South Africa’s Deputy President, His Excellency Shipokosa Paulus Mashatile, has officially opened the 58th Plenary Assembly of the SADC Parliamentary Forum (SADC PF) with a call for bold, coordinated and gender-responsive action to confront the escalating climate crisis.
Delivering his keynote remarks virtually due to pressing government commitments on Sunday, Mashatile warned that climate change has become “a significant threat multiplier” for women and young people whose daily lives, livelihoods, and futures are increasingly under strain.
He said the Plenary’s theme, “The Impact of Climate Change on Women and Youth in the SADC Region and the Role of Parliaments in Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation,” was timely and urgent.
“Parliaments play a crucial role in shaping policies and implementing measures to mitigate and adapt to climate change,” he said and added, “As leaders in our communities, let us commit ourselves to meaningful and impactful action to address the impact of climate change on women and youth in the SADC region.”
Mashatile hailed the SADC PF for its consistency in placing people-centred regional priorities at the heart of parliamentary dialogue. He commended the Forum’s innovations in legislative development, oversight and regional cooperation and said that its continued evolution strengthens the democratic architecture of Southern Africa.
He said the Plenary Assembly remains “a crucial platform for collective reflection, collaborative problem-solving and strengthening parliamentary solidarity across our region.”