By Fatou Krubally
Africa-Press – Gambia. In a historic first, the Speaker of the National Assembly of The Gambia, Hon. Fabakary Tombong Jatta, addressed the Parliament of Malawi on Wednesday, urging African legislatures to lead the continent’s democratic and development agenda.
The speech, hailed as a milestone in parliamentary diplomacy, emphasized the importance of intra-African learning, cooperation, and institutional strengthening.
Hon. Jatta, accompanied by members of the Assembly Business Committee, began by acknowledging Malawi’s warm reception.
“Malawi is rightly known as the warm heart of Africa, and we have felt that warmth not only in your hospitality but in the deep spirit of African fraternity,” he said.
He delivered a strong message on Africa’s self-determination:
“The Africa we want will not be built in foreign capitals. It will be built in African chambers, through African laws, African oversight, African unity and African determination.”
The Gambian delegation visited Malawi to study its parliamentary reforms, including legislative prioritization, committee management, and digital innovations. Hon. Jatta praised these systems as models for the continent, stressing that robust parliaments are essential for democracy and development.
“A parliament that is well organised is not merely efficient, it is transformative. When parliament is strong, democracy is safe—and when democracy is safe, development becomes possible,” he told the assembly.
He also highlighted the need for citizen-centered governance, noting shared aspirations across Africa.
“The farmer in Malawi and the fisherman on the Atlantic coast of The Gambia are asking the same question: will democracy deliver dignity? Our duty as African legislators is to ensure that it does.”
The address paved the way for concrete cooperation between the two countries, including proposals for parliamentary friendship groups, staff exchanges, joint training programs, and participation in continental platforms such as the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA).
Malawi’s Speaker, Hon. Sameer Suleman, described the address as a reaffirmation of African parliamentary solidarity.
