Seychelles Delegation Attends 55th SADC Parliamentary Forum Plenary Assembly
From July 1 to 7, 2024, Speaker of the National Assembly Hon. Roger Mancienne, in his role as President of the SADC Parliamentary Forum (SADC PF), led a delegation to the 55th Plenary Assembly hosted by the Parliament of Angola. The delegation from Seychelles included Hon. Egbert Aglae, Hon. Regina Esparon, Hon. Kelly Samynadin, Hon. Richard Labrosse, Hon. Rocky Uranie, and Clerk to the National Assembly Mrs. Tania Isaac.
The Plenary Assembly saw robust participation, with delegations from 13 of the 15 member parliaments in attendance. The theme for this session was “The Role of Parliaments in Promoting Renewable Energy Policies in the SADC Region and Establishing a Single Regional Energy Market.” Delegates heard insightful presentations from research institutions, Angolan government officials, and academics from across the region, highlighting the critical role of parliaments in advancing national and regional renewable energy policies.
Speaker Mancienne presided over the swearing-in of new SADC PF members, including Hon. Kelly Samynadin, and led the discussions and decision-making processes of the Plenary. This included the adoption of reports from the Forum’s various organs, such as the Executive Committee, Standing Committees, Regional Women’s Parliamentary Caucus (RWPC), and the Regional Parliamentary Model Law Oversight Committee. The Seychelles delegation actively engaged in these deliberations, which also featured elections for Office Bearers of two Standing Committees.
The assembly concluded with a significant announcement: the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Republic of Zambia have both signed the Agreement to amend the SADC Treaty to establish the SADC Parliament. This amendment, in accordance with Article 9(1) of the SADC Treaty, represents a major milestone in the decade-long transformative journey of the SADC PF, marking a pivotal step toward the creation of a regional parliamentary institution.
