A delegation from the National Assembly of Seychelles attended the Joint Sessions of the Standing Committees of the Southern African Development Community Parliamentary Forum (SADC-PF) in Johannesburg, South Africa, from 19th to 22nd May 2026. The delegation comprised Hon. Denise Clarisse, Hon. Claudette Louise, Hon. Keneth Athanase and Hon. Gervais Henrie.
The joint sessions hosted by the SADC PF brought together parliamentarians, parliamentary staff, civil society representatives, researchers, cooperating partners, and governance experts from across the 15-member states of the Southern African Development Community (SADC). Held at the Southern Sun Hotel, the three-day meetings were held under the theme ‘Enhancing Parliamentary Advocacy for Effective Domestication and Implementation of SADC Protocol for Democratic and Inclusive Governance’ addressing a broad range of issues, including political financing, youth participation in parliamentary processes, inclusive governance for persons with disabilities, women’s participation in decision-making, violence against women in politics, partnerships between civil society and parliaments, and socioeconomic inequality.
The Secretary General of the SADC PF, Mrs. Boemo Sekgoma opened the sessions, highlighting the threat that parliamentary democracy is under globally and the importance of including youth, women, persons with disabilities in governance processes – coining that it is central to effective parliamentary governance.
On the first day Hon. Denise Clarisse made an intervention on ‘Building Cross-Party Parliamentary Solidarity for Women’s Political Empowerment in the SADC Region’ bringing forward the case of Seychelles and the platforms that the Women’s Parliamentary Caucus (WPC) of the National Assembly have been spearheading over the years. In her speech, Hon. Clarisse highlighted that bipartisanship is essential and that the WPC prove that uniting across party lines allows leaders to address critical issues and provide scope for connecting more deeply with vulnerable communities. She further called upon the SADC region to institutionalize cross-party caucuses, to invest in youth mentorship, enhance data and tracking of genders protocols as well as the importance of providing spaces to include men as allies in this pivotal.
The fourth day of the meetings provided an opportunity for members of the five standing committees to convene and elect their respective chairpersons and vice-chairpersons. One of the highlights of the session was the deliberation on the SADC-PF Sexual Harassment Policy, as well as the validation of the SADC Model Law on Prison Oversight.
Hon. Claudette Louise has been elected as the Vice-Chairperson of the Committee on Democratisation, Governance and Human Rights (DGHR) during the Standing Committee meetings and she will serve in this position until 2028. Hon. Louise highlighted that she is ‘honoured and humbled to have been elected Vice-Chairperson and to be provided the opportunity to serve in this important role.’ Further mentioning that she intends to discharge her duties and responsibilities gracefully alongside the Chairperson from Lesotho.
The delegation participated actively in the discussions, presenting Seychelles’ position and supporting initiatives aimed at accelerating SADC’s regional integration agenda and strengthening the country’s engagement within the region.
“The challenge for the National Assembly is its oversight role over the executive to ensure Seychelles fulfils its commitment to ratify the various SADC protocols. The engagement of Member states within the agreed timeframe is vital in achieving the community’s goals,” said Hon. Henrie, who represents Seychelles on the SADC-PF Executive Committee.
Seychelles still has several outstanding SADC protocols awaiting ratification and the joint sessions served as a preparation for the upcoming SADC-PF Plenary Assembly, which will be hosted by Seychelles in July 2026.
