By Moses Magadza

WINDHOEK, NAMIBIA – The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) on 11th July 2024 signed the Agreement to Amend the SADC Treaty establishing the SADC Parliamentary Forum towards setting up a SADC Parliament.

The President of the DRC, His Excellency Félix Antoine Tshisekedi, delegated His Excellency Kalala Mayiba Constantin, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the DRC to Angola, to sign the Agreement at the SADC Secretariat in Gaborone, Botswana.

The DRC became the 12th SADC Member State to sign, reaching the required 12 of the 16 SADC Member States.

With the DRC now having signed the Amendment to establish the SADC Parliament under Article 9(1) of the SADC Treaty, work to finalise the Protocol on the SADC Parliament which needs to be signed and ratified by two-thirds of SADC Member States, begins in earnest, according to SADC PF Secretary General, Ms Boemo Sekgoma.

During the 55th Plenary Assembly Session of the SADC Parliamentary Forum that the National Assembly of Angola hosted, Zambia became the 11th SADC Member State to sign the Agreement.

Speaking during that Plenary, the President of the SADC PF, Honourable Roger Mancienne who is also the Speaker of the National Assembly of Seychelles, advocated for the SADC region to move as one on the Amendment to the SADC Treaty and the Protocol.

In this connection, it was recommended that countries that had not signed the Agreement, be persuaded to sign so that no SADC Member State is left behind. Accordingly, efforts to bring Botswana, Madagascar and Mauritius on board are intensifying.

The Speaker of the Parliament of Zimbabwe, Honourable Advocate Jacob Francis Nzwidamilimo Mudenda, chairs a SADC PF Lobby Group comprising five Speakers of Parliament including those from Zambia, South Africa, Namibia and Angola. He has enthusiastically welcomed the signing by the DRC.

“I am extremely thrilled as the Team leader of the Lobby Group that this has happened after 10 years of lobbying for the transformation of SADC PF into a SADC Regional Parliament.

“We look forward to the adoption of the SADC Transformation Protocol being adopted at the upcoming SADC Summit under the Chairmanship of President (of Zimbabwe), Dr Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa this August,” he said.

He added: “The Lobby Team will engage Botswana, Madagascar and Mauritius to also sign up in the spirit of Parliamentary collegiate.”

On her part, Ms Boemo Sekgoma said the signing of the Agreement by the required 12 SADC Member States is “a culmination of the wishes of the Heads of State and Government and their commitment to parliamentary democracy”.

She appreciated the “swiftness” with which SADC Member States signed the Agreement.

“It says a lot about the cooperation between the SADC Secretariat and the SADC PF, and the effectiveness of the task team in making sure that we roll over all the stones and prepare the ground to get to where we are” she said.

The SG said the signing of the Agreement shows, also, that the executive and parliament can work together. She said with the Agreement now signed, work on the Protocol on the SADC Parliament would begin.

“The Protocol will be circulated in line with a resolution of the SADC Summit to shape the SADC Parliament,” she said. She reiterated calls for all SADC Member States to sign the Agreement.

“The resolution of the 55^th Plenary of SADC PF is clear. We do not want an asymmetry that will leave others behind. The Agreement remains open for signing by Member States that are yet to sign,” she stressed.