The Declaration of Dar es Salaam was adopted on November 5, in Tanzania, at the end of the Conference of Women Parliamentarians of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region's Parliamentary Forum (FP-CIRGL). The document outlines commitments to enhance women's participation in peace, security, and regional development processes. The conference brought together over 200 parliamentarians from 12 member states.
The Angolan parliamentary delegation, led by Deputy Pedro Sebastião, participated in the conference on behalf of the National Assembly's president, Adão de Almeida. Sebastião considered the conference results positive, highlighting the discussions that took place over four days. The conference was divided into three sessions, including a high-level roundtable and eight thematic panels.
The high-level roundtable, presided over by Adão de Almeida, focused on the main challenges affecting women and their contribution to building a peaceful and stable region. The thematic panels addressed issues such as women's economic and political empowerment, regional security and stability, and the challenges in promoting rights and equal opportunities.
The conference's third stage involved reflection on peace and security challenges, marking 20 years since the signing of the Pact on Security, Stability, and Development in the Great Lakes Region and its protocols. The debates allowed for the collection of experiences and contributions from different delegations to find solutions to regional challenges.
The main outcome of the conference was the approval of a document establishing commitments for the parliaments of member states to promote peace, stability, and increased women's participation in politics and institutions. Deputy Pedro Sebastião also highlighted Angola's recognition for its efforts in pacifying the region.
The vice-president of Tanzania praised Angola's experience in overcoming armed conflict, which can serve as a reference for other countries in conflict prevention and resolution. The conference concluded with the reading of the document by the FP-CIRGL's secretary-general, Deo Mwapinga.
The document will be monitored by the secretariat-general, which will present a report at the next ordinary session of the plenary assembly. It will also be submitted to the CIRGL Summit of Heads of State and Government, the African Union, and the United Nations to reinforce institutional mobilization around the assumed commitments.
Key points
- The Declaration of Dar es Salaam aims to promote peace, security, and women's participation in the Great Lakes Region.
- Angola's parliamentary delegation played a significant role in the conference, highlighting the country's experience in conflict resolution.
- The document's implementation will be monitored by the FP-CIRGL's secretariat-general.
