Port Louis, Mauritius – Angola has been chosen to host the 55th Plenary Assembly of the Parliamentary Forum of the Southern African Development Community (SADC-PF) in 2024. The decision was announced during the ongoing summit in Port Louis, Mauritius.
According to Angola Press News Agency, Carolina Cerqueira, the National Assembly Speaker of Angola, expressed pride in Angola’s growing influence in regional and global parliamentarism. She assured that Angola would extend a warm welcome to regional parliamentarians. During the 54th Plenary Assembly of the SADC-PF, Cerqueira advocated for parliaments to play a proactive role in fostering social progress and well-being in SADC countries. She stressed the importance of prioritizing nature in political and legislative agendas, addressing environmental concerns alongside political, economic, and budgetary issues for the sustainable development of member states.
The SADC Parliamentary Forum aims to support regional integration through parliamentary participation and promote best practices in governance, democracy, and cooperation. Its objectives encompass a broad spectrum, including promoting human rights, gender equality, economic cooperation, and environmental balance. The forum also encourages the involvement of non-governmental organizations, businesses, and intellectual communities in SADC activities and aims to familiarize citizens with SADC goals while informing about popular opinions on development and regional issues.