Speaker of the National Assembly of Zambia, Right Honourable Nelly B K Mutti, MP, FAPRA has called on SADC Member States to put more effort in transforming the SADC Parliamentary Forum into a Regional Parliament.
Speaking during an exclusive interview on the margins of the 54th SADC Parliamentary Forum Plenary Assembly in Port Louis, Mauritius on Saturday, 25th November, 2023, Speaker Mutti said the transformation of the Forum will strengthen the role of Parliaments on common matters that affect the people in the region in a more structured way.  She added that the transformation of the Forum will entrench it as an organ of SADC which will result in addressing the perpetual financial challenges the Forum has faced overtime in discharging its mandate.  
The Speaker noted that resolutions by the Forum passed at Plenary Assemblies are also expected to be implemented by Member Parliaments as a departure from the current arrangement of them being advisory and non-binding.
Honourable Mutti has since paid tribute to the former Speakers and Secretary Generals of the Forum for the spirited fight in pushing for the transformation agenda.
During the 54th SADC Parliamentary Forum Plenary Assembly held in Port Louis, Mauritius from 22nd to 26th November, 2023, the Speaker of the National Assembly of Zambia, Right Honourable Nelly B K Mutti, MP, FAPRA also launched the book authored by Dr Kasuka Mutukwa, former and first Secretary General of the SADC Parliamentary Forum, entitled “The Birth, Rise and Role of the SADC Parliamentary Forum in addressing regional issues”.  The Assembly which was held under the theme "The role of Parliaments in promoting coordination for enhanced disaster risk reduction and recovery planning in the SADC Region" was attended by 13 Parliaments from the SADC Region.