Luanda – Angola has said it is ready to receive the 250 delegates to take part in the 55th Plenary Assembly of the Southern African Development Community Parliamentary Forum (SADC PF).
The event runs from July 1 to 7 in the Angolan capital, Luanda, under the motto "The Role of Parliaments in Promoting Renewable Energy Policies and the Creation of a Single Regional Energy Market”.
Angola’s parliament Speaker, Carolina Cerqueira, on Friday, assessed the human, material, technical, and logistical and security conditions for the holding of the magnificent event at the Palace of the National Assembly.
Carolina Cerqueira was accompanied by the secretary general of the SADC PF, Boemo-Sekgoma, who gave a positive note on the conditions made available for the delegates.
"I am very satisfied, the conditions are excellent, they are just right for holding an event of this kind", said the general secretary of the SADC PF, who thanked Carolina Cerqueira, "for having organized all of this".
Transformation of the SADC PF into a regional parliament
Angola defends the involvement of all members in advocacy within their countries for the long-awaited transformation of the SADC Parliamentary Forum into a Regional Parliament.
Boemo-Sekgoma emphasized that Angola has always led the process of transforming the Parliamentary Forum into a Regional one which, in his opinion, must continue to support other countries to sign the treaty that will lead the region to have a SADC Parliament.
Currently 11 countries have signed the treaty, with only one remaining to authorize the SADC treaty for the creation of the regional Parliament.
Pedro Agostinho, secretary general of the National Assembly, on his turn, highlighted the fact that Angola responded 100 percent to all the agenda required for the holding of the SADC PF Assembly, from accommodation, transportation, translation, live broadcasting, among other aspects.
The MP underscored the need for the creation of the SADC Parliament later this year, underlining that he hopes that all countries ratify the agreement this year.
Promotion of renewable energies
According to the organization, the choice of the motto for the 55th Plenary Assembly on renewable energy is due to the fact that the region is experiencing considerable energy problems in terms of production.
The activity includes a Symposium on renewable energy, which will be attended by the Angolan Minister of Energy and Water, João Baptista Borges, the vice-president of the SADC PF, Marie Sabrina, among other personalities.
The event will serve to evaluate the reports of the permanent committees on gender equality, promotion of women and youth development, human and social development.
It includes analysis of the advances in democratization, good governance and the defense of human rights in member countries and assessment of reports on trade, industry, finance and investment, food, agriculture and natural resources.
For five days, parliamentarians will review the report of the regional parliamentary committee to monitor model laws, as well as holding a symposium on renewable energy and visits to Angola's socio-economic infrastructures.
SADC is a Regional Economic Community made up of 16 Member States, namely Angola, Botswana, Comoros, Democratic Republic of Congo, Eswatini, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Seychelles, South Africa, United Republic Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
The organization's mission is to promote sustainable and equitable economic growth and socioeconomic development, through efficient production systems, deeper cooperation and integration, good governance and lasting peace and security, so that the region emerges as an actor competitive and effective in international relations and the world economy. DC/VIC/TED/AMP
