MAKHIWA² 🦉

I am honoured to be participating as one of the speakers at the 6th African Conference on Debt and Development, taking place under the theme: “𝗙𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗙𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝗜𝗻𝗳𝗹𝘂𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲: 𝗔𝗱𝘃𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝗳𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗣𝗼𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝗗𝗲𝗯𝘁.” As a parliamentarian, my focus is on the urgent need to move from debt management to economic transformation; from fragmentation to collective influence; and from dependency to greater African economic sovereignty. I will also speak to the responsibility of African governments and parliaments. We must demand transparency and accountability in public borrowing, ensure that debt finances productive investment, and make certain that the burden of today's borrowing does not become tomorrow's burden on our children. As Chairperson of the SADC PF TIFI Committee, and through the other interparliamentary platforms on which I serve, I remain committed to using these spaces to advance stronger African cooperation, greater accountability and meaningful implementation of the Common African Position on Debt. Our continent cannot continue to be a rule-taker in a global financial system that profoundly shapes our development prospects. We must move towards becoming a rule-maker — strengthening our institutions, mobilising resources domestically, reforming the global financial architecture, and building the collective bargaining power necessary to secure fairer and more sustainable financing for development. I look forward to contributing to what promises to be an important and consequential conversation about the Africa we want — and, more importantly, the Africa we must build. The participation of young people in this forum is inspiring. I am grateful to the organisers and partners for supporting my participation, which comes at no cost to the public purse. #debtanddevelopment #panafricanism #EconomicSovereignty #AskDumelang

“𝙃𝙖𝙥𝙥𝙮 𝙩𝙤 𝙨𝙚𝙧𝙫𝙚 𝙢𝙮 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙢𝙪𝙣𝙞𝙩𝙮, 𝙢𝙮 𝙣𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙎𝘼𝘿𝘾” At the recent sitting of the SADC Parliamentary Forum Standing Committees, I was elected by my fellow MPs from sister countries to chair the Forums Committee on Trade, Industry, Finance and Investment (TIFI Committee). Most people know what SADC is (a regional grouping of 16 countries found in the Southern part of the African continent that promotes political, socio-economic cooperation). The pillar for economic cooperation within SADC is increased trade amongst the member countries. Within the 16-member countries of SADC, Parliamentarians from the member countries regularly convene under the banner of SADC Parliamentary Forum to primarily promote the role of national Parliaments in advancing the regional goals for greater collaboration between the countries. Presidents of the SADC member countries have authorised that the Forum be transformed into a regional Parliament, as is the case with other economic blocks on our continent that have regional Parliaments (East Africa Legislative Assembly and ECOWAS Parliament). I represent the Parliament of Botswana in the SADC Parliamentary Forum. 𝗜 𝗱𝗼 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗠𝗮𝘂𝗻 𝗡𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗵, 𝗜 𝗱𝗼 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗕𝗼𝘁𝘀𝘄𝗮𝗻𝗮 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘆, 𝗜 𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗕𝗼𝘁𝘀𝘄𝗮𝗻𝗮! Like our own Parliament, all regional Parliaments operate through committees. As the name suggests, the committee I now chair (TIFI) is positioned to promote trade, industry, finance and investment within the member countries. As chair of the committee, I now carry the responsibility to advance the interests of the entire region, to open up our borders for greater trade and investment in SADC. Those with interest in regional trade and integration and wish to walk with me and provide their insights, please feel free to contact my office and together we can build a better region. #SADCPF #Botswana #askdumelang