by Richard Chidowore
Parliamentarians, researchers and independent information-providers from six southern African countries assembled in Harare recently and agreed to assist legislators to deal with topical national and regional issues, particularly the economy, environment, human rights, and gender and development.
Hosted by the Parliament of Zimbabwe and organised by the Southern African Research and
Documentation Centre (SARDC) in partnership with the Parliamentary Centre of Canada, the seminar endorsed the phased implementation of an information and research network for legislators in the region, aimed at keeping them abreast of key national and regional issues.
Officially opening the seminar, the Speaker of the Parliament of Zimbabwe: Cyril Ndebele, said, “It is imperative that Members of Parliament (MPs) be kept informed of current developments, both national and international, in socio-economic and political fields with the support of a well-equipped research database to meet the diverse growing needs of its special clientele.”
Participants noted the need for parliamentarians to be provided with an efficient information support structure so as to enable them to contribute meaningfully in national and regional debates. Parliaments in the region were urged to seriously consider investing in information technology to analyze, interpret and present information. The participants realised that with the advent of appropriate informatics utilities, information resource-sharing on a regional basis is now an attainable goal.
“Africa missed out two important revolutions — the agricultural and industrial revolutions, now we do not want Africa to be left out in the new revolution — information technology revolution,” said Dr. Amos Thapisa, of the Department of Library and Information Studies at the University of Botswana.
Speaker Ndebele said it was unsatisfactory that governments in most cases had the monopoly of information, and as such, the legislature had to rely on the executive as a source of its information which, in most cases was biased in favour of the executive.
“Such one-sided origin of information cannot pass the test of objectivity nor is it satisfactory for a clientele that is charged with responsibility of providing checks and balances to government,” said Ndebele.
The delegates from Botswana, Malawi, Namibia, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe agreed that they shared similar needs in the areas of information and research, and that a network should be formed. However, because of the diverse history, size and resource levels of the region’s parliaments, they said it was imperative for the legislatures to first build upon existing national information and research capacity for an effective regional exchange.
Participants recommended that priority be given to building upon existing library and research units and the establishment of parliamentary committees on information and research networking where none exist.
Other recommendations included the strengthening of regional information flow through bilateral exchanges between MPs in the region and internationally, and interaction among the region’s parliamentarians through bodies such as the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) and Inter-Parliamentary Union {IPU).
The delegates encouraged the establishment of linkages with universities and institutions of higher
1eaming, as well as regional and national research and information organizations and Parliaments. They also recommended the use of regional experts, civil society and research institutes in informing MPs on important policy and legislative matters.
A conference for the region’s parliamentary librarians, researchers and information specialists to consider appropriate information delivery systems was also suggested.
The workshop participants, who came together at a time of unprecedented cooperation and peace in the region, strongly supported the remarks of Speaker Ndebele, in “welcoming the adoption of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Parliamentary Forum Constitution by the Parliaments of the Region.” They agreed that Speaker Ndebele should convey the seminar deliberations and recommendations to the Interim Chair of the SADC Parliamentary Forum, who is also the Speaker of the Namibian National Assembly, and through him to its members.
The participants felt that the Forum should be a vehicle to improve the information and resource needs of parliamentarians. The Forum is expected to become a parliamentary arm of SADC, to popularise the regional cooperation and community-building programmes so as to enhance economic and social integration and stability.
The recommendations of the seminar are expected to play a significant part in increasing the capacity of legis1ators to deal with economic, social, environmental and other issues in southern Africa as well as enhancing opportunities for regional co-operation and networking. Participants called on parliaments in the region to establish strong networks with research institutes using modem communications technology such as electronic mail and Compact Disk Read·Only-Memory (CD ROM).
Three issue papers on economic development, women’s status and wildlife legislation – key issues that most MPs in the region have to deal with, — were presented at the seminar as an illustration of the kind of service an information network might provide. The papers were prepared and presented by SARDC.
It is through information exchange in areas such as these that parliamentarians in the region can focus on not only national problems but also common regional issues.(SARDC)
