By Moses Magadza

WINDHOEK, NAMIBIA – The first phase of a pioneering capacity-building partnership between the SADC Parliamentary Forum (SADC PF) and the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) has ended.

The phase concluded on June 5 after eight intensive training sessions aimed at strengthening the role of parliamentarians and staff of parliament across 15 SADC countries in advancing regional trade integration through the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

The virtual programme, which began in November 2025 brought together Members of Parliament and parliamentary staff from across the SADC region to deepen their understanding of trade governance, investment, digital trade, gender-responsive trade policy, non-tariff barriers and regional economic integration.

The final session focused on the AfCFTA Investment Protocol, private sector engagement, regional value chains and the persistent challenge of non-tariff barriers (NTBs) that continue to impede intra-African trade.

Opening the session, Chairperson of the SADC PF Standing Committee on Trade, Industry, Finance and Investment (TIFI), Hon. Dumelang Saleshando from Botswana, described the AfCFTA as “one of the most ambitious and transformative development projects of our generation.”

He noted that despite the promise of regional integration, African businesses continue to face numerous obstacles, including cumbersome customs procedures, excessive documentation requirements, unpredictable border delays and inconsistent standards.

“For many of our traders, particularly small-scale traders, women, and young entrepreneurs, these barriers do not merely inconvenience trade; they discourage it altogether and reduce the benefits that should flow from regional integration,” he said.

Hon. Saleshando stressed that addressing non-tariff barriers was not merely a technical exercise but “a strategic economic imperative for building competitive, integrated, and resilient African production networks.”

He urged parliamentarians to play an initiative-taking role in reviewing and aligning national laws with AfCFTA commitments, strengthening oversight of trade and investment reforms, and ensuring that small and medium enterprises (SMEs), women and youth are placed at the centre of regional trade and investment strategies.

The training programme formed part of a broader effort by SADC PF and UNCTAD to enhance parliamentary capacity to support the effective implementation of AfCFTA and related regional trade instruments.

Under the programme, participants were exposed to a wide range of issues during the eight-session series, including the AfCFTA framework, parliamentary oversight of trade policy, digital trade and e-commerce, gender-responsive trade policy, investment frameworks and non-tariff measures.

Among the key outcomes was the development of a Draft Parliamentary Action Plan intended to translate learning into concrete legislative, oversight and advocacy actions at national and regional levels.

In closing remarks delivered on her behalf by SADC PF Director of Parliamentary Business and Programmes Mr Sheuneni Kurasha, SADC PF Secretary General Her Excellency Boemo Sekgoma, said the collaboration had successfully transformed complex trade issues into practical tools for parliamentarians.

“Together, we set out to strengthen the role of national parliaments in advancing regional trade integration – and today, we can affirm that this collaboration has delivered tangible results and a clear roadmap for parliamentary action,” she said.

Ms Sekgoma highlighted several achievements of the programme, including a comprehensive training curriculum, the development of the draft action plan, the foundation for new parliamentary knowledge products, and the creation of a network of parliamentarians better equipped to engage on trade policy issues.

“Most importantly, we have built a network of empowered parliamentarians – more connected, more confident, and more equipped to engage on trade policy across all levels,” she said.

She stressed that the conclusion of the training marked the beginning rather than the end of parliamentary engagement in trade governance.

“This is not an end; it is the beginning of a new phase of parliamentary engagement in trade governance,” she said and urged parliaments to adopt and adapt the draft action plan, strengthen oversight of AfCFTA implementation and raise public awareness about the opportunities offered by continental integration.

Closing the programme on behalf of UNCTAD, Ms Diane Sayinzoga, Chief of UNCTAD’s Regional Office for Africa, praised participants for their commitment and active engagement throughout the training series.

“This programme is also a testament to the strong and growing collaboration between UNCTAD and SADC PF, which has been instrumental in making this initiative a success,” she said.

Ms Sayinzoga noted that the training had explored critical areas necessary for advancing regional integration under the AfCFTA, including digital trade, gender-responsive trade policies, investment frameworks and non-tariff barriers.

“What stands out clearly is that strengthening parliamentary capacity is not a one-time effort but a continuous process, one that requires sustained dialogue, knowledge sharing, and collaboration across institutions and regions,” she said.

She reaffirmed UNCTAD’s commitment to continued collaboration with SADC PF through future training programmes, policy dialogues and knowledge-sharing initiatives aimed at supporting parliamentarians as they translate regional trade commitments into concrete development outcomes.

“As we move forward, we see this not as the end of the programme but as the beginning of a stronger and more sustained engagement,” Ms Sayinzoga said.

Ms Masenate Molapo, the Programme Manager for the Committee on Trade, Industry, Finance and Investment , said the successful completion of the first phase of the UNCTAD-SADC PF collaboration leaves parliamentarians across Southern Africa better equipped to champion trade reforms, oversee implementation of AfCFTA commitments and promote inclusive economic growth that benefits women, youth, SMEs and vulnerable communities.

She added that as the region seeks to deepen economic integration and unlock the full potential of continental trade, the partnership has laid a solid foundation for a more informed, engaged and initiative-taking parliamentary contribution to Africa’s economic transformation agenda.

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