The Herald (Zimbabwe)

PAP backs SADC Parliament bid

- George Maponga

THE Pan African Parliament (PAP) has thrown its weight behind plans to establish a SADC Regional Parliament, which will, among other things, enact robust legislatio­n to combat climate change in the wake of recurring natural disasters such as Cyclone Idai that swept across Southern Africa early this year.

Cyclone Idai left a trail of devastatio­n, ravaging infrastruc­ture and killing more than 1 200 people in Mozambique, Malawi and Zimbabwe.

In Zimbabwe, Government and developmen­t partners are spearheadi­ng reconstruc­tion efforts in battered areas, amid growing calls for formulatio­n of policies that help arrest the effects of climate change.

Speaking during the official opening ceremony of the 45th Plenary Assembly of the SADC Parliament­ary Forum in Maputo last Monday, PAP vice president Chief Fortune Charumbira said the SADC Regional Parliament would bring Southern Africa into the league of other regional blocs such as the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), which have such institutio­ns.

The Plenary Assembly of the SADC Parliament­ary Forum, which runs from July 2126 is being held under the theme, “Climate Change, Mitigation and Adaptation: The Role of Parliament­s Towards Implementi­ng the Paris Declaratio­n and the Katowice Roadmap”.

Chief Charumbira said the devastatio­n caused in Southern Africa by Cyclone Idai demonstrat­ed the urgent need for the region to enact legislatio­n that will help in combating the negative impacts of climate change.

“It would be remiss if I were to take my seat without tackling the issue of the transforma­tion of the SADC Parliament­ary Forum into a Regional Parliament,’’ he said.

“The Bureau of the PAP is well aware of the efforts of the SADC PF towards transforma­tion. The exuberance exuded by your able leadership in the Executive Committee and the lively debates on the transforma­tion agenda have not gone unnoticed.’’

Chief Charumbira said PAP was fully behind opening of a SADC regional parliament and would continue to lobby Heads of State and Government within the bloc to endorse the move.

“Recent benchmarki­ng visits, including one to the PAP, have keenly been followed by the PAP and be assured that the PAP is in support of a SADC Regional Parliament,” he said. If the EALA and ECOWAS have parliament­s, why not SADC?

“The Bureau of the PAP is privileged to interact with Heads of State and Government at various forums. I assure you that we will push your agenda until we realise the dream of a SADC Parliament. It will not, and never die a pipedream. Be assured. A transforme­d SADC PF will work better towards addressing climate change through legislatio­n for the region.’’

Chief Charumbira said developing countries largely remained vulnerable to climate change due to their low adaptive capacity and growing dependence on resources sensitive to changes in climate.

He said setting up institutio­ns such as a SADC regional parliament would create a platform for strengthen­ing policy and making institutio­nal arrangemen­ts that facilitate enhanced capacity to deal with climate change mitigation and adaptation.

“Climate change is a cross-cutting phenomenon, affecting not only the environmen­t, but society, food supply, socio-economics, natural resources, and disaster risk reduction and responses,” said Chief Charumbira.

Southern Africa, particular­ly Mozambique, Malawi and Zimbabwe, were affected by the ravaging Cyclone Idai earlier this year. Thousands of lives were lost, several were left homeless and infrastruc­ture worth millions of dollars was destroyed.’

Chief Charumbira said there was urgent need for sub-Saharan African states to find ways of mitigating the effects of climate change, which is expected to continue causing depletion of arable land and the dwindling of food sources.

 ??  ?? Chief Charumbira
Chief Charumbira
 ??  ?? Minister Coventry
Minister Coventry

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