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Delegation Reports
118th IPU ASSEMBLY CAPE TOWN, SOUTH
AFRICA 13 TO 18 APRIL 2008
Leader
Dr Roger Berry MP
Standing Committees
First Standing Committee (Peace and International Security):
Rt Hon Lord Morris of Aberavon KG QC, co-rapporteur
Oliver Heald MP
Second Standing Committee (Sustainable Development, Finance and Trade):
Nigel Evans MP
Sir John Stanely MP
Third Standing Committee (Democracy and Human Rights):
Andrew Dismore MP
co-rapporteur
Rt Hon Ann Clwyd MP
Inter-Parliamentary Council
Dr Roger Berry MP
Nigel Evans MP
Rt Hon Ann Clwyd MP
The delegation was supported by Mr Kenneth Courtenay, Miss Dominique
Rees and Mr Chintan Makwana of the British Group IPU Secretariat and by
Ms Nicole Davison, Deputy Head of the Parliamentary Relations Team in
the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. Miss Francesca Ingham and Miss Sue
Griffiths were also in attendance to provide support to the 12+ Secretariat,
currently under the chairmanship of John Austin MP.
Mr Douglas Millar, Clerk Assistant, House of Commons and Mr David Beamish,
Clerk Assistant and Clerk of Legislation, House of Lords represented the
UK at the parallel conference of the Association of Secretaries General
of Parliaments (ASGP). Stephen Mark, Joint Secretary of the ASGP, and
Ms Catherine Close, Assistant Secretary, were also present.
Before the start of the Assembly, some members of the delegation took
part in a bilateral programme in Kwa Zulu Natal, from 10 to 11 April 2008
Participants were:
Roger Berry MP
Ann Clwyd MP
Andrew Dismore MP
Oliver Heald MP
John Austin MP
Nigel Evans MP
Lord Morris of Aberavon
On Thursday, 10 April the delegation visited a Prison Pilot Programme
at the Pietersmaritzburg Correctional Centre. The visit provided an insight
into prison management in South Africa and on the innovative programme
of rehabilitation being carried out by Khulisa, a local non-profit organisation
that has previously been funded by the British High Commission and DfID.
We arrived an hour late, so the programme was curtailed. The prison has
a population of 2600 with approved accommodation for 1330. Re-offending
rate is 80-85 per cent nationally, but 15 per cent from this prison.
There then followed a call on Mr S’bu Ndebele, Premier of KwaZulu
Natal. After a brief introduction by the Premier, the discussion covered
Education, HIV/AIDS, Employment skills (the need for training plumbers,
electricians and similar trades) and the role of sport. On the ANC’s
view of the future of Africa, the Premier said that closer ties were needed
between African countries and that SADC was being deepened. Also, the
UK’s Citizen’s Charter was interesting and parts of it had
been adopted in KZN.
The delegation then called on Deputy Mayor of Durban, Mr Logie Naidoo
and Municipal Manager, Dr Michael Sutcliffe. Adverse comment was made
on the closure of the British Consulate in Durban.
Extensive interruptions in electricity supply are being made to balance
supply and demand.
The biggest crime issue is the theft of cables.
On the following day, a visit was made to the University of Kwa Zulu Natal
and DfID HIV/AIDS project at Kwadebeka settlement, the purpose of which
is to study the maternal transmission of HIV. DfID was involved in the
management consultations to evaluate the project and administration of
funds. Most of the money for the project has come from DfID (£7.5m
so far), with UNICEF providing some. At the time of the visit, a further
£100k was needed to cover the final six months of the project.
At a meeting with the ANC Provincial Secretary, Senzo Mchunu, the delegation
was told that preparations were being made for General Elections in March/April
2009. Issues are the economy, education, crime, energy and water. The
ANC view was that the new administration would have to put more effort
into delivery.
The Zimbabwe situation was having a strong impact on South Africa and
was an embarrassment to all of Southern Africa. The number of refugees
was distorting the levels of unemployment in South Africa.
The delegation returned to Cape Town for the start of the Assembly and
associated meetings.
This Assembly followed the new Assembly format by adopting the standing
committee resolutions which had already been debated in Geneva in the
autumn. The resolutions adopted were: First Standing Committee: ‘The
role of parliaments in striking a balance between national security, human
security and individual freedoms, and in averting the threat to democracy’
and for the Second Standing Committee Parliamentary oversight of state
policies on foreign aid’ and the Thirst Standing Committee Migrant
workers, people trafficking, xenophobia and human rights.
After some considerable debate and negotiation, the Assembly unanimously
adopted an emergency item resolution entitled The role of parliaments
and the Inter-Parliamentary Union in ensuring an immediate halt to the
rapidly deteriorating humanitarian situation in conflict areas and its
environmental dimension, in facilitating the Palestinians’ right
to self-determination - particularly by ending the blockade in Gaza -
and in accelerating the creation of a Palestinian State through viable
peace processes’.
The Assembly was marked by a declaration made by the President of the
Assembly, Ms Baleka Mbete, Speaker of the South African Assembly on the
situation in Zimbabwe.
The delegation appreciated the assistance of HM High Commissioner, Rt
Hon Paul Boateng, and the Consular and High Commission staff for all their
assistance throughout the visit. The High Commissioner jointly hosted
a reception at his residence for members of the other delegations attending
the Assembly.
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