STATEMENT BY THE RT HON PRIME MINISTER
DR B.SIBUSISO DLAMINI
DURING THE COURTESY CALL BY THE SECRETARY-GENERAL OF THE SADC PARLIAMENTARY FORUM
AT THE CABINET OFFICES
WEDNESDAY 15 APRIL 2015
Honourable Ministers
Honourable Speaker of the House of Assembly
SADC Parliamentary Forum Secretary-General, Dr Esau Chiviya
and your delegation
Clerk to Parliament
Ladies and Gentlemen
It is a great pleasure, Dr Chiviya, for me to welcome you and your delegation to my Office and, indeed, to the Kingdom of Swaziland.
Our Parliament, I am sure, will also extend a very warm welcome to you as Secretary-General of the SADC Parliamentary Forum. Our parliamentarians - and indeed, many other stakeholders – will appreciate being informed about the role and activities of the SADC Parliamentary Forum (“SADC PF”) and how the Kingdom of Swaziland fits into the framework of those activities.
I understand, furthermore, that your visit includes providing information to stakeholders about the need for transforming the SADC PF into a SADC Regional Parliament. This proposed transformation is the objective of a recent SADC PF resolution and you will be seeking the views of stakeholders within the Kingdom as well as the opinions of other member states.
And, of course, you will be discussing arrangements for the SADC PF 38th Plenary Assembly Session which the Parliament of the Kingdom of Swaziland will host in November 2015. I am sure you will receive support to the standard you expect and I wish you a productive Session when the time comes.
The HIV and AIDS pandemic has, over the past three decades, presented an enormous challenge to many countries, including Swaziland. We have made considerable progress in our national response in the fight against HIV and AIDS but there is still much to be done to reach the Three Zeros. Our parliamentarians have had, and will continue to have, a valuable role to play. The SADC PF very kindly provided technical assistance in the preparation of the Parliamentary HIV and AIDS Strategic Plan for our 9th Parliament whose term ended in 2013. It would be greatly appreciated, Secretary-General, if further technical assistance can be provided for the Plan to be reviewed and updated for the benefit of the members of our new 10th Parliament.
Furthermore there is a continuing need for our Parliamentary administrative staff to receive capacity development in best Parliamentary practice and procedures. It is also desirable for our parliamentarians to be fully conversant with SADC’s role in the furthering of socio-economic cooperation and integration, as well as security and political cooperation, and how the parliamentarians can participate in supporting the role of SADC PF itself. Any assistance that SADC PF can provide in those training processes will be greatly appreciated.
On behalf of His Majesty’s Government I thank you, Dr Chiviya, and your delegation, for making this visit and I do hope that it proves informative and fruitful both for you and for our parliamentarians, and that you also have the opportunity to see something of our country before you leave for home.
Thank you.