Africa-Press – Mauritius. The Speaker of the National Assembly, Ms Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, will lead a parliamentary delegation to the 54th Plenary Assembly of the Southern African Development Community Parliamentary Forum (SADC PF), which will be hosted by the National Assembly of the Republic of Mauritius from 22 to 26 November.
The theme of the assembly is “The role of parliaments in promoting risk reduction and recovery planning in the SADC region”. The South African delegation will include the Chief Whip of the National Council of Provinces, Mr Seiso Mohai; the Chairperson of the Multiparty Women’s Caucus in the National Assembly (NA), Ms Nkhensani Kate Bilankulu; and Mr Darren Bergman, a Member of Parliament in the NA.
The theme of disaster risk and preparedness arises from the need for SADC parliaments to respond to findings from experts in the southern hemisphere who have established that the El Nino effect will continue to adversely influence weather patterns in the summer of 2023/2024, causing adverse weather conditions across the region.
It has also been observed that weather events in the SADC region disproportionately affect the most vulnerable individuals. This makes it more imperative than ever for parliaments to reduce inequalities and support gender mainstreaming in climate change responses.
This will make disaster preparedness an inclusive process that includes the voices of both women and men. To this end, parliaments may draft disaster risk reduction legislation and monitor the establishment of focal points for disaster management and multistakeholder committees to respond to disasters.
They can also monitor the conduct of environmental assessments and evaluate government departments’ plans and programmes to deal with post-disaster recovery.
Parliaments can also monitor the timeliness of emergency services’ (police, hospitals, fire brigades) interventions and the distribution of weather service reports, to name just a few possible areas where parliamentary intervention is possible.
The 54th Plenary Assembly will also be in a position to deliberate on the regional aspect of disaster risk reduction, such as the mutual exchange of information and the sharing of lessons learned by disaster risk reduction authorities.
In addition, SADC parliaments can exchange best practices on the consolidation of disaster reduction regimes and obstacles encountered along the way. The specific objectives and expected outcomes of the 54th Plenary Assembly will thus be to:a) promote inter-parliamentary cooperation, diplomacy and solidarity amongst SADC member parliaments, and to celebrate the SADC identity; b) take stock of the legislative frameworks for disaster risk reduction and preparedness planning;c) deliberate on the role of Parliaments in ensuring disaster risk reduction and preparedness planning within SADC countries, including by domestication of the Sendai Framework;d) consider avenues of cooperation between SADC parliaments to improve on existing regional frameworks for disaster risk reduction and preparedness planning;e) commemorate the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women on the 25 November 2023, and to discuss the importance of women’s participation in formulating disaster risk reduction and preparedness planning policies.f) consider and approve reports of standing committees, the Regional Women Parliamentary Caucus and other organs of the forum; g) consider motions and statements made by MPs that are in line with the theme of the plenary assembly; and h) promote inter-parliamentary policy among SADC member parliaments with respect to shared values and common agendas.
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