The Right Honourable Ms. Nelly B.K Mutti, MP, SC., FAPRA, Speaker of the National Assembly, has called on Parliaments to be proactive in efforts to address global challenges such as conflicts, climate change, inequality and growing threats to democracy which have continued to strain the foundations of global peace and justice.

Speaking during the ongoing 6th World Conference of Speakers of Parliament in Geneva, Switzerland, which is being held under the theme; A World in turmoil: parliamentary cooperation and multilateralism for peace, justice and prosperity for all, Speaker Mutti said that Parliaments cannot afford to be passive in the face of glaring global challenges.

Speaker Mutti said that Parliaments must be architects of dialogue, guardians of justice, and champions of inclusive development, both within and beyond borders.

Speaker Mutti said that peace must be underpinned by social and economic justice which Zambia has acknowledged by increasing the allocation of the Constituency Development Fund to each constituency. She added that this has brought about community driven developmental projects resulting in financial resources being in the hands and control of local communities.

She said that Zambia will continue to support multilateral solutions, especially in areas like climate resilience, health, and education because the turmoil that the World is in today, cannot be resolved by a single country.

Speaker Mutti added that the Zambian Parliament has backed regional cooperation on water security and renewable energy, knowing too well that environmental peace is essential for human peace.

And Speaker Mutti assured the conference delegates that Zambia will continue embracing parliamentary diplomacy as a tool for building peace, promoting mutual understanding, and advancing shared prosperity.

Speaker Mutti said that the Zambian Parliament will contribute to shaping legislative responses to global challenges by being active participants in multilateral bodies such as the United Nations, African Union, COMESA, the World Bank, IMF, and the African Development Bank.

She further said that the Zambian Parliament will continue engaging in regional and global parliamentary forums that include the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), the Pan-African Parliament, and the SADC Parliamentary Forum which are also platforms for addressing global challenges.