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{
    "id": 148719,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/148719/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 479,
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    "content": "climate change is important to the world today. In November, there is a major conference in Copenhagen on climate change. Parliamentarians in the ACP countries, working together with EU partners, are trying to say: “As we go to Copenhagen, what is the role of Parliamentarians around the world on the issue of climate change?” As Prof. Kamar has rightly said, our Parliament, and particularly the Departmental Committee concerned, should take a critical look, at the situation of climate change, so that we can join hands together with those who are in the Pan African Parliament (PAP), in which the Chair is, we can work together and have one position, as Parliament, when that question comes up. There will be a conference in Yaoundé, on 25th June. It is basically an ACP meeting during which Members of the Committees concerned – once formed – and the PAP will team up and discuss issues relating to these areas. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, we also discussed, in the last few meetings, the political situations in various ACP countries such as Somalia, Mauritania, Zimbabwe and so on. I always find that when it comes to this situation, as a delegation, we are sometimes left in the situation because our own Government does not constantly inform Parliament what positions they hold on various issues relating to certain countries. Especially, when Zimbabwe was being discussed, you would find yourself sitting back, not knowing which way to go because, within the Government, there were varying voices, with some saying “this is right, this is wrong”, and so on and so forth. So, for that purpose, it is, sometimes, important that the Government brings to Parliament into the act, so that when our delegations go out, we are able to debate meaningfully. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, I said that I will deal mainly with the EPAS. I am doing this specifically because I believe that EPAS are great instruments – instruments that provide the process between the ACP and EU, so that they can be able to come into arrangements on how to do business together. The EPAS are extremely important, because they did find the future relationship, especially in economic terms and trade, between ACP countries and EU countries. Like I said of the EDF, Papers have been controversial. Some countries have initial fully, while others have only partially initial. Kenya has partially initialed but, again, that agreement was never brought to the House for debate. So, as Parliament, we have no idea why the Government did what it did. Most countries, especially the EACP countries are committed in implementing EPAS because it is a good programme. I think the condition should be that the EPAS really helps to deepen regional integration and also contributes to broad-based development within the ACP countries. It should provide preferential market access and improve competitiveness with the European Union."
}