Movement to discuss programme of action

M– PUDEMO will discuss their programme of action in this year’s general congress to be held next month.

The People’s United Democratic Movement (PUDEMO), Secretary General (SG) Wandile Dludlu said this was one of the main highlights of the congress, adding that some of the sessions would not be open to the media.

He however, said a press briefing would be made where the media would be allowed to ask questions and also get information on what was discussed in the closed sessions.

He said the elections were just one of the items on the agenda of the congress, while others include reports by the president, SG as well as treasurer. “We will also break in groups of 20/30 where we will discuss commissions,” he said.

M– Member of Parliament Lutfo Dlamini, who is also a former Foreign Affairs Minister has said that wider regional markets can open up more opportunities for African producers and consumers.

The Ndzingeni Member of Parliament (MP) is away in Morocco where he is attending the International Forum MEDays on terrorism and security threats.

The annual International Forum MEDays, takes place every year in Tangier under the high patronage of King Mohammed VI and is the main event organised by the Amadeus Institute.

“African regional integration must accelerate so that the continent can respond ever more effectively to a globalising world. Building more links among African countries is essential for the continent’s economic progress,” said Dlamini.

The MP clarified that wider regional markets can open up more opportunities for African producers and consumers, beyond the sometimes small markets within their own borders.

During the conference, the leaders confront and bring together different readings, opinions and recommendations from high level international policymakers on essential topics and issues concerning the south.

Strategic

The MEDays Forum is considered to be a strategic meeting for global players involved in the geostrategic, political, economic and social spheres of southern countries and more specifically the Mediterranean, African and Arab regions - but also with an opening on the Latin American regions and Asia.

Addressing the over 5 000 political leaders from all around the world, the Ndzingeni MP pointed out that Continental Economic Integration cannot be achieved by relying strictly on political initiatives or focusing narrowly on economic dynamics, as had been the case with previous undertakings.

“We can never hope to separate political and economic imperatives. There is now a renewed impetus to establish closer economic and political ties among the continent’s numerous countries, based on a heightened appreciation of the need for regional integration and a clearer understanding of the reasons for past failures,” he said.

The Eswatini representative further pointed it out to the political leaders that the Continental Economic Integration can reduce the costs of developing essential infrastructure,

MP Lutfo Dlamini making his remarks at the conference in Morocco this week.

including transport, communications, energy, water systems and scientific and technological research, which often lie beyond the means of individual countries. At the same time, integration facilitates large-scale investment by ‘reinforcing the attractiveness of our economies and reducing the risks’.

“Some steps are to be taken in reshaping continental integration infrastructure; involving civil associations, the youth, business groups, professionals and other sectors of society more actively in all integration endeavours achieving an appropriate balance between public and private economic initiatives reconciling the sometime - conflicting interests of countries with diverse sizes, natural resources and economic performance pursuing a pace of integration that is simultaneously ambitious and realistic rationalising Africa’s many different regional institutions, to reduce overlap and inefficiency,” the MP said.

intergration

Furthermore, Dlamini stated that for the continental integration to succeed in the face of past failures and present challenges; there was a strong need for ‘balanced, equitable development’, so that all countries feel they were ultimately gaining something.

Still to be discussed during the long week round table are issues of terrorism and security threats in Africa and what to do in order to end the vicious cycle.

Worth noting is that a community of more than 200 speakers of high standards was present this year at the MEDays Forum and will participate in more than twenty panels to open up practical propositions and concrete sectoral solutions.

Among them are heads of State and ministers, government officials, entrepreneurs, representatives from intergovernmental organisations, experts and civil society representatives.