Address by Honourable Speaker Mr M V Sisulu at the 124th
IPU Assembly
General Debate on the Political, Economic and Social
Situation in the World with the Overall Theme: Parliamentary
Accountability: Living up to People’s Expectations: Panama
City. 16 April 2011
Honourable Speakers
Honourable Members of Parliaments
Distinguished Guests
Ladies and Gentlemen
Let me take this opportunity to express our sincere gratitude to the
people and Parliament of Panama for the warm and friendly
hospitality that has been extended to us. Your efforts in making us
feel welcome in your beautiful country and hosting a very
impressive 124th IPU Assembly are appreciated.
Parliaments are the central institutions of democracy that
represent the hopes and aspirations of the people. Parliaments
must ensure transparency, responsiveness and accountability of
government to the people. As the elected representatives of the
people, parliamentarians are therefore the bridge between the
electorate and government.
As the democratic body entrusted with the oversight of
government, we are responsible to ensure that government is
obliged to account to the people, for all its decisions and actions.
Parliament as a key institution of democracy does not only hold
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government accountable, but is itself also accountable to the
people.
The primary question that we need to answer in this august
Assembly is how do we as representatives of our people ensure
that we deliver on our people’s expectations. The answer to this
question requires of us to consider how within our traditional roles
as legislators and overseers of executive action we respond and
adapt to the changing needs of our societies.
Chairperson
The South African Constitution lays the foundation for a
democratic and open society in which government is based on the
will of the people and every citizen is equally protected in law. In
drafting our Constitution ensuring equal social and political
inclusion in society, was of utmost importance.
As such, the
Constitution provides the political and legal structure to guarantee
and protect all human rights and puts in place mechanisms
through which governance based on the will of the people is
ensured.
Chairperson
Today matters related to international trade, the global economy,
peace, security, terrorism, migration, HIV/Aids, food security,
energy security and climate change will be areas of focus not only
for governments, but also for parliaments as they engage with their
mandate.
These matters need to be addressed by our
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parliaments so that we do not diminish the gains made in
achieving social cohesion and good governance in our countries
and the world. The stark reality of our changing and challenging
world is most keenly felt in developing countries where socioeconomic factors manifest themselves in extreme poverty, hunger
and disease, to name a few, and continue to impact on the
attainment of human dignity for all people.
As we have seen with our deliberations on the role of parliaments
in accelerating the achievement of the MDGs, it is for parliament
and its members to ensure that governments follow through on
their international commitments and obligations. We must act as
agents of change and progress. There is consensus that the
MDGs provide a framework for the international community to work
together towards a common goal of ensuring that human
development reaches all our people. In this regard we should
exercise our legislative, oversight and budgetary responsibilities
prudently so that we ensure achievement of the MDGs by part of
the processes that both shape national policy and deliver on
priorities.
In South Africa we have adopted legislation which gives our
Parliament the ability to effect changes to the national budget. We
will certainly use this oversight power to ensure that our
commitment to the MDGs process results in policies that are pro
poor and gender sensitive. These policies should allow sufficient
expenditures on basic social services to enhance the achievement
of the MDGs and ultimately the quality of life of our people.
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A promise made, must be a promise kept.
responsibility
to
keep
each
other
It is our collective
accountable
for
our
commitments.
Chairperson
All over the world, widening and deepening pockets of inequality
and poverty coupled with a lack of democratic accountability have
resulted in calls for change from ordinary people who want their
voices to be heard and demand that they are governed in an
accountable and transparent way.
I am reminded of the words of Nelson Mandela who said and I
quote:
“It should never be that the anger of the poor should be the finger
of accusation pointed at all of us because we failed to respond to
the cries of the people for food, for shelter, for the dignity of the
individual“.
If we are truly committed to satisfying the basic economic needs of
ordinary people, our parliaments must become agents of
progressive change. We are aware that the architecture of the
current international finance and trade system remains unequal
and unjust. We need to commit our efforts to support all the
processes that are meant to bring about an equitable and just
international trade system. We therefore need to ensure that the
Doha Development Round is concluded with a desired outcome
that will improve the economies of the developing countries.
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In conclusion, we can say that the call for economic reform must
also be linked to the need for continued action on the devastating
effects of climate change.
The programme of work on climate
change for 2011, leading up to COP 17, in Durban in December, is
daunting but necessary. The road from Cancun to Durban is of
fundamental importance to our future and goes to the very heart of
the challenges faced by the world and developing countries in
particular.
This implies among other things that, annex 1,
developed countries, will need to seriously adhere to their legal
obligations under the Kyoto Protocol to reduce greenhouse gas
emissions and that we all have work together to ensure adequate
financial resources to Africa for technology transfer and adaptation
to address the serious consequences of climate change.
I am reminded once again of the words of Nelson Mandela when
he said:
“It always seems impossible until it's done.”
Muchas Gracias
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