SOUTH AFRICAN DELEGATION SUCCEEDS IN CONVINCING SADC TO SUPPORT A FEMALE CANDIDATE FOR IPU PRESIDENT

The 53rd Southern African Development Community Parliamentary Forum (SADC PF) successfully concluded its plenary in Arusha, Tanzania, with the adoption of a motion to nominate a candidate to contest the position of President of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), despite some initial resistance to the nominated candidate from some member states.

South Africa formally tabled a motion for the SADC region to endorse the candidature of the Speaker of Tanzania, Dr Tulia Ackson. One reason given for the support of the motion was the need to support and advance women’s representation in the highest political offices.

The IPU is a global organisation representing national parliaments. The term of the current president of the IPU, Mr Duarter Pacheco, a Member of Parliament from Portugal is coming to an end. His position will be filled during the 147th IPU Assembly to be held in Luanda, Angola from 23 to 27 October 2023.

Speaker Mapisa-Nqakula painstakingly explained the process in which South Africa arrived at tabling the motion as moved by Mr Darren Bergman, a delegate from the South African Parliament. Speaker Mapisa-Nqakula said, “I don’t want people to divide the South African delegation, we are not going to be divided on this matter, and the motion moved by Bergman is a motion of the South African Delegation.” The speaker refuted claims that South Africa’s motion was based on undermining the economies of other member states and said that South Africa is on record calling for the lifting of sanctions in Zimbabwe and other African countries experiencing economic hardships through sanctions.

Delegates to the 53rd SADC pointed out that most former past and current presidents of the IPU have been men and it was therefore logical to field a female candidate. Earlier in the plenary, a delegate from South Africa Ms Kate Bilankulu said in her speech seconding the report of the Regional Women’s Parliamentary Caucus that the 2008 SADC heads of states and governments had adopted the SADC Protocol on Gender and Development.

The SADC protocol on gender is based on four strategic areas namely: Gender Mainstreaming; Women in Politics and Decision Making; Gender Based Violence and Women Economic Empowerment. During a heated debate on the motion, Zimbabwe and Malawi questioned the presentation of the motion as tabled by South Africa and whether it was procedurally correct to limit the nomination to just one name and leave other potential candidates out of the race.

The Deputy Speaker of the Parliament of Botswana, Mr Pono Moatlhodi moved that SADC adopt the motion calling for the name of the Tanzanian Parliament Speaker’s name to be the only name put forward for the incoming vacant position in the IPU. Mr Moathlodi further called for unity, cooperation and coherence and reminded the delegates that supporting female candidates into political office was an official position of the SADC region.

Speaker Mapisa-Nqakula concluded by telling delegates that solidarity and unity of the region must be preserved for SADC to present a united front in contesting the position of IPU president against other regions.

Source: Parliament of South Africa