Prince Lindani calls for an end to stagnant discussions at the OACPS, demanding practical solutions for Africa’s economic and social challenges.
Reading Time: 2 minutes Prince Lindani, a Member of Parliament representing Eswatini in the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS), has urged delegates and policymakers to stop “admiring” Africa’s challenges and begin implementing practical solutions.. He made the remarks yesterday during the opening of a brainstorming session of the OACPS Parliamentary Assembly at the Ezulwini Palazzo.. Addressing delegates from across Africa, Prince Lindani called on participants to move beyond endless discussions and focus
on addressing the continent’s persistent socio-economic challenges through decisive action.. His comments set the tone for a frank and engaging session, during which delegates expressed concern over the financial sustainability of the OACPS and its continued dependence on external funding.. OACPS Secretary-General Moussa Saleh Batraki echoed similar sentiments, saying Africa needed to “wake up” and decisively tackle challenges affecting sectors such as agriculture, education and women’s rights.. Delegates repeatedly stressed that the current and future
generations of Africans must not be failed by continued inaction.. One of the dominant themes during the discussions was the need for the OACPS to become financially autonomous.. “We cannot continue to be begging,” said a member of the Secretariat during the session.. A delegate from Burkina Faso criticised what she described as a culture of excessive talking with limited implementation, saying the organisation needed to become more action-oriented.. ALSO READ | ‘We feel for
Emaswati facing fuel hikes, but…’ “The Europeans are proactive.. Long speeches will not help us,” she said.. She added that this was her third time attending OACPS meetings, yet the discussions often remained the same with little visible progress.. “It is time to deliver,” she said.. Another delegate from Guinea questioned why financial instability remained a major challenge despite the organisation having existed for 50 years.. A Ugandan delegate called for urgent measures to fast-track
independent funding mechanisms, while another from Mali argued that Africa possessed abundant natural resources and should be capable of sustaining the organisation without overreliance on donors.. “Africa is rich in resources.. A viable solution can be found,” the delegate said.. Meanwhile, OACPS Chairperson for the West Africa region, Matthew Nyuma, assured delegates that the organisation was now focused on concrete action rather than rhetoric.. He urged parliamentarians to file motions for debate in their respective
countries and prepare reports within 90 days outlining practical solutions to the challenges affecting Africa.. Nyuma said the time had come for member states to demonstrate commitment through implementation and accountability.
Prince Lindani, OACPS, African development, financial autonomy, regional policy, socio-economic reform, Eswatini