By Moses Magadza

VICTORIA FALLS, ZIMBABWE – The SADC Parliamentary Forum has signed five Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with key regional and international organisations towards inclusive and strategic collaboration.

The MoUs with Oxfam, Southern Africa Youth Forum (SAYoF), Zimbabwe Environmental Law Association (ZELA), the Electoral Commissions Forum of SADC countries (ECF-SADC)  and the Centre for Trade Policy and Development (CTPD)  were signed on the margins of the SADC PF’s  57th Plenary Assembly Session hosted by the Parliament of Zimbabwe in Victoria Falls City last week.

Speaking during the signing, the Secretary General of the SADC PF, Ms. Boemo Sekgoma, stressed the strategic importance of formal partnerships as cornerstones for building a resilient and responsive parliamentary ecosystem in the SADC region.

 “These MOUs are more than pieces of paper. They represent a shared vision, a commitment to transparency, trust, and long-term collaboration,” she said.

The SG explained that the rationale for the MOUs is rooted in the reality that parliaments do not operate in isolation.

“Parliament is an institution that lives through a robust partnership base. MPs need information, data, facts, and comparatives to be able to enact legislation and promote responsive budgets. Our partners bring their technical expertise on board to consolidate the core functions of Parliaments,” she stated.

She said the new partnerships are designed to support the implementation of the Forum’s Strategic Plan (2024–2028) and bolster its efforts to promote parliamentary democracy, good governance, gender equality, and regional economic integration.

She called for leveraging complementary skills and fostering adaptability in changing political, economic, and environmental conditions.

On the thematic areas of collaboration, Ms. Sekgoma held up their regional relevance and transformative potential.

“The thematic areas of gender, governance, and trade are emblematic and critical to the region. Without equal gender representation, there will be no development that is sustainable in the long term. Gender equality is an underlying feature of good governance and profitable trade,” she stated.

She stressed that the MOUs would allow partners to co-create tailored solutions to regional challenges, driven by a robust multi-stakeholder framework.

On next steps, she announced that the Forum would convene a coordination meeting aimed at harvesting “low-hanging fruits” and co-developing a joint roadmap and workplan with tangible, time-bound deliverables.

“We are in it for the long haul,” she said.

The partners were upbeat.

Mr Mutuso Dhliwayo, the Executive Director of ZELA, said the MoU marked “a pivotal step toward advancing inclusive, democratic, and effective governance for sustainable development.”

He said ZELA would collaborate on regional model laws and support capacity-building for parliamentarians, particularly in areas such as extractives governance, climate change, land rights, and urban resilience.

Commissioner Glen Mashinini, speaking for ECF-SADC, described the MoU as a “transformative instrument” to strengthen institutional collaboration between election management bodies and parliaments.

“We are confident that this MoU provides a great opportunity to enhance mutual programmatic efforts and safeguard the legitimacy of democratic processes,” he said.

He highlighted areas of cooperation, including electoral reforms, legislative alignment with international norms, and peer learning.

CTPD Executive Director Mr Isaac Mwaipopo hailed the partnership as a catalyst for inclusive trade and investment reforms.

“We are reaffirming our belief in the power of parliamentary diplomacy to drive economic transformation,” he said.

He pledged CTPD’s technical support to SADC PF’s Standing Committee on Trade and Investment, focusing on policy reforms to boost intra-African trade, value chains and equitable development.

Regional Coordinator for SAYoF, Mr Misheck Gondo, described the agreement as “the birth of a transformative alliance” that brings young people closer to policy-making processes.

He outlined planned joint actions, including the launch of a Regional Youth Academy, celebrations of International Youth Day, and support to the Regional Youth Caucus.

Mr. Sheuneni Kurasha, the SADC PF Partnerships Coordinator, said the partnerships represent the operationalisation of a core pillar of the SADC PF’s Strategic Plan (2024–2028), which is anchored on structured, mutually beneficial partnerships that amplify impact and optimise resources.

“Almost all our work is anchored on partnerships. We are a parliamentary institution and a bridge between citizens and policy. This implies that we ought not have doors at all. We must be accessible 24/7,” he said.

He said the MoUs signed cover a broad spectrum of thematic areas that align with the mandates of SADC PF’s Standing Committees and regional priorities. These include democratisation, governance, and human rights; gender equality, youth development, and women’s advancement; trade, industry, finance, and investment; food security, climate action, and agriculture; sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR).

He stressed that the MOUs are underpinned by a concrete joint work plan outlining collaborative activity, resource requirements, and implementation timelines. This, he stressed, allows for predictable, medium- to long-term planning, thereby minimising duplication and fostering coherence among actors operating in the same policy arenas.

“These MOUs help us leverage capacities we do not have while our partners benefit from our ability to drive legislative and oversight functions,” he noted.

With global funding dynamics in flux and a noticeable realignment of resources due to geopolitical shifts, SADC PF sees this shift as both timely and necessary.

“When the drumbeat changes, the dance must change,” Mr Kurasha quipped. “We are responding to the evolving context by strengthening our partnerships and maximising impact.”

He explained that the decision to sign the MoUs during plenary – SADC PF’s highest policymaking body – was deliberate and fosters deeper mutual understanding of parliamentary structures, cycles, and processes.

 “This will be the norm going forward. You will see partners actively participating in plenary sessions, committee meetings, and even in policy side events,” he stated.

-Moses Magadza is the Media and Communications Manager at the SADC PF.