Online Reporter
Rutendo Nyeve, Victoria Falls Reporter
THE Speaker of Parliament Advocate Jacob Mudenda has amplified calls for the envisaged Protocol which will give effect to the transformation of the SADC Parliamentary Forum into SADC Regional Parliament to be consummated at the 45th SADC Summit set to be held in August this year in Madagascar.
Adv Mudenda was speaking during the official opening of the 57th Plenary Assembly Session of the SADC Parliamentary Forum in Victoria Falls on Monday.
Adv Mudenda lauded the exceptional leadership of President Mnangagwa, Chairperson of the SADC, for steering the region through economic, political and security challenges while advancing regional integration.
He highlighted the President’s pivotal role in championing the Forum’s transformation.
“Your Excellency, this Plenary Assembly acknowledges your exceptional stewardship which has guided the SADC region through formidable economic, political, and security challenges while at the same time maintaining the spirit of regional integration as the central focus of SADC’s industrialisation development agenda. Most significantly,” he said.
Adv Mudenda said President Mnangagwa’s unwavering commitment to championing the Transformation of the SADC Parliamentary Forum into a fully constituted Regional Parliament merits particular recognition and is acclaimed across the entire region, especially during his current chairmanship.
“In that regard, it is our hope that the envisaged Protocol which will give effect to the transformation of the SADC Parliamentary Forum into SADC Regional Parliament will be consummated at the August 2025 45th SADC Summit to be held in Madagascar,” he said.
Adv Mudenda also highlighted the symbolic significance of the Assembly’s location, noting the previous Plenary’s convening in Livingstone, Zambia, and extending condolences to Zambia on the passing of their Clerk of Parliament, Mr Roy Ngulube.
In sync with the theme of the Plenary Assembly, Adv Mudenda said the Parliament of Zimbabwe and all SADC parliaments are challenged to embrace the use of Artificial Intelligence and other emerging digital technologies in their Parliamentary processes.
“Accordingly, the 57th Plenary Assembly looks forward towards the guidance of our Guest of Honour and the outcome of the said symposium on how best to navigate the employment of AI and innovation in our Parliamentary process in the SADC region,” he said.
