SADC Parliament closer to becoming a reality

That transition of the SADC Parliamentary Forum to a SADC Parliament is slowly but surely looking to become a reality given the latest developments in the regional bloc.

The SADC Ministers of Justice/ Attorneys- General met virtually on January 25th and considered the Draft Agreement Amending the SADC Treaty and recommended it to Council for consideration.

According to a statement from the SADC Secretariat, the Ministers further recommended the draft amendment of the SADC Treaty to Summit for adoption. The amendment is intended to recognise the SADC Parliament as one of SADC Institutions under Article 9 ( 1) of the SADC Treaty.

In fact, this week Tuesday, the SADC Executive Secretary Elias Magosi held a consultative meeting with the Secretary- General of the Windhoek, Namibia- based SADC Parliamentary Forum, Boemo Sekgoma, to discuss issues of mutual concern.

SADC spokesperson, Barbara Lopi confirmed the meeting to Botswana Guardian but stressed that they discussed mostly internal issues.

At their January 25th meeting, the Ministers/ Attorneys- General further recommended to Council for approval, the draft Amendment to the SADC Administrative Tribunal Statute to provide for a term of four ( 4) years non- renewable for Judges of the SADC Administrative Tribunal ( SADCAT). According to the statement, the Ministers/ AttorneysGeneral also noted progress on the status of the consultancy to assess the reasons and implications of the slow pace in the ratification of the SADC Protocols and other Legal Instruments by Member States.

Ministers/ Attorneys- General considered and reviewed the Regional Customs Transit Guarantee Regulations made under Annex IV to the Protocol on Trade and recommended it to the Committee of Ministers of Trade for adoption.

The Regulations cater for a system that ensures that the guarantee issued in one country should be recognised across the Region for purposes of securing the duties when the goods are in transit and thereby regarded as a trade facilitation tool meant to support the implementation of the SADC Free Trade Area ( FTA).

Ministers/ Attorneys- General also considered and reviewed the Draft Agreement Amending the Protocol on the Development of Tourism in the SADC Region, and recommended it to Council for further consideration and approval, and subsequent referral to Summit for adoption.

The Ministers/ Attorneys- General considered and reviewed the Draft Memorandum of Agreement for the Establishment of SADC Humanitarian and Emergency Operations Centre ( SHOC) and recommended it to Council for consideration and approval. The purpose of SHOC is to coordinate humanitarian and emergency relief support to Member States affected by disasters within the SADC Region.

The meeting was attended by Ministers/ Attorneys- General or their representatives from the Republic of Angola, the Republic of Botswana, the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Kingdom of Eswatini, the Republic of Madagascar, the Republic of Malawi, the Republic of Mauritius, the Republic of Mozambique, the Republic of Namibia, the Republic of South Africa, the United Republic of Tanzania, the Republic of Zambia and the Republic of Zimbabwe. The meeting was also attended by the Executive Secretary of SADC, Elias Magosi.

It was preceded by a one- day meeting of Senior Legal Officials on 24th January 2022 which reviewed and cleared documents for Committee of Ministers/ Attorneys- General.

The meeting was chaired by Thabo Chakaka Nyirenda, the Attorney General of Malawi, as the Chairperson of the Committee of Ministers of Justice/ Attorneys General.