Story by Margaret Matibiri
THE Secretary General of the SADC Parliamentary Forum (SADC-PF), Ms Boem Sekgoma, has urged parliaments across the region and beyond to unite in promoting peace and diplomacy as the world marks the International Day of Parliamentarism.
In a statement to commemorate the day, Ms Sekgoma highlighted the critical role parliaments can play in promoting peace amid growing global tensions and armed conflicts.
“This statement is released today to celebrate parliamentarism at a time when diplomacy is being sorely tested on the international scene,” she said.
“In 2025, armed conflicts between countries have escalated and the international order which rests on the peaceful settlement of disputes has been greatly fragilised.”
Ms Sekgoma expressed concern over how global tensions are diverting resources from essential services.
“Tensions around the world are also leading to state protectionism and precautionary investments in ammunitions and weaponry, thus diverting funds from the pool of resources available for human-centric services such as health care, gender mainstreaming or climate action,” she said.
She called on parliaments to assert their role in peace-building.
“It is quintessential for parliaments to rally towards peace-building and the exploration of diplomatic means to protracted conflict resolution. Parliament, as a democratic institution, is ideally positioned to demonstrate neutrality, be critical in war policing, and to legislate or exercise oversight in view of ensuring that the state and its enabling institutions are on a trajectory that promotes peace through conciliatory measures.”
Ms Sekgoma also emphasised the importance of inclusivity in peace efforts.
“It is also crucial to include women and youth representatives to contribute to the parliamentary movement, bearing in mind that peaceful solutions can only be attained when they are inclusive, holistic as well as gender-responsive,” she said.
Ms Sekgoma reflected on the 2025 IPU theme of the day, ‘Achieving Gender Equality, Action by Action’.
“Historically, it has been demonstrated time and again that women MPs can be efficient emissaries of peace and can also resolve complex conflicts which may have eluded policymakers for decades.”
She urged parliaments to prioritise development goals in their budgets.
“The time is nigh for MPs, both men and women, to garner their representative mandate and dismount the prospect of war between nations, de-escalate intra-state conflicts, and ensure that budgets are prioritised to address the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including to enable Universal Health Coverage under SDG 3, a coveted aspiration for most SADC citizens.”
Ms Sekgoma concluded by expressing solidarity with parliaments across the region and the world.
“With these words, we wish to cheer for parliaments in the SADC region and beyond. Long live parliaments!”
