Press release of the Inter-Parliamentary Union
Windhoek, 6 April 1998
N° 3

PRESIDENT NUJOMA OPENS FIRST IPU CONFERENCE IN SOUTHERN AFRICA

The President of the Republic of Namibia, H.E. Mr Sam Nujoma, opened the 99th Conference of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) in Windhoek today, expressing the wish that the week-long debates " set the tone for better relations between the legislature and the electorate for the next millennium. "

" Your Union provides a platform where different parliaments across the globe can come together and exchange views and experiences on parliamentary democracy, " President Nujoma declared in a speech in the Parliament Gardens to representatives of national parliaments from 120 countries. " These exchanges allow for the strengthening of cordial relations among the various parliaments and the sharing of ideas and experiences. They also allow us to remain tuned in to the needs and moods of our people. "

Mr Nujoma spoke in particular about the IPU's work in the promotion of women in politics and welcomed the fact that women's participation is high on the IPU's agenda.

" Women make up more than fifty percent of our populations and it is unfair that they are excluded from the decision-making process through under-representation, " he said. " Thus, I am delighted that the IPU has made provision for the empowerment of women Members of Parliament. " Nujoma said that currently his party, SWAPO, was " busy sensitising both men and women " in Namibia to accept that at least 50 percent of candidates for parliamentary elections are women.

The President of the Inter-Parliamentary Council, Mr Miguel Angel Martínez, told the inaugural ceremony how pleased the IPU was to hold its first-ever Conference in Southern Africa in Windhoek. " Namibia is a young nation that was born out of a long liberation struggle. I wish to pay tribute to the fact that, as an independent nation, Namibia adheres to democratic principles and pluralism, and offers a very significant role for its Parliament. "

Mr Martínez said the Windhoek Conference had two topics of " particular significance for Africa and the entire world " on its agenda : the prevention of conflicts and the HIV/AIDS pandemic. He called for the adoption of " strong resolutions " at the Conference " in these two vital areas ".

On the prevention of conflicts, Martínez said parliamentarians would need to focus on the millions of refugees who have been forced to abandon their homes because of political upheaval in their countries and on the need to strengthen democratic processes and speed up reconstruction. On HIV/AIDS, he said that parliamentarians were in a unique position to influence governmental responses to the pandemic by introducing laws and adopting policies and budgets to help countries adopt better education and preventive care policies.

The IPU President stressed that the resolutions adopted by the Conference on these issues would serve as a basis for future work by the IPU in its co-operation with the United Nations. " Whether in relation to one or the other of these subjects, the IPU and the world community of national parliaments will be making a concrete contribution to efforts in the UN, " Mr Martinez declared.

Mr Martinez also spoke about the " new and growing role " of parliaments in foreign relations and international co-operation, notably with the United Nations. " Indeed, it is today impossible to speak of dialogue and discussion among States while referring only to intergovernmental structures, without including inter-parliamentary institutions in the process, " he said. " Through the conjunction of democratisation and globalisation, parliamentary diplomacy is emerging as a force to be reckoned with. "

Mr Martínez said that during the week of the Windhoek Conference, further initiatives would be discussed to further IPU's co-operation with the United Nations, on the basis of the 1996 IPU-UN Co-operation Agreement.

Finally, Martínez said, the work of the Conference should not lose sight of the fact that "the achievement of democracy presupposes a genuine partnership between men and women in the conduct of the affairs of society. This fundamental concept, which is contained in the IPU's Universal Declaration on Democracy, should serve as the backbone of our work this week. "

He said that the IPU had already done much work in achieving genuine parity between men and women, and that during the Windhoek Conference session would be looking at changes in its own structures to ensure that the voice of women MPs is better heard in the IPU.

The Speaker of the National Assembly of Namibia, Mr Mose Tjitendero, said the Windhoek Conference will be faced with three fundamental issues : sustainable development within the context of democracy ; establishing a stronger relationship between parliaments and their electorates ; and searching for ways to deal with unemployment in the world.

Added to these concerns, Mr Tjitendero said, was the problem of HIV/AIDS, and the need for MPs to " formulate actions that are designed to bring about education as a major instrument towards prevention ". He stressed that by themselves " words will not be adequate " in addressing this disease. It is " particularly frightening in the sense that it attacks the most vulnerable, and yet the most essential component of our populations all over the world - that is the youth who will be the productive force and leaders of tomorrow. "

The Speaker also called for " global action " to create a " world where there are no more refugees ". He said that action was needed to promote dialogue and arbitration as alternatives to war which would eliminate the root cause of the displacement of people. " In this world of globalisation and democratised governments there should not be any refugees. "

Mr Tjitendero made special mention of the IPU's support for democratic development in Africa, including for Namibia's independence. He also noted IPU's involvement in the just-ended Union of African Parliaments' meeting in Harare, which brought together senior parliamentary leaders to make the UAP " a truly Pan-African tool for parliamentary co-operation. " He said the Windhoek conference would review the results of that meeting.

Mr Tjitendero pointed to some of the problems that persist in Africa, such as the question of Angola " which is not totally resolved, " and elsewhere in the world, " the looming Kosovo situation ". He stressed that " it is only through united political action that these issues can be solved ", and said the IPU " is truly well placed, relevant and suitable to address the problems of the 21^st century. "

The UN Secretary-General, Mr Kofi Annan, in a message read to the opening ceremony by the UN Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs, Sir Kieran Prendergast, welcomed the choice of Windhoek for the Conference as a manifestation of Africa's " new age : an age of democracy, human rights, and sustainable development. Today, portents of this new age can be seen all around the continent - not least here in Namibia, where the smooth transition to democracy has served as a source of inspiration to us all. "

Mr Annan said the prevention of conflicts was an " overriding " goal for the United Nations. "There is no goal more overriding, no commitment more compelling, no aspiration more profound than the prevention of armed conflict. Ensuring human security, in the broadest sense, is the United Nations' cardinal mission. "

The Secretary-General said he would soon be presenting a comprehensive report to the Security Council on the situation in Africa in this regard, adding : " The United Nations' many recent experiences in Somalia, the Great Lakes Region, Liberia, and Sierra Leone ... highlight the relevance and urgency of developing preventive action and peace-building measures for Africa. "

Mr Annan also referred to the IPU's Declaration on Democracy which, he said, reiterated the organisation's " commitment to peace and development through the strengthening of representative institutions. I see this as yet another manifestation of how parliamentarians such as yourselves, and organisations such as the IPU, are indispensable partners in the service of a better world. "

The Chairman of the National Council of Namibia, Mr Kandy Nehova, ended the inaugural ceremony with a vote of thanks, saying what an honour it was for Namibia to host the Conference of legislators from around the world.

" We consider this as a gesture of confidence and solidarity with the people of Namibia and indeed with the Southern Africa region, " he said.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, contact at the Safari Court Media Centre:

tel. (264 61) 257.840; fax: 255.337
IPU Information Officer: Robin Newmann; Namibian Press Officer: Francis Xoagub