EZULWINI - The Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS) has been asked to tackle the growing xenophobia within the African continent.
Xenophobia is acts of hatred or hostility towards fellow African citizens.
The parliamentarians asked that this issue should form the agenda of group discussions of the OACPS during the ongoing meeting at the Ezulwini Palazzo Convention Centre.
This was after some legislation coming from different African States registered concern that if xenophobia is not addressed, it may erode the gains made in uniting the continent and bringing sustainable development. Some mentioned that South Africa, where the xenophobia is currently at its peak, must be engaged.
Group meetings agreed to address the issue of xenophobia attacks as part of their deliberations agenda.
When chairing yesterday’s session, David Houinsa of the Republic of Benini noted that many legislators were keen to address the issue.
Though some wanted to expand on it during the meeting, he said there was no need because a consensus had been made to address it in group meeting.
Meanwhile, Sierra Leone leader of the House of Assembly, Mathew Sahr Nyuma called for the inclusion of xenophobia ahead of the adoption of the agenda at the meeting.
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OACPS reaches defining moment
EZULWINI – OACPS Secretary General Moussa Selah Batraki declared the organisation has reached a defining moment, calling for total transformation to ensure its survival and global relevance.
Batraki told delegates that the OACPS must transition from an entity reliant on external subsidies to a financially autonomous powerhouse.
The secretary general noted that this year sends a strong political message regarding the collective power of the people of Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific. He expressed deep gratitude to His Majesty King Mswati III for hosting the assembly.
“The message from our heads of State and government was very clear: Our countries must transform themselves and that is the challenge,” Batraki said.
He described the OACPS as a unique platform that carries a unified political voice in a rapidly changing world, urging that it must become a genuine instrument for cultural cooperation and international influence.
Batraki laid bare the dire State of the organisation when he took office a year ago. He said he inherited an institution crippled by financial constraints, administrative hurdles and a reduction in external funding.
He said within 12 months, the secretariat has undergone a rigorous recovery dynamic, involving internal restructuring and the enforcement of strict financial discipline. A symbolic milestone in this recovery was the establishment of a permanent headquarters in Brussels.
“This is not simply a building; it is an act of commitment. The ACP must have a common home and working tools that match its ambitions,” the secretary general added.
He argued that peace and stability would not be achieved by ministers and economists alone, but through the democratic legitimacy represented by parliamentarians.
Cameroon Parliamentarian Yaya Domba Marius, who is also the President of the OACPS Afrique Central, called for a radical institutional overhaul of the (OACPS) Parliamentary Assembly to tackle terrorism, climate change and economic stagnation.
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OACPS Delegates after their morning session at Ezulwini Palazzo yesterday. (Courtesy pic)