TUCOSWA President Bheki Mamba set to attend global Summit for Democracy in Lusaka, Zambia.

TUCOSWA President Bheki Mamba invited to attend the Summit for Democracy

TUCOSWA President Bheki Mamba (with clenched fist and microphone)

Written by Fundizwi Sikhondze

The President of the Trade Union Congress of Swaziland (TUCOSWA) Bheki Mamba has been invited to partake in the conference called the Summit for Democracy that will take place in Lusaka Zambia from the 29th to the 30th March 2023. This March 2023 summit is a second edition of this gathering and will be co-hosted by the United States of America (USA) government in conjunction with governments of countries such as Costa Rica, Netherlands ,South Korea and ofcourse the hosts ,the Republic of Zambia. The summit organisers have invited 120 government leaders from around the world according to a 22March 2023 USA Department of State statement

The summit's keynote address will be made by the Vice President of the USA Ms Kamala Harris and the purpose of the summit has been stated as to Strengthen Democratic Institutions, Tackle Corruption and Defend Human Rights. Other leaders who will address the summit (in person and remotely) ,according to the USA State Department, will include the President of South Korea Yoon Sook-Leol, President of Costa Rica Chavez Robles, President of Netherlands Mark Rutte and ofcourse the President of Zambia Hakainde Hichilema.

During the summit President Bheki of TUCOSWA will take part in a panel discussion titled ,"Safeguarding the role of Workers to Safeguard Democracy in Africa" . The panel discussion will feature trade union leaders from trade unions such as Congress of South African Trade Unions, the Zambian Trade Union Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU, Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU), Ethiopian Trade Union Congress (CETU),Nigeria Labour Congress, Transport Workers Union -Kenya (TAWU) , Burkina Faso Trade Union Federation (Confederadion Syndicale Burkianbe'). There will also be regional workers organisations the Southern African Trade Union Unity (SATUCC) and the continental organisation the International Trade Union Confederation - Africa Regional Office (ITUC-AFRICA).

Panel speakers from these workers organisations will include Deputy Secretary General of the ITUC Africa Akhator Joel Odigie, Executive Secretary of SATUCC Mavis Koogotsitse and Japhet Ncube from ZCTU-Zimbabwe.

Former Ambassador to Eswatini and current Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State, Democracy, Human Rights and Labour Bureau in the USA Department of State Ms Lisa Peterson will also take part in the panel discussions on Labour.

Speaking to the ELI President Bheki confirmed that he had been invited and will be attendance to the summit and indicated that he was looking forward to being in the summit and that he will present in a panel in the summit on Peace ,Security and Democracy in the region.

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