By Moses Magadza

Antananarivo, Madagascar – The President of the SADC Parliamentary Forum (SADC PF) and Speaker of the National Assembly of Madagascar, Hon. Justin Tokely, has urged regional legislators to deepen interparliamentary cooperation and accelerate efforts towards establishing a Southern African Regional Parliament.

Speaking at a luncheon in Antananarivo hosted in honour of the visiting SADC PF Lobby Team, Hon. Tokely welcomed Speakers of the National Assemblies of Zimbabwe, Zambia, Angola, and Namibia, alongside members of the Lobby Group.

He hailed their presence as “a concrete demonstration of what interparliamentary cooperation can achieve when convictions and will are combined in the service of a common ideal.”

The luncheon took place at the “Toit de Tanà,” a location overlooking Antananarivo. Drawing on its symbolic significance, Hon. Tokely said, “This location, which overlooks our capital, offers us a view of the diversity of Antananarivo. It is a place that allows us to rise above, not only physically but also symbolically, to better appreciate the path we are traveling together in building a more united and stronger region.”

He described Madagascar as a cultural crossroads shaped by centuries of exchange between Africa, Asia, Arabia, and beyond, bound together by a common language and patriotism.

He reminded guests that Madagascar was among the founding nations of the Organization of African Unity in 1963 and remains committed to Pan-Africanism.

“As an African proverb so aptly puts it: ‘The fingers of the hand are unequal, but they work together.’ Similarly, our nation, born of diversity, is united in its aspirations and values,” he said.

The SADC PF President paid tribute to the Lobby Team’s leadership and singled out the Speaker of Zimbabwe’s National Assembly, Hon. Jacob Francis Nzwidamilimo Mudenda, who heads the Advocacy Group.

“Your tireless commitment to our region, your ability to persuade, and your keen sense of responsibility have won over all the countries of the SADC Parliamentary Forum to sign the Agreement amending the Treaty of the Southern African Development Community,” he stated.

He also saluted the women Speakers present for ensuring that parliaments in the region remain “driving forces for change and regional unity.”

On the SADC Summit in Antananarivo, Hon Tokely described it as a “historic double milestone” for the region.

The Summit, he explained, would both recognise regional integration as a driver of progress and spotlight “energy transition and agricultural transformation” as central to sustainable development.

“The SADC Summit in Antananarivo marks a historic double milestone, namely the recognition of regional integration as a lever for accelerating the energy transition and agricultural transformation,” he said, adding that these would lay the foundations for the future SADC Regional Parliament.

Hon. Tokely echoed the words of the late President of Ghana, Kwame Nkrumah, noting, “We must find an African solution to our problems, and that this solution can only be found in African unity. Divided, we are weak; united, Africa can truly become one of the greatest forces in the world.”

The luncheon, he said, was not just a moment of conviviality but “a living testimony to the brotherhood between our peoples and the close ties that unite us within the SADC-PF.”

He proposed a toast to friendship, regional unity, and “the prosperous future we are building together.”

• Moses Magadza is the Media and Communications Manager at the SADC Parliamentary Forum.