From the 22nd to the 26th of November 2023, the SADC Parliamentary Forum (PF) 54th Plenary Assembly took place in Port Louis, Mauritius under the theme “The Role of Parliaments in Promoting Coordination for Enhanced Disaster Risk Reduction and Recovery Planning in the SADC Region.” Representing Seychelles was a delegation led by the Speaker Hon. Roger Mancienne, accompanied by Hon. Regina Esparon, Hon. Rosie Bistoquet, Hon. Egbert Aglae, and the Clerk of the National Assembly Mrs. Tania Isaac. 13 out of the 15 Member Parliaments were in attendance.
The Plenary Assembly Session was officially opened by the Prime Minister of the Republic of Mauritius Dr. Hon. Pravind Kumar Jugnauth, who acknowledged the critical role that Parliaments play in addressing the growing challenges posed by natural disasters and climate change in the SADC region. The Session was then guided by various presentations from Resource Persons, including experts drawn from the Government Ministries and Departments of the Republic of Mauritius responsible for Disaster Risk Reduction and Management, Meteorological Services, Environment, Solid Waste Management and Climate Change.
Speaker Mancienne, in his capacity as President of the SADC PF, oversaw the swearing in of Hon. Egbert Aglae and other Parliamentarians as new Members of SADC PF. The Speaker also chaired the deliberations and resolutions of the Plenary, in which Hon. Bistoquet and Hon. Esparon were among Chairpersons of Standing Committees who moved motions for adoptions of Reports submitted by the Forum’s Organs including the Executive Committee, Standing Committees, Regional Women’s Parliamentary Caucus (RWPC) and Regional Parliamentary Model Law Oversight Committee and Members’ Motions.
The Plenary Assembly further deliberated on the transformation of the SADC PF into a Regional Parliament. In this regard, the Plenary Assembly acknowledged the progress made towards signing of the Agreement amending the SADC Treaty to establish the SADC Parliament, as reported during the 43rd SADC Summit of Heads of States and Government, which took place from the 17th to 18th August 2023 in Luanda, Angola.
As the 54th Session came to a conclusion, the Assembly extended its appreciation to the Speaker of the National Assembly of Mauritius Hon. Sooroojdev Phokeer, for hosting a successful and fruitful Plenary Assembly Session. The 55th Plenary Assembly has been scheduled for July 2024, in the Republic of Angola.
