SADC-PF unanimously endorses Blue Economy concept |15 July 2015

A motion recognising the importance of the Blue Economy to economic development of island and coastal states as an integral part of Southern African industrialisation and regional integration was unanimously approved by the Parliamentary Forum of the Southern African Development Community.

The 37th Southern African Development Community (SADC- PF) session was held in Durban, South Africa, last week.
The motion which urged the SADC region to leverage on the Blue Economy as an alternative economic development approach that is guided by environmental principles where spatial planning integrates conservation, sustainable use, resource extraction, sustainable energy production and transportation for the benefit of the citizens was tabled by the Seychelles delegation led by the Speaker, Dr Patrick Herminie.  Sylvianne Valmont, clerk Shelda Commettant, and Doreen Zelia, director in the Office of the Speaker, also formed part of the delegation
The forum further resolved to intensify its effort to turn the SADC-PF into a regional parliament with oversight representative and legislative responsibilities.

It also deplored the criminalisation of HIV transmission and called on member parliaments to rescind and review punitive laws specific to the prosecution of HIV transmission, exposure and non-disclosure.

The SADC parliamentary forum provides a platform for parliaments and parliamentarians to promote and improve regional integration in the Sadc region through parliamentary involvement.
The theme of the last assembly was ‘Industrialisation and Regional Integration in SADC: The role of Parliaments’ and was officially launched by South African President Jacob Zuma.