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The Executive Committee (EXCO) of the SADC Parliamentary Forum (SADC PF) which continued with the orientation programme yesterday in Windhoek, Namibia, asserted its relevance in a rapidly evolving geopolitical and economic landscape regionally and globally.
Yesterday’s deliberations, held under the compelling theme “Evolving Ecosystem for Parliamentarism,” were marked by intense reflection, intellectual rigour, and a renewed sense of urgency in addressing regional and global challenges facing Parliaments.
The day commenced with opening remarks by the President of the SADC PF, Rt. Hon. Justin Tokely, Speaker of the National Assembly of Madagascar, who set the tone with the conversation around resilience, innovation, and the imperative for Parliaments to assert their relevance in a rapidly evolving geopolitical and economic landscape regionally and globally. He also expressed gratitude to the Parliament of Namibia for the excellent hospitality arrangements during the current EXCO interface.
Three incisive presentations anchored the high-level policy discourse:
- Mr. Raphael Hurley from the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI) analysed the implications of the United States Government’s development aid withdrawal on Africa’s health idelivery, projecting a grim outlook for employment and public health outcomes unless Parliaments proactively mobilise domestic solutions to mitigate the impact of the USAID departure.
- Ms. Paulina Mbala Elago, former Executive Secretary of the Southern African Customs Union (SACU), addressed the mounting threats to the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) arising from raging tariff conflicts, urging Parliaments to be strategically positioned to safeguard regional economic integration in the wake of significant contending trade tariffs provoked by the Trump Administration.
- Mr. Deprose Muchena, Amnesty International’s Senior Director for Regional Human Rights Impact, delivered a searing call for Parliaments to reclaim fiscal space and democratic oversight, stressing the need for thought leadership amid tightening budgets and multipolar power realignments between the Global North and the Global South.
Following the high-level presentations at the policy discourse session, Speaker of the Parliament of Zimbabwe, Hon Jacob F. N. Mudenda, provided a clear policy direction on the African Continent’s future economic trajectory and that of the SADC Region.
Building on the thought-provoking contributions from experts, Speaker Mudenda underscored the urgent need for African Parliaments to pivot from dependency on foreign aid towards sustainable, home-grown socio-economic solutions.
He drew inspiration from the seminal book “Dead Aid: Why Aid is Not Working and How There is a Better Way for Africa” by the Zambian economist Baroness Dambisa Felicia Moyo, drawing attention specifically to Chapter Three, which outlines the core argument for why aid has failed Africa.
Speaker Mudenda noted that, according to Moyo, aid is dead because it is not just ineffective but has become a fundamental cause of poverty in Africa. He also acknowledged the distinguished Economist’s thrust that aid removes incentives for policy reform, undermines innovation, and makes Governments less accountable to their citizens.
Accordingly, Speaker Mudenda implored the Executive Branches to formulate transformative policies that enable the African Continent to extricate itself from the irony that, despite being richly endowed with natural resources, poverty and inequality remain pervasive, as highlighted by various economic studies. The Continent should push for value addition and beneficiation of primary resources; including raw minerals for purposes of exponentially increasing the value of exports for such resources.
Advocate Mudenda urged that the presentations made be formally included on the agenda of the upcoming 57th Plenary Assembly, where strategic and actionable recommendations would be crafted for adoption, with the ultimate goal of closing funding gaps that have been created consequence of the introduction of tariffs and the cutting of Aid to several African countries by the Trump Administration.
In the afternoon, EXCO turned its attention to the strategic priorities of the Forum’s Standing Committees, as presented by the respective Committee Secretaries, within the broader thrust of strengthening the mandate of SADC PF.
In the evening, Speaker Mudenda joined the Zimbabwean community as well as Members of the Diplomatic community accredited to Namibia for a spirited belated celebration of Zimbabwe’s 45th Independence Anniversary, hosted by the Zimbabwe Mission in Namibia.
