Hon Speaker and colleagues, I am sure that all members of this House will agree that collaboration is best when we are trying to reach goals that will see our continent flourish. The IFP's values of solidarity and ubuntu speak to these very collaborative social mechanisms, to have everyone get a proper seat at the table.

We believe that together, a united Africa can rise to the occasion of lifting all its people out of one, mental, colonial and economic slavery; two, dire poverty and

hunger; and three, of improving life expectancy, education and digital technology.

However, let us not sing a song of "kumbaya" here in this House and show unity when the majority of our country and our people have no idea what the AU Agenda 2063 is and how it will impact them. Not once did our very own President mention what co-operative agreements we are undertaking with our fellow African countries in achieving this agenda in any of his state of the nation addresses.

As things stand in the real state of our nation, we cannot even look past the next three months, as we try to whip our economy into shape. How are we to practically plan our way forward to 2063, when we cannot even commit ourselves to the NDP's vision for 2030?

The IFP is committed to working with government and all other AU member states, as we do share in the belief that we must strengthen democratic governance, fight terrorism and stop conflicts and wars that divide us, instead of uniting us.

And, together, we can address improving healthcare, food security, education, climate change, and grow the economies of all AU member states, when individually, all countries commit to the same script.

At this point, sadly, we can't take any seat at any table in championing Agenda 2063. And we can't negotiate the best possible outcomes for our people, when the hand we are dealt with at home needs so much attention. The good of the whole Africa, is dependent on the wellbeing of individual states.

However, in conclusion, as I take my seat in this Chamber for all practical reasons, so too must our country take several seats and fix what is broken in the present, before we can even think of making the future a reality, regionally and on the continent. I thank you.