The establishment of a SADC Parliament finally approved

18 August 2021

Boemo Sekgoma

Share this story

The Pan Afrikanist Watchman

The 41st SADC Summit held in Lilongwe, Malawi, has made a watershed decision to transform the SADC Parliamentary Forum into a fully-fledged SADC Parliament.

The roadmap outlining the steps to be undertaken to establish the regional legislature, including the amendment of the SADC Treaty and adoption of the Protocol establishing the regional legislature, was also approved.

The Summit took place from 17 – 18 August under the theme: “Bolstering Productive Capacities in the Face of Covid-19 Pandemic for Inclusive, Sustainable, Economic and Industrial Transformation”.

To expedite the transformation process, the Summit directed the SADC Secretariat, in collaboration with the SADC-PF Secretariat, to “commence on the amendment of the SADC Treaty with a view to recognise SADC Parliament as one of the SADC institutions under Article 9(1) to be considered by Council during its next meeting in March 2022, and subsequently by Summit in August 2022”.

The Summit also directed the two Secretariats to prepare the draft Protocol establishing the SADC Parliament.

“We are delighted to finally witness the fruits of our long toil to have our status upgraded come to fruition. The SADC-PF Secretariat stands ready to work with our colleagues at the SADC Secretariat to implement our proposed roadmap to transform the Forum into a regional Parliament”, SADC-PF Secretary-General, Ms. Boemo Sekgoma said.

The SADC-PF was established in 1997 under Article 9(2) of the SADC Treaty and spent its first 15 years of existence operating “less like a parliamentary institution and more like an association of parliaments – convening conferences, workshops, and seminars.”

However, since 2012 the SADC-PF has been operating like a de facto regional parliament, operationalising its own set of Rules of Procedures, having fully functional Standing Committees, having robust debates on issues of regional interest and concern, and adopting resolutions through plenary sessions that parallel parliamentary procedure.

But such progress notwithstanding, the SADC-PF had until this week’s decision struggled to have its mandate and powers changed to a SADC regional parliament.

The establishment of the SADC Parliament is an important milestone in SADC’s integration agenda as it will not only ensure that citizens’ views are incorporated into regional policymaking processes but will also put SADC in line with other Regional Economic Communities (RECs) that have their own regional parliamentary assemblies.

The SADC region was the only REC of the African Union without a parliament, prompting SADC-PF to lobby for its transformation over the last 15 years.

Last Posts

Leader of Opposition Hon. Dumelang Saleshando whose Botswana Congress Party (BCP) boasts 15 MPs in the 13th Parliament

 A Response to the State of the Nation Address

Share this story

Share this storyBy Hon Dumelang Saleshando Leader of Opposition 21 November 2024 Title: We have crossed the Rubicon: Now what awaits us? A new or old Botswana Mr. Speaker, your Honour the Vice President and…

18 August 2021

State of the Nation Address to the First Meeting of the First Session of the 13th Parliament

Share this story

Share this storyBy Advocate Duma Gideon Boko President of the Republic of Botswana 19th November 2024 Theme: Transforming Botswana for inclusive growth May their souls rest in peace and in their memory, let us forge…

18 August 2021

HB invests 137 Million Pula in Botswana, fuelling the nation’s rise as a diamond powerhouse

Share this story

Share this storyEighteen (18) months after launch, HB is advancing HB Botswana’s processing capacity with a transformative new 137 million Pula investment. This commitment will expand HB’s processing capacity and create hundreds of high-quality jobs,…

18 August 2021

Elephant over-population causes massive destruction of trees, poor food and water supply for all the wildlife_

U.S. Appeals Court’s decision on ivory, Rhino horn sales may signal reopening of international trade

Share this story

Share this story By Emmanuel Koro  Johannesburg,  19 November 2024 In a significant development for a return to a reasonable approach to trade in ivory and rhino horn products,  the U.S. Second Court of Appeals has…

18 August 2021

India in top 10 globally for patents, trademarks and industrial designs

Share this story

Share this storyIndia now ranks among the top 10 countries globally in the number of patents, trademarks and industrial design applications, according to the World Intellectual Property Organization’s (WIPO) 2024 report on IP trends. The…

18 August 2021

Irina Abramova (Moderator), Mohamed Salem Ould Merzoug (Mauritania FM), Sergey Lavrov (Russia FM) and Dr Monque Nsanzabanganwa (African Union Commission) - Pic (TPA)

Russia has never been involved in the exploitation of African peoples – Sergey Lavrov

Share this story

Share this storyThe Pan Afrikanist Watchman At the close of the First Ministerial Conference of the Russia-Africa Partnership Forum on November 10th 2024 in the Sirius Federal Territory, Sochi, Russia’s veteran Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov…

18 August 2021

Related Stories