EZULWINI – History was made when the OACPS-EU agreed on 84 paragraphs to improve livelihoods of millions of people in the continent of Africa.
The paragraphs will now be taken to the Council of Ministers and implementation will follow.
Th agrement was made during the Joint Parliamentary Assembly of the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States and the European Union (OACPS - EU). The marriage comes with education partnerships for Africans, human development initiatives, women empowerment, financial aid and a host of delicacies that Eswatini will also benefit from.
The assembly lasted a week, having started on May 7 with the Africa part of the OACPS and later developed to encompass the European Union.
It was concluded with a boisterous applause from delegates and country representatives as the continents’ legislators called it a successful ‘marriage’.
His Majesty King Mswati III officially closed the meeting, represented by Prince Lindani.
The prince, also a member of the House of Assembly, said on behalf of His Majesty the King, Her Majesty the Queen Mother, government and the people of the Kingdom of Eswatini, he was impressed with the robust debates that did not shy away from difficult questions on multilateralism, trade and the future of the Samoa Agreement.
“We thank you for the moments of joy shared throughout the sessions — at the Ghana forum, the energy of the Women’s Forum and the Youth Forum. Thank you for allowing Eswatini to become a home to you during this week, sharing our culture and our peace.”
The prince said Eswatini feels honoured to be allowed to host the event.
“Honourable colleagues, the communiqués and resolutions adopted are only words on paper if we do not act upon them. I therefore ask each of us to carry them home. Climate change does not wait. Youth unemployment does not wait. Instability does not wait. A young generation is not built on words alone, but on decisions — and I am glad we have taken important ones here. Our partnership is with us. We cannot ask the world to share power with us if we do not first demonstrate shared responsibility within this room,” he said.
Prince Lindani said the success of the meeting will be measured by the impact that the resolutions taken will have on the people — for the fisherfolk in Harare, the students in Abuja, the communities in Brussels.
“If it does not reach them, then it does not matter,” he said.
He said the parliamentarians were ‘fearless in debate and warm in friendship’.
“That is what democracy should look like,” he added.
Prince Lindani told the European legislators that Africa needs a partner with an equal voice, further registering confidence that the week proved this is possible.
“To the youth and women who spoke out this week: This Parliament is yours. We heard you, and we have acted,” he said.
Co-President of the Africa-EU Parliamentary Assembly Hilde Vautmans said though there were many countries, political parties and varying perspectives on many issues, the meeting was a success.
“I think I can say that this has been a good conference,” she said.
She said difference of opinion signals progress.
“We are beginning to understand one another better. We are beginning to talk. And maybe there are arguments — perhaps even fights sometimes. But that can happen in a marriage from time to time. I don’t know how it works in the OACPS, but in Europe, sometimes we argue too. Yet at the end of the day, we still say: We move forward together.”
She had good things to say about the country: “I’m happy that in the end, we can present an agreement here — something we can vote on — and leave this beautiful kingdom, this beautiful country, this beautiful conference, saying: We worked hard.”
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