OPENING REMARKS BY THE SPEAKER OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY OF ZAMBIA, THE HONOURABLE  JUSTICE DR PATRICK MATIBINI, SC, MP, SPEAKER OF  THE  NATIONAL ASSEMBLY OF ZAMBIA,AT THE IPU GLOBAL CONFERENCE OF YOUNG PARLIAMENTARIANS HELD FROM 16TH-17THMARCH, 2016, AT MULUNGUSHI INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE CENTRE (MICC) LUSAKA, ZAMBIA.

THE IPU PRESIDENT;
HON CABINET MINISTERS AND DEPUTY MINISTERS;
MEMBERS OF THE IPU, ZAMBIA BRANCH;
HON MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT;
SECRETARY GENERAL OF THE INTER-PARLIAMENTARY UNION;
THE CLERK OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY;
DISTINGUISEHD INVITED GUESTS;
MEMEBERS OF THE PRESS;
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN

ON BEHALF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY OF ZAMBIA AND INDEED ON MY OWN BEHALF, I WISH TO WELCOME YOU ALL TO ZAMBIA AND TO THE THIRD IPU GLOBAL CONFERENCE OF YOUNG PARLIAMENTARIANS WHOSE THEME IS,“AGENDA 2030: YOUTH LEADING THE WAY, LEAVING NO ONE BEHIND.”
HON MEMBERS,
AS YOU ARE AWARE THAT SINCE 2010, WHEN THE LANDMARK RESOLUTION GOVERNING YOUTH PARTICIPATION IN THE DEMOCRATIC PROCESS WAS ADOPTED, THE IPU AND ITS MEMBER PARLIAMENTS HAVE PUT IN PLACE YOUTH-LED GLOBAL STRUCTURES TO SUPPORT YOUTH PARTICIPATION IN POLITICS AND EMPOWER YOUNG PARLIAMENTARIANS.
HON MEMBERS,
A STEP WAS FURTHER TAKEN IN 2013,WHEN THEIPU ESTABLISHED THE FORUM OF YOUNG PARLIAMENTARIANS; A STATUTORY BODY, WHOSE PRIMARY OBJECTIVES INCLUDE ENCHANCED YOUTH PARTICIPATION IN POLICY MAKING AND BRINGS YOUTH PERSPECTIVE TO INTERNATIONAL ISSUES.
THE FIRST IPU GLOBAL CONFERENCE OF YOUNG PARLIAMNETARIANS TOOK PLACE IN 2014, UNDER THE THEME“TAKING DEMOCRACY TO TASK.”SUBSEQUENTLY, THE 2015 CONFERENCE WAS HELD IN TOKYO, AND WHOSE THEME WAS; “DEMOCRACY, PEACE AND PROSPERITY.”
AT THIS MEETING, HON MEMBERS, YOUNG PARLIAMENTARIANS AFFIRMED THAT DEMOCRACY AND SECURITY DO NOT OPERATE IN A VACUUM, BUT RATHER ARE STRONGLY INTER-RELATEDTO DEVELOPMENT.
THE YEAR 2015 WAS DECISIVE BECAUSE THE UNITED NATIONS ADOPTED THE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS, (SDGS), AND URGEDMEMBERS OF THE IPU COMMITTEE TO TAKE THE NECESSARY ACTION TO IMPLEMENT THE PROPOSED NEW SDGS. THIS COMMITMENT WAS BASED ON THE DESIRE TO ADVANCE THE AGENDA FOR THE PROMOTION OF HUMAN RIGHTS, POVERTY ERADICATION, PEACE AND SECURITY WHICH GOALS WERE ALL ADOPTED DURING THE 132ND IPU ASSSEMBLY IN HANOI,VIETNAM.

FURTHER, THE ADOPTION OF THE SEDAI AGREEMENTS ON DISASTER RISKS REDUCTION AND THE COP21 PARIS AGREEMENT FURTHER UNDERSCORED THE NEED FOR PARLIAMENTARIANS TO TAKE FIRM ACTION TO ADDRESS CLIMATE CHANGE. IT MUST BE NOTED THAT SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS ARE CITIZEN-ORIENTED AND THEREFORE MAKE A COMMITMENT TO LEAVING NO ONE BEHIND IN THE DEVELOPMENT AGENDA.

THIS YEAR’S IPU GLOBAL CONFERENCE OF YOUNG PARLIAMETARIANS SHOULD THEREFORE START TO TRANSLATE THESE COMMITMENTSINTO REALITY.THE FOCUS OF THE CONFERENCE, I AM INFORMED IS TO ENSURE INCLUSIVENES IN EXECUTING THE DEVELOPMENTAL AGENDA,AS WELL AS PAY PARTICULAR ATTENTION ON KEY THEMATIC, ISSUES SUCH AS CLIMATIC CHANGE AND FORMULATION OF EQUITABLE ECONOMIC MODELS.

FURTHERMORE, THERE IS NEED FOR THIS CONFERENCETO EXHAUSTIVELY DISCUSS HOW AS LEGISLATURESWE CAN USE OUR CONSTITUTIONAL MANDATE OF LAW MAKING, BUDGET APPROVAL, AND OVERSIGHT TO ENSURE INCLUSIVENESS IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE AGENDA 2030.

I, THEREFORE, LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR FRUITFUL DELIBERATIONS OF THE SUBJECTS SET OUT IN YOUR PROGRAMME.  THESE INCLUDE:
•    A NEW DEVELOPMENT AGENDA, A NEW ERA FORYOUNG PEOPLE’S RIGHTS, FREEDOMS AND WELL BEING;
•    IMPLEMENTING AGENDA 2030:
I.    ADVANCING QUALITY, EQUITY AND RIGHTS:TAKING STOCK OF PRIORITY AREAS; AND
II.    ADVACING EQUALITY, EQUITY AND RIGHTS:TAKING ACTION:LEAVING NO ONE BEHIND;

•    LOOKING AT THE FUTURE:
I.    BRINGING  FUTURE GENERATIONS TO THE TABLE;
II.    PROTECTING THE PLANET; AND
III.    CONSIDERATION OF ECONOMIC MODELS FOR FAIR AND EQUITABLE DEVELOPMENT.
•    YOUNG PARLIAMENTARIANS; LEADING THE WAY IN IMPLEMENTING AGENDA 2030.
LET ME CONCLUDE, HONOURABLE MEMBERS, BY URGING YOU ALL TO WORK TOWARD CHANGE BY FORMULATING RESOLUTIONS THAT WILL ASSIST THE CITIZENS OF OUR RESPECTIVE COUNTRIES TO ACQUIRE LEADERSHIP SKILLS, AND GENERATE INNOVATIVE IDEAS THATWILL CONTRIBUTE TOTHE SUCCESSFUL IMPLEMENTATION OF THE 2030 AGENDA.
MAY THE NEXT TWO DAYS, THEREFORE, BE AN ENGAGING, LEARNING, AND FRUITFULENTERPRISE FOR ALL OF YOU.
I THANK YOU.