation of female candidates in Parliament is a work in progress in individual member countries, yet the Forum wishes to set the bar high and lead by example at regional level by demonstrating that an equal gender representation leads to concrete, well informed and balanced parliamentary deliberations. In this way, the active representation of female delegates at the Forum will operate as a beacon of light that radiates through the whole SADC region to call for an enhanced female representation in parliament. This is one of our humble objectives.

INVITED GUESTS

 Director of Ceremonies, allow me also to introduce distinguished guests from our cooperating Partners that the SADC PF has invited to this Plenary Assembly. These are: (I wish to request them to kindly to also rise as I call out their names):

1. E. Ambassador Onyango Kakoba, Secretary General – Forum of Parliaments of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region
2. Instituto para Democracia Multipartidaria (IMD):

Hermenegildo Mulhovo, Graciete Carrilho and Osman Cossing.

3. SAHRC, Commissioner Gungubele, Omalara Akintoye-Asuni and Kelvin L Ngoma, Regional Head of Programmes.
4. OXFAM represented by Mr Machinda Marongwe.
5. REPSSI Chilekwa Chisanga, Advocacy, Partnerships and Communication Officer; Mr. Mamadou Diallo, Head of Policy, Engagement and Communications – Head of Delegation,
6. APHRC: Ms Grace Kibunja, Head of the Advocacy Unit, Dr Anthony Ajayi, Research Scientist, Dr Patrick Owili, Program Coordinator, Research and Related Capacity Strengthening,
7. SAF: Mr. Machinda Marongwe, Cluster Program Director

Director of Ceremonies, and Distinguished Delegates, permit me to conclude by once again thanking the Government and the National Assembly  of the Republic of Angola through Hon. Carolina Cerqueira, MP, Speaker of the National Assembly our Host Speaker for graciously hosting the SADC Parliamentary Forum 55^th  Plenary Assembly Session in this beautiful City of Luanda.

I wish all Distinguished Delegates fruitful deliberations.

I THANK YOU.

OBRIGADO