Story by Tichaona Kurewa
VICTORIA FALLS -ZIMBABWE has been commended as a model of regional development and good governance during the official opening of the 57th Assembly of the SADC Parliamentary Forum (SADC PF), currently underway in Victoria Falls.
The high level gathering has brought together over 300 delegates, including Speakers and Members of Parliament from across the SADC region, as well as representatives from international development partners.
Speaking at the official opening on Monday, SADC PF Secretary General, Her Excellency Boemo Sekgoma, lauded Zimbabwe’s Parliament for becoming the only legislature globally to attain ISO 9001:2015 certification for quality management systems.
“We are also happy and would like to take this opportunity to congratulate the Parliament of Zimbabwe for being the only parliament in the world certified under the ISO 9001:2015 international standard for quality management systems. The meticulous arrangements we have witnessed since our arrival confirm that this certification is no fluke,” she said.
She further commended Zimbabwe’s resilience and innovative governance, highlighting its pioneering role in health financing through the National AIDS Trust Fund commonly known as the AIDS Levy, which has become a continental model for sustainable, domestically funded healthcare.
“Zimbabwe’s diversity and unique resilience have enabled her to shift from traditional economic pillars to embracing innovation and smart governance. For example, in the fight against HIV and AIDS, Zimbabwe pioneered domestic co-financing through the National AIDS Trust Fund, popularly known as the AIDS Levy, a model that has inspired many across the continent. This home-grown solution has allowed Zimbabwe to scale up HIV treatment, prevention, and support services. It exemplifies what the SADC Parliamentary Forum advocates for: sustainable, locally-led financing for health and social development,” she added.
Zimbabwe’s unwavering support for SADC PF initiatives was also highlighted by the Speaker of the National Assembly, Honourable Advocate Jacob Mudenda.
“In that regard, it is our hope that the envisaged Protocol, which will facilitate the transformation of the SADC Parliamentary Forum into a fully-fledged SADC Regional Parliament, will be adopted at the August 2025, 45th SADC Summit in Madagascar,” he said.
Youth representatives at the Assembly also acknowledged the Forum’s continued efforts to include young voices in policy and legislative processes.
Honourable Angela Nokubatha Dube, representing persons with disabilities in the Africa Youth Parliament, applauded the SADC PF for creating platforms for young people to contribute meaningfully to parliamentary processes.
“Young people have actively contributed to policy dialogue and legislative review processes. Our concerns and aspirations have not only been heard but also seriously considered and integrated into regional policy frameworks. We are regularly invited to participate in the Gender Equality, Women’s Advancement, and Youth Development Committee, as well as other Standing Committees and Plenary Assembly sessions. These engagements are vital to our parliamentary learning journey and essential to strengthening the institutional capacity of the Youth Parliament,” she said.
A key feature of this year’s Assembly is the exploration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) as a tool to enhance parliamentary transparency, efficiency, and citizen engagement.
ICT experts are providing technical insights to support AI integration in legislative systems across the region.
Delegates are leveraging the Assembly to craft long-term strategies for digital governance, regional integration, and institutional innovation.
