Story by ZBC Reporter
THE global push for peace and security is faltering, with parliaments urged to intensify diplomacy grounded in dialogue, justice and respect for international law, Speaker of Parliament, Advocate Jacob Mudenda has said.
Addressing the General Debate at the 152nd Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union in Istanbul, Advocate Mudenda warned that the world remains off-track in meeting key peace and governance commitments.
The Assembly is being held under the theme, “Nurturing Hope, Securing Peace and Ensuring Justice for Future Generations.”
Advocate Mudenda said the theme aligns with the United Nations Charter and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, particularly Sustainable Development Goal 16, which promotes peaceful and inclusive societies.
However, he noted that global progress remains inadequate.
“The Sustainable Development Report 2024 indicates that SDG 16 remains among the most off-track of all the seventeen goals,” he said, citing worsening humanitarian and security conditions.
Drawing on data from the UNHCR, Advocate Mudenda said more than 117 million people are forcibly displaced worldwide, while around two billion live in fragile or conflict-affected environments.
He added that Africa accounts for approximately 44 million internally displaced persons and refugees, warning that these trends threaten the African Union’s Silencing the Guns initiative and the broader aspirations of Agenda 2063.
Rising militarisation was also flagged as a major concern, with global military expenditure surpassing US$2.4 trillion in 2023, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute.
Advocate Mudenda urged leaders to prioritise diplomacy and multilateralism in resolving conflicts.
“Nurturing hope in the middle of the current global war conflicts and in the future demands that we should religiously believe that hope does not disappoint. Justice is the ethical, philosophical and legal principle of fairness, equity and moral rightness which guarantees peace for the present and future generations globally. Meanwhile, the peace dividend must be premised on total respect for international law and multilateralism, and not on unipolar hegemony,” he said.
Reflecting on Zimbabwe’s own experience, he highlighted the country’s post-independence reconciliation efforts, including the 1987 Unity Accord, which helped foster national healing and stability.
Advocate Mudenda added that the 2013 Constitution entrenches reconciliation through a comprehensive Bill of Rights, reinforcing Zimbabwe’s commitment to peace and justice.
Meanwhile, the Assembly considered emergency motions under Rule 11.1 focusing on conflicts in the Middle East. Iran withdrew its proposal before voting, while a motion submitted by Qatar on the need for coordinated parliamentary efforts to preserve ceasefires and support peacebuilding was adopted.
The 152nd IPU Assembly is set to conclude on Sunday, with the election of a new Secretary-General expected on the final day.
