Swakopmund: Parliamentary libraries play a vital role in equipping legislators with the information they need to uphold democracy through transparency, accountability, and evidence-based lawmaking. This was according to the Speaker of the National Assembly, Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila at the opening of the 22nd Annual Conference of the Association of Parliamentary Libraries of Eastern and Southern Africa (APLESA) at Swakopmund on Monday.

According to Namibia Press Agency, Kuugongelwa-Amadhila emphasized the importance of parliamentary libraries in supporting legislators with specialized knowledge. She described these libraries as not only knowledge repositories but also guardians of institutional memory. She stressed the necessity for these libraries to be adequately equipped and accessible in the digital age.

The Speaker cited Namibia’s progress in this area, highlighting the enactment of the Access to Information Act in 2022 as a significant step towards promoting government transparency. She also discussed ongoing digitalization efforts under the National Assembly’s 2023-2027 Strategic Plan and the E-Parliament Strategy, aimed at modernizing information services through digitized records and online access to parliamentary documents.

APLESA president Isaiah Munyoro commended Namibia for hosting the conference for the third time, noting it as a reflection of the country’s commitment to advancing parliamentary libraries across the continent. He reiterated APLESA’s dedication to developing training and capacity-building initiatives between conferences, with Namibia serving as a case study in future workshops.

Munyoro emphasized the role of parliamentary libraries as essential gateways to knowledge, enabling transparency, informed decisions, and civic engagement. He encouraged the modernization of these libraries to remain digitally equipped and relevant in the digital era.

Secretary to the National Council, Advocate Tousy Namiseb, spoke on the significance of access to information in a democratic society. He challenged the common perception of libraries as merely quiet rooms filled with books, highlighting their role as dynamic hubs of information, especially in the age of artificial intelligence.

The conference, themed ‘Parliamentary Libraries and Democracy in the Digital Age’, brought together delegates from over 12 African countries. The event facilitated dialogue, knowledge-sharing, and professional development in the realm of parliamentary information services and democratic governance in the digital era.