Online Reporter
Sunday Mail Reporter
SPEAKER of the National Assembly Advocate Jacob Mudenda and Senate President Mabel Chinomona are currently in Tanzania for the 153rd Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) Assembly and related meetings.
The two presiding officers arrived in Arusha, United Republic of Tanzania, ahead of the assembly hosted by Bunge la Tanzania, the National Assembly of Tanzania, at the Arusha International Conference Centre.
They were received at the Dar es Salaam International Airport by Zimbabwe’s Ambassador to Tanzania Ms Helen Dingani.
In a statement yesterday, Parliament of Zimbabwe said the delegation’s participation was part of parliamentary diplomacy.
“Affectionately known as the Dean of African Speakers by his regional colleagues, Speaker Mudenda has been widely accepted as a key proponent of parliamentary diplomacy and multilateralism in global affairs.
“To that extent, Speaker Mudenda, President of Senate and members of the Zimbabwe delegation are expected to contribute to parliamentary discourse later on during plenary as well as side event meeting of the session,” said the statement.
“Amidst escalating conflicts and debilitating geopolitical tensions, parliamentary diplomacy is expected to play a crucial role in contributing to global peace and security amongst global nations as encapsulated in the United Nations Charter.”
The IPU, founded in 1889 as the first multilateral political organisation in the world, encourages cooperation and dialogue between all parliaments and is actively involved in promoting peace, democracy and sustainable co-existence. It currently comprises 183 national member parliaments and 15 regional parliamentary bodies.
Accompanying the two presiding officers are Zimbabwe’s standing delegates to the IPU, who include Chief Mtshane Khumalo, member of the IPU Standing Committee on Sustainable Development; Tsitsi Muzenda, member of the IPU Standing Committee on Democracy and Human Rights and Forum of Women Parliamentarians; and Lusyomo Nyelele, member of the Forum of Young Parliamentarians, member of the Forum of Women Parliamentarians and member of the IPU Standing Committee on United Nations Affairs.
Others include Maureen Kademaunga, member of the Forum of Young Parliamentarians, member of the Forum of Women Parliamentarians and IPU Standing Committee on United Nations Affairs; Jona Nyevera, member of the IPU Standing Committee on Peace and International Security; and Knowledge Kaitano, who is replacing Tawanda Karikoga, the current chairperson of the Transport and Infrastructural Development Committee.
The 153rd IPU Assembly, which starts today, will run under the theme “Enhancing Good Governance and Empowering Communities Through Inclusivity, Trust and Opportunities for All”.
During the engagements, the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and African Geo-political Groups are expected to deliberate on topical issues in an effort to find common positions amongst various thematic areas.
Highlights of the assembly will include the expected affiliation of Naoero, growing the IPU to 184 member parliaments; an expected resolution on parliamentary strategies to promote the rights and empowerment of people living with disabilities; meetings of all IPU parliamentary standing committees.
The assembly will end with the election of a new IPU president, the political head of the IPU, to replace Dr Tulia Ackson of the United Republic of Tanzania, whose three-year tenure comes to an end this month. The candidates on the ballot are Ms Sahiba Gafarova, the Speaker of the National Assembly of Azerbaijan; Mr Milton Dick, the Speaker of the House of Representatives of Australia; and Mr Rojo Edwards Silva, a senator from Chile.
