Antananarivo: The President of the National Assembly, Carolina Cerqueira, has arrived in Antananarivo to partake in the formalization of the transformation of the SADC Regional Parliament. This significant event is scheduled to occur during the 45th Ordinary Summit of the Heads of State and Government of the Southern Region.
According to Angola Press News Agency, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, T©te Ant³nio, is also present in the Malagasy capital to participate in the summit. To date, fourteen member states have signed the Agreement amending the SADC Treaty to establish the SADC Parliament formally. Madagascar and Mauritius are anticipated to join during this summit, thus achieving the objective of transforming the Parliamentary Forum into a regional legislative institution. Cerqueira is part of a lobbying group promoting this transformation, an initiative relaunched in 2024 during the 55th Plenary Assembly of the SADC Parliamentary Forum in Luanda. The theme of this assembly was "The Role of Parliaments in Promoting Renewable Energy Policies and Creating a Single Regional Energy Market."
During the formal closing session of the 3rd legislative session of the 5th legislature, Cerqueira emphasized the Angolan Parliament's commitment to transforming the SADC Parliamentary Forum into a regional parliament. She reiterated support for the SADC Executive Secretariat, asserting that the protocol regarding this transformation aligns with Angola's constitutional principles and norms.
Cerqueira highlighted that this transformation process aims to bring citizens closer to regional structures in pursuit of the objectives outlined in the SADC Treaty. She noted that multilateral consultation forums have facilitated seeking common solutions to current global issues, including promoting information and communication technology for peace and combating cybercrime. The ethical use of Artificial Intelligence, respect for human rights, and the sovereignty and security of states remain priorities.
The transformation seeks to establish the SADC Parliament as a key institution under Article 9 of the SADC Treaty. The Agreement Amending the SADC Treaty has already come into force, with signatures from twelve member states, fulfilling the three-quarter majority requirement. The transformation is expected to create a consultative organization that addresses regional concerns and contributes to the democratic process through the approval of Model Laws.
The Agreement to amend the SADC Treaty was adopted during the SADC Heads of State and Government Summit in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo, on August 17, 2022. Established in September 1997 and headquartered in Windhoek, Namibia, the SADC Parliamentary Forum serves as a platform for dialogue among the parliaments of the 16 SADC member states, addressing regional interests and concerns. The region comprises over 3,500 parliamentarians from countries including Angola, South Africa, Botswana, and others.
