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The Southern African Development Community Parliamentary Forum (SADC PF) Executive Committee (EXCO) has hailed the Speaker of the Parliament of Zimbabwe, Hon. Advocate Jacob Francis Nzwidamilimo Mudenda, and the Speaker of the National Assembly of Zambia, Rt. Hon. Nelly Mutti, for championing the interests of the SADC Region on the global stage and advancing Parliamentary Diplomacy.
Drawing from his tenure as Chairperson of the Legal Sub-Committee, SADC Geopolitical Group and Executive Committee Member of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), the Executive Committee commended Hon. Speaker Mudenda for drawing global attention to the urgent need for humanitarian aid in Mozambique, Malawi and Zimbabwe in the aftermath of Cyclone Idai. Tropical Cyclone Idai was one of the worst tropical cyclones to hit the Southern Hemisphere leaving more than 1 500 fatalities and a trail of infrastructure destruction in its wake.
Hon. Speaker Mudenda successfully rallied the Inter-Parliamentary Union to respond to this natural disaster by marshaling humanitarian aid both within and outside the continent to provide relief to the affected countries under the IPU Assembly’s Emergency Item tabled by Sweden during the Doha IPU Plenary Assembly.
The Executive Committee also acknowledged the decisive role played by Hon. Speaker Mudenda as a fearless proponent of justice through the Emergency Item he piloted at the IPU calling for vaccine equity in the face of vaccine nationalism and protectionism by Western countries at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. In his submission, Hon. Speaker Mudenda averred that COVID-19 shows no regard for borders, race, wealth, or status.
He pointed out that amidst the ravages of the global COVID-19 pandemic, no nation, state, or individual’s life is more important or more deserving than another’s. This culminated in a resolution by the IPU that called on Governments around the world to fully fund a global vaccine programme, for countries that have more vaccines than they need to share with others and work together to ensure global vaccine supply meets global demand.
With respect to promoting durable peace and security on the continent and beyond, the Executive Committee extolled Hon. Speaker Mudenda’s bold stance in moving a SADC PF Motion urging SADC Heads of State and Government to deploy a military force to Mozambique’s Cabo Delgado, which subsequently successfully neutralized the threat of the insurgents.
The EXCO further recounted his address to the Russian State Duma on the Russia-Ukraine conflict, where he proposed a Task Force to mediate peace. The Executive Committee emphasised that, “Parliamentary diplomacy is about proactive, solution-oriented engagement, our voices must champion peace and progress.” In that context, the EXCO roundly lauded Hon. Speaker Mudenda for proposing concrete solutions in support of peace, security, and stability on the globe.
The meeting also appreciated the innovations spearheaded by Hon. Speaker Mudenda, including pivotal changes to the SADC PF Statutes and Rules to facilitate virtual meetings during the COVID-19 pandemic, a practice later adopted by the IPU. Such virtual meetings enabled the IPU to elect Hon. Duarte Pacheco as the 30th President of the IPU in an unprecedented IPU Virtual Governing Council Session. To cap it all, the outgoing SADC PF Executive Committee led by Speaker Roger Mancienne of Seychelles, extolled Speaker Mudenda for spearheading the Transformation of SADC PF into the SADC Regional Parliament as he chaired the Strategic Transformation Lobby Team of selected Speakers for 14 years.
The EXCO also celebrated the contributions of the Speaker of the National Assembly of Zambia, Hon. Nelly Mutti, who as Chairperson of the Sub Committee on the amendments of IPU Statutes and Rules, had facilitated the inclusion of proposals for the amendment of the IPU Statutes and Rules stemming from SADC Parliaments which had been drafted by the Zimbabwe Parliament. The proposals have since been considered and adopted by the Sub Committee. Hon. Speaker Mutti also facilitated the tabling and consideration of Emergency Items from the SADC Geopolitical Group by the IPU Plenary Assembly.
The two-day SADC PF Executive Committee Meeting which came to an end today in Johannesburg, South Africa, is expected to come up with concrete decisions as well as recommendations to the Plenary Assembly that will amplify the SADC region’s influence on the global stage, uniting voices for sustainable development and shared prosperity.
