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SOUTHERN

AFRICA TODAY

by Kizito Sikuka

THE ASPIRATIONS of southern Africa areclearly presented in the Declaration and Treatythat established the shared community ofSADC.

The aspirations are a united, prosperous andintegrated region.

In pursuit of these targets, the SADC Mem-ber States have signed numerous protocols andother policy documents in various key areas,ranging from trade and investment, peace andsecurity, to transboundary natural resourcesand the empowerment of women and youngpeople.

In fact, since the transformation of SADC in1992 from the Southern Africa DevelopmentCoordination Conference (SADCC), a total of33 protocols have been signed by memberstates to push forward the regional integrationagenda. (See table below on the status of the 33Protocols signed by SADC)

However, not all the protocols have beenratified to advance the regional laws frombeing stated intentions to actual application atnational level.

According to SADC legal statutes, anysigned regional protocol should be ratified byMember States for it to enter into force at na-tional level in the 15 member states.

At least two-thirds (10) of the member statesare required to ratify a protocol for it to enterinto force.

The process of approval of a regional legalinstrument requires, first, signing, and thenratification – a process that differs from coun-try to country, with some requiring approvalof Parliament.

Southern African leaders meeting at the36th SADC Heads of State and GovernmentSummit held in the Kingdom of Swazilandon 30-31 August, expressed concern at theslow pace of advancing regional integrationpolicies from stated intentions to actual ap-plication.

The slow implementation of strategic docu-ments by SADC countries has affected regionalintegration, resulting in most people in the re-gion failing to fully realize the benefits of belong-ing to a share community in southern Africa.

Time to advance regional integration …from “stated intention to actual application”

POLicy 3

FOOD SEcURiTy 4-5

RESOURcE MOBiLiSATiON 6

iNNOvATiON 5

PUBLicATiONS 8

ENERGy 9-10

GENDER 11

ELEcTiONS 12-13

cULTURE 14

EvENTS 15

hiSTORy TODAy 16

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C O N T I N U E D F R O M P A G E 1

“Summit took stock of thestatus of signature, ratificationand accession to SADC Proto-cols noting that 26 have enteredinto force, while seven have notyet come into force,” reads partof a communique issued by theleaders soon after the summit.

The leaders “urged memberstates that are yet to accede tothese protocols to do so,” to en-sure the aspirations of SADC aremet.

The seven SADC protocolsyet to be ratified by memberstates are:• Protocol on Science, Technol-

ogy and Innovation signed in2008. The protocol aims topromote development andharmonization of science,technology, and innovationpolicies, advocating invest-ment in research and develop-ment and promoting publicawareness of science andtechnology;

• Protocol on the Facilitation ofMovement of Persons signedin 2005. The protocol seeks tofulfil the objectives of theSADC Treaty, which requiresmember states to developpolicies aimed at the progres-sive elimination of obstaclesto the free movement of capi-tal and labour, goods andservices and of the people ofthe region generally amongmember states;

• Protocol of Trade in Servicessigned in 2012. The protocolprovides for the establishmentof “an integrated regionalmarket for services”, to un-lock the potential of the re-gion’s services market so thatbusinesses and consumersmay take full advantage of theopportunities presented by ashared community in SADC;

• Protocol on EnvironmentalManagement for SustainableDevelopment signed in 2014.This protocol aims to harmo-nize all existing regional in-struments that deal withenvironmental issues.

• Protocol on Employment andLabour signed in 2014. The

protocol provides and recog-nises the importance of col-lective bargaining; socialdialogue and consultationsamong employers, tradeunions and government,equal treatment and socialprotection for workers andtheir families in the region

• New Protocol on the Tribu-nal in the Southern AfricanDevelopment Communitysigned in 2014. This specifiesthat the new Tribunal’s juris-diction will be confined toadvisory interpretation ofthe SADC Treaty and anyother protocols adopted bymember states; and the

• Agreement on Assistance inTax Matters signed in 2012.This requires that memberstates draw up effectiveguidelines for the effectiveexchange of informationand the implementation ofmutual agreement proce-dures.The 36th SADC Summit also

urged member states to con-tinue intensifying efforts to im-plement various regionalactivities, programmes andprojects to ensure socio-eco-nomic development.

These include the SADC Re-gional Infrastructure Develop-ment Master Plan (RIDMP), theSADC Industrialization Strat-egy and Roadmap and the Re-vised Regional IndicativeStrategic Development Plan.

For example, implementa-tion of Energy Sector Plan ofthe RIDMP has the capacity toincrease the power generationcapacity of SADC from the cur-rent 56,000 megawatts (MW)and ensure that the projecteddemand of 96,000MW is sur-passed within the next 11 years,making the SADC region en-ergy self-sufficient.

The theme for the 36thSADC Summit was “ResourceMobilisation for Investment inSustainable Energy Infrastruc-ture for an Inclusive SADC In-dustrialisation for theProsperity of the Region.” r

Time to advance regional integration …from “stated intention to actual application”

New SADc political governance structure

2 SOuTHERN AfRICA Today, October 2016

Protocol

Protocol Against Corruption Protocol on Combating Illicit Drug Trafficking Protocol on the Control of Firearms, Ammunitionand Other Materials Protocol on Culture, Information and SportProtocol on Education & Training Protocol on Energy Protocol on Extradition Protocol on Finance and Investment Protocol on Fisheries Protocol on Forestry Protocol on Gender and Development Protocol on Health Protocol to the Treaty establishing SADC onImmunities and Privileges Protocol on Legal Affairs Protocol on Mutual Legal Assistance inCriminal Matters Protocol on Mining Protocol on Politics, Defence and Security Revised Protocol on Shared Watercourses Protocol on the Development of Tourism Protocol on TradeProtocol on Transport, Communication andMeteorology Protocol on Shared Watercourse Systems Protocol on the Tribunal and Rules thereof Protocol on Wildlife Conservation and LawEnforcement Agreement Amending Article 20 of the Protocolon Trade Protocol on the TribunalProtocol on Science, Technology and InnovationProtocol on the Facilitation of Movement of PersonsProtocol of Trade in Services Protocol on Environmental ManagementProtocol on Employment and LabourNew Protocol on the Tribunal in the SouthernAfrican Development CommunityAgreement on Assistance in Tax Matters

Year of Signature

20011996 2001

2001199719962002200620012002200819991992

20002002

199720012000199819961996

19952001 1999

2008

2014200820052012201420142014

2012

Year of Ratification

20051999 2004

2006200019982006201020032009201320041993

20062007

200020042003200219981998

199820012003

2008

2014------

-

Status of the 33 Protocols signed by SADc

THE 36th SADC Summit elected new members of its political governancestructure to steer the integration agenda of the region for the coming year. The SADC Summit, which is made up of all SADC Heads of Statesand Government of the 15 Member States will be headed by King MswatiIII of Swaziland as chair. The SADC Summit is responsible for the overall policy direction andcontrol of functions of the Community, ultimately making it the supremepolicy-making institution of SADC. It is managed on a Troika systemcomprising the SADC Summit chair, deputy chair, and immediate previ-ous chair. Therefore, the Summit Troika is now made up of King Mswati III (cur-rent chair), President Jacob Zuma of South Africa (deputy chair), and thePresident of Botswana, Seretse Khama Ian Khama (immediate previouschair). The Troika System vests authority in this group of three leaders to takequick decisions on behalf of SADC that are ordinarily taken at policymeetings scheduled at regular intervals, as well as providing policy di-rection to SADC institutions between the regular SADC Summits. The SADC Organ on Politics Defence and Security Cooperation,which also operates on a Troika basis, will be chaired by President JohnMagufuli of Tanzania. The Organ is mandated to steer and provide Member States with di-rection regarding matters that threaten peace, security and stability in theregion. It is coordinated at the level of Summit, consisting of a chair, deputychair and immediate past chair, and reports to the SADC Summit chair. President Jose Eduardo Dos Santos of Angola is deputy chair of theOrgan, while Mozambican President Filipe Nyusi is the immediate pastchair. The SADC Summit and the Organ Troika are mutually exclusive, andthe chair of the Organ does not simultaneously hold the chair of Summit. Like the Summit chair, the Organ chair rotates on an annual basis. r


costed action plan for industrialisation to be finalised inearly 2017

P O L I C Y

SOuTHERN AfRICA Today 3

SOuTHERN AfRICANleaders will hold an Extra-Or-dinary Summit during thefirst quarter of 2017 to finalisea costed action plan for the re-gion’s industrialisationagenda. At its meeting held ahead

of the 36th Summit of SADCHeads of State and Govern-ment in Mbabane, Swazilandin August, the Council of Min-isters instructed the SADCSecretariat to finalise the on-going process to cost the In-dustrialisation Strategy andRoadmap 2015-2063. “Council received a

progress report on the indica-tive costs of the SADC Indus-trialisation Strategy andAction Plan, and directed theSecretariat to finalise theprocess in consultation withMember States for considera-tion by Council and Extraordi-nary Summit inFebruary/March 2017 to en-able the region to solicit in-vestment in identified areas,”Council chairperson, PrinceHlangusemphi said. SADC has since August

2015 embarked on a process todevelop a costed action planfor the Industrialisation Strat-egy and Roadmap, which wasadopted in April 2015 to allowthe region to harness the fullpotential of its vast and di-verse natural resources. The action plan seeks toestablish a coherent and syn-ergistic implementationscheme containing strategicoptions and general policiestowards the progressive at-tainment of time-bound tar-gets set out in the strategyand roadmap.

The plan will focus on thefirst 15 years of the strategytimeframe, and aims to createan enabling environment forsustaining industrial devel-opment as a driver of eco-nomic transformation, andestablish an enduring al-liance for industrialisationconsisting of the public andprivate sectors as well asstrategic partners. The SADC Industrialisa-

tion Strategy and Roadmap2015-2063 was developed asan inclusive long-term planfor modernisation and eco-nomic transformation thatshould enable substantialand sustained economic de-velopment to raise livingstandards. It is anchored on three in-

terdependent strategic pillars:industrialisation as a cham-pion of economic transforma-tion; enhancedcompetitiveness; and, deeperregional integration. Strategic interventions for

each of these pillars are pro-posed in the action plan. These include an improved

policy environment for indus-trial development, increasedvolume and efficiency of pub-lic and private sector invest-ments in the SADC economy,creation of regional valuechains and participation in re-lated global processes, as wellas increased value additionfor agricultural and non-agri-cultural products and serv-ices. In order to improve the op-

erating environment, there areplans to develop and opera-tionalise a Protocol on Indus-try by 2020, which should lead

to the development of indus-trialisation policies and strate-gies at national level. Where Member States al-

ready have such policies andstrategies, these should be re-viewed and aligned to theSADC Industrialisation Strat-egy and Roadmap. Member States will be re-

quired to develop national In-dustrial Upgrading andModernization Programmes(IUMPs) by 2018 and imple-ment these by 2020. These should be in line

with the SADC IUMP, whichprovides the basis for a sector-specific approach to industri-alisation in the region,focusing on upgrading exist-ing manufacturing capacities,modernising productive facil-ities, reinforcing the institu-tional support infrastructure,and strengthening regional ca-pacity for research and inno-vation. There is also a target to pro-

gressively increase the shareof gross domestic investmentto gross domestic product to25 percent by 2020 and to 30percent by 2025. To achieve these targets,

there are plans to develop aSADC Investment PromotionFramework as well as a SADCRegional Action Programmeon Investment to accompanyit. To encourage the creation

of regional value chains andparticipation in globalprocesses, the region has iden-tified five priority areas inwhich the value chains can beestablished and for which re-gional strategies should be de-veloped by 2020.

These are in the areas ofagro-processing, mineralsbeneficiation, consumergoods, capital goods, andservices. A detailed value chain

study is proposed for specificproducts or services in the pri-ority areas. As part of the process of

promoting value-chain partic-ipation, there are plans to de-velop model legislation andregulations for intra-SADCagro-processing, mineralsbeneficiation and other manu-facturing activities and serv-ices. Reduction or removal of

structural impediments to in-dustrialisation is another tar-get being pursued by SADC.In this regard, there is needto improve power generationcapacity and facilitate anincrease in the developmentand use of renewablesources of energy as wellas ensure adequate watersupply. There is also need to re-

duce delays at ports and bor-der posts and shorten theduration of movement ofgoods across borders in theSADC region. This will in-volve harmonization of bor-der-crossing procedures inSADC by 2020. The action plan also pro-

poses an active role for Smalland Medium Enterprises(SMEs) in the SADC industri-alisation agenda. SMEs are animportant variable in SADCdevelopment plans, represent-ing 90 percent of all busi-nesses and accounting formore than 50 percent of em-ployment. r


With regard to water infra-structure development, SADCis investing in irrigation to en-able farmers to grow crops allyear round and not only de-pend on climatic conditions.

There is vast potential forirrigation in SADC as the re-gion is endowed with largewatercourses such as theCongo, Zambezi, Kavango,Orange-Senqu and Limpoporivers.

The Water Sector Plan ofthe SADC Regional Infra-structure Development Mas-ter Plan contains a total of 34infrastructure projects aimedat improving access to waterin the region.

At the national level, vari-ous SADC Member States arecapacitating their farmers toembrace new technologies andensure that they get increasedproductivity per unit area ofland, rather than by increasingthe area of cultivated land.

Individual countries arealso improving their storagefacilities to allow farmers tostore their harvest for use inpoor seasons. According tothe United Nations Food andAgriculture Organization,post-harvest crop losses areestimated to be as high as 40percent in southern Africa.

SADC has finalized theRegional Agricultural Policythat was adopted in 2014.The plan seeks to ensurelong-term food security andthe reduction of social andeconomic vulnerability of theregion’s population by en-hancing sustainable agricul-tural production in thechanging socio-economicand climatic conditions. r

The team has so far pre-pared a regional drought ap-peal for assistance with theaim of mobilizing resources tomeet the needs of people re-quiring humanitarian supportin the region.

Immediate past SADCchairperson, President SeretseKhama Ian Khama ofBotswana launched the re-gional appeal amounting toUS$2.7 billion.

Significant resources haveso far been realised since theappeal was launched in July.

“Following the launch of theappeal, the region has receivedassistance and pledges from anumber of partners, includingthe European Union, theUnited States and Japan,”SADC Executive Secretary, DrStergomena Lawrence Tax said.

SADC has also adopted anumber of other measures torevolutionize the agriculturalsector, which contributes be-tween four and 27 percent ofthe regional gross domesticproduct, and about 13 per-cent of the total export earn-ings.

The measures include pro-motion of investment in re-search and improved access tofinancial resources for small-holder farmers.

Other strategies are meas-ures to strengthen the capacityfor the dissemination of re-search technologies to farm-ers, particularly smallholderfarmers, who make up the ma-jority of farmers in the region. Access to such information iscritical for planning purposes,especially when farmers wantto diversify into new crops orlivestock.


strongest El Niño weatherphenomenon ever in southernAfrica in 35 years.

So what is SADC doing toaddress its food security situ-ation to ensure sustainable de-velopment?

The region has established aregional El-Niño responseteam to coordinate a regionalresponse to the impacts of the2015/16 El-Niño phenomenonon livelihoods in close collabo-ration with member states.

The SADC El Niño Re-sponse Team was set up inMay following a directive is-sued by the SADC Council ofMinisters that met in mid-March.

by Kizito Sikuka

THE fOOD security situationin southern Africa has re-mained subdued over the pastfew years due to a variety offactors, hampering efforts todeepen integration and pro-mote sustainable development.

According to the SADCEarly Warning and Vulnerabil-ity Assessment Systems, atleast 27 million people – aboutnine percent of the populationof the region – are food inse-cure this year as a result of thepoor 2015/16 farming season.

The poor season has largelybeen due to low rainfall,mainly caused by the

F O O D S E C U R I T Y

SADc establishes groundwater instituteSADC HAS established a regional centre of excellence ongroundwater that will act as a platform for implementing theSustainable Groundwater Management Programme in SADCMember States. The SADC Groundwater Management Institute (SADC-GMI) is hosted by the University of the Free State inBloemfontein, South Africa on behalf of and under thestrategic guidance of SADC Secretariat’s Directorate ofInfrastructure and Services. The SADC-GMI was launched on 20 September during aceremony attended by representatives from the ministriesresponsible for water in SADC Member States. The centre will collaborate with Member States to promotesustainable groundwater management and design solutions togroundwater challenges in the SADC region through buildingcapacity interventions, training, research, supportinginfrastructure development, and enabling dialogue andexchange of groundwater information. One of the SADC-GMI’s its immediate priorities will be tobuild on previous and ongoing achievements related togroundwater management in the region. SADC-GMI director, James Sauramba said his vision is toensure that groundwater management issues are grantedequal priority in national and international water managementdiscourses, and prominently featured in water legislation orpolicies in southern Africa. r

SADC targets improved agricultural productivity


Oscillation, a naturally occur-ring phenomenon that in-volves fluctuating oceantemperatures in the equatorialPacific.

In southern Africa, an ElNiño event is characterised bydrought while La Niña is asso-ciated with wet conditions andfloods.

While increased soil mois-ture is expected to improvecrop productivity, there is arisk of flooding that could de-stroy crops and impact on foodsecurity. Damage to infrastruc-ture is possible. Increased inci-dences of malaria andwaterborne diseases are oftenassociated with higher rainfall.

Mozambique, for example,faces risks of cyclone landfallsdue to increased tropical cy-clones forming in the Mozam-bique Channel, with apossibility of displacement ofpeople.

Governments in the regionare taking proactive measuresto prepare for the change in therainfall patterns and its impacton livelihoods and economicsectors.

River Basin Organisationssuch as the Zambezi Water-course Commission, Limpopo

Watercourse Commission andOrange-Senqu River Commis-sion are strengthening data andinformation sharing, which iscrucial for early warning andpreparedness, particularly inthe case of floods. The commis-sions have already set up dataand information-sharing sys-tems.

At regional level, the SADCClimate Services Centre is es-tablishing a Climate Data Pro-cessing Centre to providetimely early warning informa-tion such as flood and droughtpotential prediction, onset ofrainy season, as well as climateadvisories and information.

These are critical in devel-opment of effective droughtand flood warning systems tomaximize the opportunity forthe implementation of responsestrategies aimed at enhancingthe safety of life and propertyand reducing avoidable flooddamage.

Climate events such as ElNino and La Niña are a slowlyevolving phenomenon, whosepeak can be predicted monthsin advance. Providing early ad-vice and warning can help toreduce vulnerability to the im-pacts. sardc.net r

F O O D S E C U R I T Y

by Admire Ndhlovu

THE fORECAST for the2016/17 cropping season insouthern Africa indicates thatmost parts of the region can ex-pect adequate rainfall after twosuccessive years of debilitatingdroughts.

In the period October toDecember most of the region isexpected to receive a highamount of rain, characterisedas “normal to above normal”rainfall, and this is expected tocontinue in most parts of theregion in January to March2017, according to a statementby the 20th Southern Africa Re-gional Climate Outlook Forum(SARCOF-20).

However, the northern partof the region can expect “normalto below normal” rainfall at thebeginning and end of this pe-riod, comprising the northern-most part of DemocraticRepublic of Congo (DRC),northern Angola, most of Tanza-nia, northern Mozambique, theisland states of Seychelles andeastern Madagascar.

The period November toJanuary may see a reduction inrainfall in some parts of the re-gion, including westernBotswana, eastern DRC, north-ern Mozambique, westernZambia, and southern Tanza-nia.

The predicted rainfall pat-terns are presented with mapsthat show the entire SADC re-gion receiving normal to abovenormal rainfall during the pe-riod December 2016 to Febru-ary 2017, with the except ofeastern Tanzania and easternMadagascar.

However, there is often adry spell in January, and thecoming season is expected tobe characterised by a short dryspell in this period in mostparts of the region.

During the period of Janu-ary to March 2017, the rainfall

is expected to decrease in thenorthern part of the region, aswell as the southern parts ofZimbabwe and Mozambique,eastern Botswana, northernand central South Africa.

These predictions offer aninformed estimate and do notaddress the consistency of rain-fall during these periods.

The forecast was formu-lated by climate scientists fromthe National Meteorologicaland/or Hydrological Servicesin the 15 Member States ofSADC and the SADC ClimateServices Centre, with addi-tional inputs from other globalclimate prediction centres.

Their statement notes thatthe Outlook is relevant only toseasonal timescales and rela-tively large areas and may notfully account for all local andintra-seasonal factors that in-fluence climate variability,which can be interpreted andupdated by national meteoro-logical and hydrological serv-ices.

SARCOF meets every yearin August to review the rainfallseason in SADC, and discussthe potential impacts of theconsensus seasonal climateoutlook on other socio-eco-nomic sectors including disas-ter risk management, foodsecurity, health, water re-sources and hydropower man-agement.

The statement from climatescientists said they “took intoaccount oceanic and atmos-pheric factors that influenceour climate over the SADC re-gion. In particular, the El Niño-Southern Oscillation isforeseen to be shifting from thewarm, through neutral to coldphase, also referred to as LaNiña, during the bulk of therainfall season.”

Many regions of the globaltropics and sub-tropics exhibitclimate anomalies that corre-late with the El Niño Southern


Regional weather experts predict good rainfall this season

Rainfall forecast for October-December 2016

Rainfall forecast for January-March 2017

* A - Above Normal; N – Normal; B -Below Normal** The figures show the likelihood (% possibility) of having Above Normal, Normal orBelow

Normal rainfall in each of the regions




by Joseph Ngwawi

THE SADC chairperson KingMswati III of the Kingdom ofSwaziland has made anundertaking to push forfinalisation of the establishmentof a fund to ensuresustainability of the regionalintegration agenda.

King Mswati said he woulduse his tenure to ensure that“the numerous initiativeslaunched by SADC over theyears become a reality for thebenefit of our peoples.”

In an acceptance speech soonafter taking over the chair fromPresident Seretse Khama IanKhama of Botswana, KingMswati said lack of resourceshas stalled the attainment of thefull potential of SADC.

“We have reached a juncturewhere, as Member States, weneed to show commitment toour objectives by contributing toa fund that would serve as start-up capital for our programmesand projects in the varioussectors,” he said, referring to theproposed SADC RegionalDevelopment Fund that hasbeen discussed for severalyears.

He said when operational,the fund would be used as“collateral as we seek to raisefunding from external sourcesto implement infrastructureprojects in the region.”

During its tenure as SADCchair, Swaziland intends tofocus on raising resources fromSADC Member States and fromInternational CooperatingPartners (ICPs).

The issue of a sustainablefinancing mechanism for SADC’sregional integration agenda datesas far back as 2006 when leadersfrom the region acknowledgedthat the march towards regional

integration has beenpainstakingly slow and requiresgreater commitment by memberstates in order to attain the goalof a common future for southernAfrica.

Ten years later, the issue isstill topical but is now beingaddressed with more vigour.

King Mswati said it is criticalfor Member States tooperationalize the proposedSADC Regional DevelopmentFund to ensure that the region isable to take full charge of itsintegration agenda, whichcurrently depends on externalsupport.

It is estimated that only ninepercent of regional projects arepresently funded by SADCMember States while thebalance of 91 percent comesfrom ICPs. This situation hascompromised the ownershipand sustainability of regionalprogrammes.

“We therefore, have to speakin one voice for resourcemobilisation. They say a unifiedforce is stronger than aunilateral force. SADCrepresents a unified force, so wehope we can strengthen ourcapabilities and speak as onefamily,” he said.

The region has during thepast few years vigorouslypursued an economicintegration agenda involvingthe implementation of theSADC Industrialisation Strategyand Roadmap and the SADCRegional InfrastructureDevelopment Master Plan.

Implementation of bothstrategic documents demandsseveral billions of dollars, fundswhich the region has struggledto raise during the past fewyears.

According to a documentreleased at the 33rd SADC

Towards a “unified force” on resource mobilisationSummit held in Lilongwe,Malawi in August 2013, somegroundwork had been donewith regard to establishment ofthe fund.

At the time there weresuggestions that member statesshould take up 51 percent of theshares in the facility, against 37percent for the private sectorand 12 percent for ICPs.

It was also proposed that thefund will have seed capital ofUS$1.2 billion, with memberstates expected to contributeUS$612 million while theprivate sector would take upUS$444 million of the sharecapital and US$144 million wasto come from ICPs.

Under the proposal,subscription to shares would bemade over five years in equalinstalments. The firstsubscription would be duewithin the first year of the Fundcoming into force.

Any shares not subscribed toby the end of the fifth yearwould be reallocated to othermember states on the basis ofability to pay.

The proposal was to have thefirst 25 percent of the sharesdivided equally among MemberStates and members will beobliged to contribute. Theremaining 26 percent would beallocated based on economicability.

In addition to the creation ofthe SADC RegionalDevelopment Fund, the regionis also in the process ofengaging consultants to developa SADC Resource MobilisationFramework (AlternativeSources of Funding SADCRegional Programmes).

The framework will exploreseven different but co-relatedalternative sources of funding todetermine how fiscal space

could be created to enableSADC Member States to financeregional programmes, projectsand activities.

The possible sources includehow to curb Illicit FinancialFlows (IFFs); the creation of aregional lottery system; andharnessing the resources from aproposed philanthropy networkand database of private sectorcompanies.

It is estimated that Africaloses resources valued at up toUS$150 billion annuallythrough IFFs or “illicit capitalflight”, mainly through taxevasion, and mispricing ofgoods and services bymultinational companies,according to a recent studycommissioned by the AfricanUnion. r

R E S O U R C E M O B I L I S A T I O N



of the region as well as to raisethe quality of human capitaland labour productivity.

Proposed interventions dur-ing this phase will includemodernisation of industry andsupport structures; measuresto upgrade science, technology,engineering and research capa-bilities of Member States; skillsdevelopment; institutional re-forms; and adoption of con-ducive macroeconomic policiesfor industrial development.

It is envisaged that theSADC economy would movefrom factor-driven to effi-ciency-driven during the sec-ond phase.

Measures will focus on di-versification and productivityof sectors and increasing com-petitiveness of the region.

This will involve the intro-duction of policies targetingagro-food processing indus-tries; introduction of valuechains involving the agricul-tural sector; mineral beneficia-tion; pharmaceuticals; andtransformation of Small andMedium Enterprises (SMEs).

Proposed specific interven-tions during this phase willinclude introduction of ad-vanced technology in agro-food processing projects;development of agro-indus-trial clusters; promotion of re-gional value chains;prioritization of mineral ben-eficiation; development ofmineral industrial clusters;support for mining SMEs; andaccess to finance.

During the third and finalphase, the regional economy isenvisaged to further transform,based on high levels of innova-tion and business sophistica-tion.

SOuTHERN AfRICA couldsoon have an institution totrain citizens in innovation andentrepreneurship as the regionintensifies efforts to transformitself into an industrialised re-gion.

The SADC University ofTransformation is one of theinitiatives proposed by thenew SADC chairperson, KingMswati III of Swaziland, to im-prove industrial productivity.

He said the establishment ofthe university “will be the nextmilestone in our journey whichstarted in 1980.”

“The University for Trans-formation will deliver in edu-cational and training terms,using the technical vocationaleducational training model ofdelivery,” King Mswati said.

“This initiative will givenew hope and opportunity toour youth and our women.The intention is to have thefirst intake of students priorto the 37th SADC Summit in2017.”

The proposed universitywill be a timely interventionthat is expected to complementthe SADC IndustrialisationStrategy and Roadmap 2015-2063.

The strategy and itsroadmap is being implementedin three phases, covering thethree main pillars -- industrial-isation, competitiveness andregional integration.

The first phase covers theperiod between 2015 and2020.The second phase follows,covering a 30-year period from2021-2050, while the finalphase is proposed to run be-tween 2051 and 2063, aligningwith the African Union’sAgenda 2063.

The first phase of the SADCIndustrialisation Strategy andRoadmap will involve imple-mentation of measures totransform the production base

This will necessitate in-creased investment in knowl-edge, development of uniqueskills, nurturing innovation aswell as promoting competitive-ness and deepening the entre-preneurial culture.

King Mswati noted that theproposed university would goa long way in supporting im-plementation of the SADC In-dustrialisation Strategy andRoadmap as well as other re-gional integration initiatives insouthern Africa.

He said it was importantthat the region adopts“thought processes that en-courage positive thinking suchas the blue ocean strategy.”

SADC is considering strate-gies to embrace the blueeconomy concept that concep-tualises oceans as “develop-ment spaces” wherecoordinated planning inte-grates conservation, sustain-able use, oil and mineralwealth extraction and marinetransport.

The blue economy conceptis an initiative pioneered bySmall Island Developing States(SIDS) but also relevant tocoastal states with an interestin waters beyond national ju-risdiction.

The concept emphasizes

conservation and sustainablemanagement of oceans andcomplements the green econ-omy.

It recognizes the productiv-ity of healthy ocean ecosystemsas a way to safeguard sustain-able ocean-based economies, aswell as to ensure that SIDS andother coastal countries benefitfrom their marine resources.

The protection and regener-ation of marine resources arepriority issues for coastal stateswhose marine resources signif-icantly contribute to the socio-economic welfare of thecountry.

The concept is appropriatefor the SADC region sincemore than half of its 15 Mem-ber States are coastal or oceaniccountries.

Eight SADC Member Statesare coastal or oceanic states –Angola, Madagascar, Mauritius,Mozambique, Namibia, Sey-chelles, South Africa and theUnited Republic of Tanzania.

The blue economy develop-ment strategy is timely for theSADC region, which has wit-nessed significant discoveriesof large offshore reserves of oiland natural gas in Mozam-bique, Namibia and Tanzaniaduring the past few years.

Recent findings of naturalgas reserves in a number ofsouthern African countriespoint to a huge potential for ex-ploitation of the resource in a re-gion presently grappling with a

SADc regional university on innovation

SWAZIlAND HAS pledged to offer scholarships for 300 stu-dents for the initial intake of the proposed university -- 20 stu-dents per member country.

I N N O V A T I O N


energy/energy effi-ciency, and oil and gas– and shows that sig-nificant progress hasbeen made by Mem-ber States in imple-menting variouspolicies to address thecrippling energy situation inthe region, despite the chal-lenges.

If all planned energy activi-ties, projects and programmesare implemented as per sched-ule, SADC is expected to be en-ergy self-sufficient by 2020.

The SADC Gender and De-velopment Monitor 2016, nowin its sixth edition, presents anaccount of progress made to-wards implementation of re-gional commitments toachieve gender equality andequity in line with the SADCProtocol on Gender and Devel-opment.

The publication shows thatmost countries in the regionhave made progress towardgender equality and equity invarious sectors, and all Mem-ber States have increased thenumber of women at some lev-els of decision-making, al-though falling short of thetarget of 50:50 by 2015.

In addition to governance,the report covers the constitu-tional and legal frameworks,education and training, health,productive resources and em-ployment, gender-based vio-


SADc launches new publications tracking regional integration

P U B L I C A T I O N S

ACCESS TO reliable and ac-curate information is essentialto achieving regional integra-tion and sustainable develop-ment in southern Africa, theSADC Executive Secretary, DrStergomena Lawrence Taxsaid when officiating at thelaunch of four new SADCpublications at the 36th SADCSummit held in the Kingdomof Swaziland.

She said availability of infor-mation enables citizens to par-ticipate in the integrationagenda through educating andinforming them about the ben-efits of belonging to a sharedcommunity of southern Africa.

“This is an exciting andproud moment for the region aswe unveil new publicationswhich are aimed at enablingSADC citizens, and regionaland international partners toget correct and up-to-date in-formation about progress madein implementing regional pro-grammes in terms of achieve-ments and emerging issues onthe regional integrationagenda,” Dr Tax said.

“The publications are alsoexpected to provide informa-tion that is necessary to guideinformed decision-making andrefocusing of efforts to increaseimpact and create value formoney,” she said.

The four publications thatwere launched deal with en-ergy, gender, trafficking in per-sons, and managing economictransformation.

The SADC Energy Monitor,the first of its kind in southernAfrica, documents progressmade by Member States to-wards implementation ofSADC energy policies and ini-tiatives, including the SADCProtocol on Energy.

The publication focuses onthe three main energy sectors ofparticular relevance to SADC –electricity, renewable

The SADC Energy Monitorand the SADC Gender and De-velopment Monitor 2016 wereproduced for SADC by theSouthern African Research andDocumentation Centre(SARDC) with support fromthe Austrian DevelopmentAgency.

The other two publicationswere produced by the SADC

Secretariat with supportfrom the German FederalMinistry for EconomicCooperation and Develop-ment through theDeutsche Gesellschaft fürInternationale Zusamme-narbeit (GIZ).

Speaking at thelaunch, Deputy Head ofMission at the Austrian Em-bassy in Pretoria, Matthias

Radosztics said InternationalCooperating Partners (ICPs)are committed to working withSADC in advancing its integra-tion agenda.

He said international part-ners are now aligning their sup-port to SADC’s RevisedRegional Indicative StrategicDevelopment Plan (RISDP)2015-2020 and the SADC In-dustrialization Strategy andRoadmap 2015-2063.

Alignment of support tothe two regional documentswill ensure the smooth imple-mentation of agreed activitiesand programmes, thereby pro-moting socio-economic devel-opment and deeper integration.

The SADC Industrializa-tion Strategy and Roadmap2015-2063 aims at acceleratingthe growing momentum to-wards strengthening the com-parative and competitiveadvantages of the economiesof the region.

The Revised RISDP is a five-year plan that guides the imple-mentation of all SADCprogrammes from 2015 until2020. r

lence, peace building and con-flict resolution, institutionalmechanisms, and media.

The baseline study on Traf-ficking in Persons in the SADCRegion highlights the nature,extent and impact of traffickingin persons in the region.

Thirteen Member States ofSADC have specific legislationthat addresses the issue ofhuman trafficking. These areAngola, Botswana, Lesotho,Madagascar, Malawi, Mauri-tius, Mozambique, SouthAfrica, Seychelles, Swaziland,the United Republic Tanzania,Zambia and Zimbabwe.

The Democratic Republic ofCongo and Namibia are consol-idating and enacting specificlegislation in this regard as theyhave various pieces of legisla-tion for this purpose.

Adding Value: A PolicyToolbox for SADC MemberStates to Manage EconomicTransformation and ValueChain Development is a publi-cation that provides tools andguidelines to help stakeholdersto promote value addition, thusincreasing the benefits fromtheir products.


ACCESS TO affordable, reliable and modern energy is critical inpromoting socio-economic development and addressingdevelopment challenges in the SADC region, such as poverty,gender inequalities and food insecurity.

Access to energy can be a liberating factor for women. Mostwomen and girls in the SADC region spend their time on basictasks that are time-consuming, non-remunerative and highlylaborious, such as collecting biomass fuels, without access tomodern energy services.

This further exacerbates gender inequalities as many women,especially in rural and peri-urban areas, are unable to access wageemployment, education or business opportunities due to theseresponsibilities, and this also limits options for social and politicalinteraction outside the household.

To highlight the general status of the uptake of renewable energyservices in southern Africa while interrogating the gender dimensionsof access to these resources, the Southern African Research andDocumentation Centre (SARDC) in partnership with the SADCEnergy Unit and with support from the Austrian DevelopmentAgency (ADA) produced a report on Efforts and Benefits ofMainstreaming Gender in the SADC Renewable Energy Sector.

The report – the first of its kind in southern Africa – was launchedin August and aims to build a strong evidence base on the benefits ofmainstreaming gender in the sector and present recommendationsfor SADC Member States and institutions to intensify efforts todevelop comprehensive policies and guidelines for the inclusion ofwomen and men in energy policy formulation. Some of the highlightsof the publication are presented in the following report.

SADC endowed with renewable energy sourcesSouthern Africa is relatively well-endowed with renewable energyresources, and the Map[ gives an overview of the various energyresources available in mainland SADC. However, renewableenergies accounts for only 23.5 percent of total power generationin SADC with the rest generated from coal-powered stations.

Women face challenges in accessing renewable energy servicesOne of the challenges confronting the SADC region is the provisionof modern energy services to its population, and this has a verydifferent impact on women and on men.

Women, especially rural women, continually face energy-relatedhurdles and are tied into servitude by the type of energy sourceavailable for their cooking and lighting needs.

Basic services such as electricity for lighting and cleaner cookingtechnologies are still a luxury for many rural communities, and thisimpacts disproportionately on women, who generally haveresponsibilities as the provider and end-user of energy, althoughon large farms the energy is also used for irrigation, mainly by men.

There is need, therefore, to invest heavily in research, resourcesand provision of clean energy solutions that are advantageous forwomen who are hardest hit by power shortages, which multiplytheir workload.

Need for gender-responsive institutional frameworksFor southern Africa to emerge as a competitive and effectivecontributor in the global economy, it has to have in place soundregional renewable energy policies among other developmentpriorities.

Despite varying efforts to develop sound policies, there are stillno clearly defined renewable energy policy frameworks andrenewable energy master plans which provide for a clear andcomprehensive development of this sector in most SADC MemberStates.

The low levels of renewable energy penetration and use acrossthe region are largely attributed to a lack of effectiveimplementation of legislative and regulatory frameworks thatwould support market development.

In addition, there are limited institutional mechanisms andtechnical capacity at all levels (local expertise and governmentalcapacity) to successfully implement renewable energy programmesand projects. For example, very few women are in key decision-making positions with regard to energy development in the region.

The Table shows the gender structure of some members of theRegional Electricity Regulators Association of Southern Africa(RERA). r


Efforts and benefits ofMainstreaming gender in the SADc renewable energy sector

Energy Resources, Mainland Countries

SAPP Presentation at RISDP Review Researchers Workshop, May 2013

Governance structure of RERA MembershipCountry Regulatory body No. of Men No. of Women

Lesotho Lesotho Electricity and Water Authority (LEWA) 3 3Malawi Malawi Energy Regulatory Board, MEW A 4 1Namibia Electricity control Board 1 3South Africa National Energy Regulator South Africa (NERSA) 5 4Zambia Zambia Energy Regulatory Board 6 1Zimbabwe Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority 3 3


R E N E W A B L E E N E R G Y


CONSIDERAblE EVIDENCE hasshown that mainstreaming gendermakes projects more effective, andresults in more benefits for women aswell as men.

In the renewable energy sub-sector, projects ranging from cookingenergy and energy access, toelectricity and petroleuminfrastructure construction, to energypolicy and planning are starting todemonstrate how operationalisinggender approaches can improve

performance and increase benefitsfor both women and men.

Poverty eradication,increased food production,

better health andeducation, economic

opportunities, saferenvironment and

empowerment of women are criticalfactors that can be addressed throughmainstreaming gender in renewableenergy initiatives to advanceeconomic and social development inthe region.

Mainstreaming gender inrenewable energy has a number ofbenefits that improve the livelihoodsof both women and men.

The use of clean energy giveswomen and their families a lifelinefrom potentially hazardousconditions associated with burningtraditional forms of biomass.

Access to modern energy servicesfrees the time of women and girls toconcentrate on other economic andsocial pursuits such as investing inentrepreneurial and educationalactivities. r

THE ECONOmIC Community of Western African States(ECOWAS) has developed a forward looking policy thatprioritizes gender and women-centred approaches in allfacets of energy and renewable energy development in theregion. ECOWAS considers that the challenges of genderinequality in the energy sector originate almost entirelyfrom the lack of gender considerations in the planningprocess, and, therefore, seeks to recognize the mainchallenges and constraints for gender equality in energyaccess at three levels: • The political level; • The level of the energy supplier, be it a public-purpose

or private market actor; and • The level of the energy consumer.ECOWAS has taken steps to mainstream renewableenergy into its regional activities and policies mainlythrough the establishment of the ECOWAS Centre forRenewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (ECREEE).Through the centre, the region developed and is in theprocess of implementing the ECOWAS Renewable EnergyPolicy (EREP) which aims to achieve universal energyaccess in rural areas whilst ensuring energy security,

sustainability, and access. The EREP includes the followingmeasures relevant for gender;• The policy identifies “support to gender equality” and

women’s participation as a guiding principle for itsimplementation. Participatory approaches will beapplied. The policy has adopted a concrete target oncooking energy (at par with electricity), “to universalizedissemination of high efficiency cook-stoves (35 percent)to the urban population by 2020.” A 100 percentpenetration target has been set for 2020, and all otherstoves will be removed from the market and theirmanufacture banned by 2020.

• EREP requires that each Member State ensure gendermainstreaming through a Gender Action Plan as part ofthe National Renewable Energy Policy with objectives,outcomes, activities etc. Countries are expected toundertake advocacy to include gender policy and visionin the institutional framework, and ECREEE has beenmandated to develop guidelines to mainstream gender inthe National Renewable Energy Policies. In nationalbudgets, a minimum budget is to be set for renewableenergy initiatives for gender/women. r

Benefits of mainstreaming gender in therenewable energy sector

case study from West Africa


by Nyarai Kampilipili and Idaishe Chengu

THE REVISED protocol foradvancing gender equality andequity in southern Africa thatwas adopted by the 36th SADCSummit in August seeks toalign the protocol to new andemerging issues.

The Revised SADC Protocolon Gender and Developmentcontains new provisions onemerging gender-relatedchallenges, including climatechange, child marriages, sexualreproductive health andreproductive rights, gender inmedia, information andcommunication.

The new entry on genderand climate change requires thatstate parties develop policies,strategies and programmes toaddress the gender issues inclimate change in accordancewith the SADC Protocol onEnvironment and SustainableDevelopment.

Article 31 of the protocolurges Member States to assessthe differential genderedimpacts of climate change andput in place effective measuresfor adaptation and resilience.

Climate change is anemerging threat to livelihoodsand may also deepenenvironmental threats such asdeforestation, water scarcityand land degradation, whichoften hit the poorest and themost disadvantaged groups,especially those who dependon climate-sensitivelivelihoods such as farmers.

The revised protocol alsoaddresses harmful practicessuch as forced and earlymarriages.

Article 8 of the protocolstipulates that “no child under18 shall marry” and otherarticles adverse to humanrights have been alignedwith human rights instrumentssuch as the Convention on the

Elimination of DiscriminationAgainst Women (CEDAW) andthe Convention on the Rightsof the Child.

This provision is in line withthe African Union decision toset the minimum age formarriage at 18, in line with thedefinition of a child as anyperson under the age of 18years.

Child marriages are one ofthe contributing factors to theslow progress in the reductionof maternal mortality as themajority of the women who diewhile giving birth are youngmothers.

The revised protocolrequires State Parties withprovisions in theirconstitutions or laws that allowchild marriages to reviewthem, with the aim of reachingthe target of eradicating childmarriages.

To address violations thatimpact on women’sreproductive and sexualhealth, Member States areurged to develop andimplement policies andprogrammes to address themental, sexual andreproductive health needs ofwomen and men.

The protocol urges MemberStates to ensure the provision

of hygiene and sanitaryfacilities and nutritional needsof women, including women inprison.

Article 5 of the revisedprotocol calls upon MemberStates to put in place specialmeasures with particularreference to women in order toeliminate all barriers whichprevent them fromparticipating meaningfully inall spheres of life and create aconducive environment forsuch participation.

The protocol now hasgender neutral language thatensures gender inclusivepolicies for both men andwomen. Article 10 for exampleexhorts legislative protectionfor both widows andwidowers, and now speaksequal protection for bothhusbands and wives whilstarticle 11 now includesrequirement for the protectionof both the boy and girlchild.

According to the SADCGender and DevelopmentMonitor 2016, men are stilldominating the newscoverage and although mediahouses have gendermainstreamed their policies,the number of womenparticipating in the media in

Status on the signing and ratification of theSADc Protocol on Gender and Development


G E N D E R

THE SADC Protocol on Gender and Development enteredinto force in 2013 following ratification by the requisite two-thirds of Member States.

SADC Member States that have ratified the protocol, andare thus parties to the protocol, are Angola, Lesotho,Mozambique, Namibia, Seychelles, South Africa, Swaziland,United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Theirtask now is to domesticate the Protocol through nationallegislation so it becomes the law at national level.

At the time of ratification, three other Member States weresignatories to the Protocol but had not yet ratified (DemocraticRepublic of Congo, Madagascar and Malawi) while Botswanaand Mauritius had yet to append their signature.

SADc adopts revised protocol on gender and developmentmost countries still remainslow.

The revised protocoladdresses this issue by callingfor the equal representation ofmen and women in decision-making structures in the media,and ownership of mediahouses.

Provisions of the revisedprotocol are aligned to theSustainable DevelopmentGoals (SDGs) adopted by theUnited Nations GeneralAssembly (UNGA) in lateSeptember which provideessential targets and goals thatseek to position gender equalityand women’s empowerment atthe centre of the global agenda.

The revised protocol nolonger has time-specificdeadlines for theimplementation of specificgoals For example, the target of50:50 for equal representationin decision-making in publicand private sectors is no longerspecified in the protocol.

State parties shall ensure“equal and effective”representation of women indecision-making positions inthe political, public and privatesectors including the use ofspecial measures in terms ofArticle 5. The revised protocolnow refers to “specialmeasures” rather than“affirmative action”.

Article 5 calls upon stateupon state parties to put inplace special measures withparticular reference to womenin order to eliminate barriersthat prevent women fromparticipating meaningfully inall spheres of life, and create aconducive environment forsuch participation.

The promotion of genderequality is one of the mainpillars of the AU’s Agenda2063, featuring prominently inall the seven aspirations for thecontinent over the next 47years. r


E L E C T I O N S

He said his priority will be onimproving key areas of the economyincluding agriculture, health services,and education as well as diversifyingthe economy, which mainly dependson copper mining.

“I want to lead a green revolutionthat must culminate in sustainablenational food security from individualactions of each one of us,” he said.

“Our new mission must now alsoto give ourselves the ability andconfidence to be masters of our owndestiny. We must begin to conclusivelywean our economy from the currentcopper mining dominated mono-economy. In this new dispensation wemust promote and sustain agricultureto become one of the main drivers ofour diversification programme.”

On cases of violence witnessed inthe pre and post-election era, he saidan “an inquiry to establish the causeand perpetrators of the post-electionviolence” would be established “sothat the nation can learn from suchmistakes.”

Lungu, who is leader of thePatriotic Front (PF), won the 11 Augustpresidential elections after garneringtotal of 1,860,877 votes against1,760,347 polled by his closest rival,Hakainde Hichilema of the mainopposition United Party for NationalDevelopment (UPND).

However, his swearing-inceremony was delayed for about amonth after Hichilema mounted a


“THE ElECTIONS are over…Weknow that elections, like any othercompetitive enterprise have the abilityto bring out the most selfish aspects ofour humanity.”

“Let us seize the opportunity to riseabove the different points of view thatdivided us. The temptation to believethat only our solutions alone are thebest is an ingrained human deficiency.”

These words were said by thenewly re-elected Zambian PresidentEdgar Lungu on 13 September duringhis inaugural ceremony where heextended an olive branch to theopposition and called for peace andnational unity.

“Prosperity for all cannot beachieved in an acrimoniousenvironment. Without peace, there canbe no development. Without peace,our current achievements can easily beundermined, without peace, there canbe no stability in the nation,” he said,adding that “it is only in a peacefulenvironment that we can build on ourachievements and attain greaterprosperity for all.”

President Lungu said he willensure all Zambians despite thepolitical affiliations benefit fromvarious socio-economic activities,programmes and projected initiatedby the government.

“Zambia belongs to all of us wholive and work in it… Even those whodidn't vote for me, I won't let youdown.”

court challenge in which he contestedthe outcome of the poll and wantedLungu disqualified for rigging andinciting violence.

The Constitution Court of Zambiadismissed the application on 9September, after which Hichilematook it to the Supreme Court ofZambia, who also rejected theapplication on 12 September, pavingthe way for the inaugurationceremony held on 13 Septemberattended by leaders from the regionand across Africa.

According to a law introduced inJanuary, the winner of a presidentialvote cannot be sworn in if their victoryis contested in court.

The votes garnered by Lungu wereenough to secure at least 50 percent ofthe valid votes as per the amendmentto the Zambian Constitution adoptedin January.

Lungu amassed 50.3 percent of thevalid votes cast against Hichilema,who got 47.67 percent of the votes.

Under the previous ZambianConstitution, the president waselected using the first-past-the-postsystem under which the candidatewith the highest number of votes waselected, even if they scored less than 50percent of the valid votes cast.

Lungu’s running mate, InongeWina, was sworn-in as Vice-President,the first woman to hold the post.

In the past, a vice-president wasappointed by the president. The

Edgar Lungu sworn in as Zambian


E L E C T I O N S


introduction of running mates underthe new Constitution will allow thevice-president to take over aspresident in the event of theincumbent being incapacitated to leadthe country.

Under the constitutionalamendment, the vice-present canassume power for the remainder of thepresident’s tenure.

Such a development avoids the needfor early elections as was the case lastyear following the death of PresidentMichael Sata in October 2014. Earlyelections were also held in October 2008after President Levy Mwanawasa diedin June of the same year.

Lungu, who took office in 2015following the death of formerpresident Michael Sata in 2014becomes the sixth Zambian presidentsince the country got its independencefrom Britain on 24 October 1964. r

THE PEOPlE of Seychelles voted peacefullyin a historic parliamentary election on 8-10September that saw an opposition coalitionwinning the majority seats in parliament forthe first time in the history of the island nation.

According to final results released by theElectoral Commission of Seychelles (ECS), theLinyon Demokratik Seselwa (LDS) coalitionwon 15 directly elected seats and fourproportionate seats while the ruling PartiLepep won 10 directly elected seats and fourproportionate seats.

A third party, the Seychelles PatrioticMovement, won zero seats.

The LDS coalition is made of four parties –the main opposition Seychelles National Party,the Lalyans Seselwa (Seychellois Alliance), theSeychelles Party for Social Justice andDemocracy and the Seychelles United Party.

The result means that the sixth NationalAssembly will have 19 members from the LDSand 14 from Parti Lepep.

In the last parliamentary elections held in2011, Parti Lepep held all the 25 directlyelected seats and a further seven proportionateseats.

The National Assembly in Seychelles ismade up of 25 directly elected seats and eightproportional seats.

A total of 62,939 people, out of 71,932registered voters, cast votes in the historicelections in August, representing a voterturnout of more than 87 percent. Seychelleshas a population of around 93,000.

As is the case with all elections inSeychelles, voters in the so-called “outerislands” voted on the first two days,followed by the “inner islands” of Mahe,Grand’ Anse and La Digue Islands which arehome to more than 90 percent of theSeychellois population.

This voting set-up makes it easy for thevoting to be completed on time and ensures that

ballots from outer islands aredelivered back to the main

island of Mahe, where the tallying of thevotes and final result announcement takeplace.

The archipelago nation is made up of 115islands, some as far as 1,000 kilometres fromthe main island of Mahe.

The election results released by the ECSmean that the ruling Parti Lepep has lost anelection for the first time since the country re-introduced multiparty politics in 1993. Theparty has been in power for over 23 years.

In December 2015, the party’s presidentialcandidate, James Michel, was forced into arun-off after no candidate amassed enoughvotes to be declared outright winnerfollowing presidential elections rescheduledin the same month instead of the original dateof 2016.

Some analysts viewed the rescheduling ofelections to December 2015 as a ploy byMichel to manage instability within the partyas some members of his party had openlyexpressed discomfort with his policies.

The December 2015 run-off was the first inthe history of the island nation. In previouselections, the ruling party comfortably wonevery presidential election in the first round.

The disunity within the ruling party maybe part of the reason behind the victory bythe opposition coalition in the just-endedparliamentary elections.

LDS leader, Roger Mancienne said theresult marks “a historic step” in thedevelopment of the country.

“It is historic because it’s the first time thatwe have a transition of power in one of thebranches of government – the legislature,” hesaid, adding that the transition has alsooccurred in a peaceful and orderly manner.

Michel conceded defeat in the elections. Parliamentary elections in Seychelles areheld every fiveyears, and thenext one is setfor 2021. r

ElECTIONS ObSERVERS to theparliamentary elections in Seychellessaid the polls were held in confirminitywith regional and internationalstandards.

The SADC Election Observer Mission(SEOM) said it was happy with the country’slevel of preparedness for the 2016 National Assemblyelections as well as the way people voted on Election Day.

The expectations of the SEOM were guided and measuredmainly against provisions and requirements of the SeychellesConstitution, as well as the SADC Treaty, the SADC Protocolon Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation”.

The African Union (AU) Observer Mission concurredsaying peace and stability should always be maintained asit was the cornerstone for socio-economic development. r

president

Opposition wins Seychelles parliamentary elections

Seychelles president resignsPRESIDENT JAmES Michel of Seychelles resignedin October after 12 years in office. Michel gave no reason for his resignation, but itfollowed parliamentary elections where the opposition coalition LinyonDemokratik Seselwa took control of the legislature from the ruling People’s Pro-gressive Front, called Parti Lepep, for the first time in the country's history. Former Vice President Danny Faure will complete the five-year term of theoutgoing president. Michel resigned 10 months into his third and final mandate. Faure was sworn in on 16 October and called for peace and unity among theSeychellois. r


C U L T U R E


by Kizito Sikuka

ONE Of the activities held onthe sidelines of the 36th SADCSummit in Mbabane, theKingdom of Swaziland wasthe annual Reed Dance.

An estimated 100,000young girls took part in thiscultural ceremony commonlyknown as Umhlanga, accord-ing to the acting assistantoverseer of the event, Sijabu-lisa Ndzinisa.

Swaziland has a populationof just over 1.1 million.

But what exactly is the ReedDance, an event that has with-stood the test of time and main-tained its glamour and colour,attracting more participantsand visitors each year?In fact, the eight-day festivalhas defied the apparent declineof traditional culture in manyparts of Africa and the world.

Commemorated in late Au-gust or early September eachyear, the Reed Dance involvesthe cutting of reeds by younggirls, who then present themto the Queen Mother to repairher royal residence – and thendance in celebration.

This gesture by the younggirls, who should be child-

less and unmarried, sig-nifies the preservationof their chastity, a trib-ute of labour to the

Queen Mother, andshows solidarity toworking together.

On the first day of the festi-val, the girls from more than200 chiefdoms of the Kingdomof Swaziland gather at theQueen Mother’s royal village.

On the second day they areseparated into two groups –one made up of girls aged be-tween 14 and 22 years and an-other comprising those aged8-13 years.

These groups are dis-patched in the afternoon to goand fetch the reeds. The girlssleep in the forest.

Cutting of the reeds is doneon the third day while in theafternoon of the fourth day,the girls return to the QueenMother’s royal village.

A free day is provided onthe fifth day to allow the girlsto rest as well as make finalpreparations on their attire.Presentations of the reeds,which is followed by dancing,is conducted on the sixth andseventh days.

On the eight and last day,King Mswati III orders theslaughter of cattle for the girlsto eat.

Participation in the ReedDance is optional and mostyoung Swazi girls usually takepride in the event.

According to Swazi history,the Reed Dance developed outof a the old umewsho custom,where all young girls wereplaced in a female age-regi-ment, and if any of them fellpregnant outside of marriage,

Reed Dance – A cultural event that has withstood test of timeher family was made to pay afine.

This tradition was aimed atdiscouraging sex before mar-riage – an important form ofcampaign, particularly nowwhen the global community isbattling with challenges onhow to address the HIV andAIDS pandemic and other sex-ually transmitted diseases.

Occasionally, the King mayuse the opportunity to choose anew wife. However, it shouldbe noted that proposal to thegirl would have happenedmany months prior to the selec-tion, hence the Reed Dance pro-vides a platform to introducethe new queen to the public.

Despite the Reed Dancebeing one of the biggest andmost spectacular culturalevents in Africa, it has also re-ceived its fair share of criticism,especially from the westernmedia which tends to portraythe festival as serving little pur-pose other than a showcasingof young virgins from whichthe King can select a new wife.

However, the Reed Dance,which was held on 29 Augustis such an experience wherevisitors are treated to the richSwazi culture.

Little can prepare any visitorfor the sheer scale of thepageantry across the paradegrounds of Ludzidzini, wherethe presentations will takeplace, or an overwhelming im-mersion in noise and colour, as

the girls stamp, sing and swayin step, anklets rattling, anddazzling costumes blurringinto a living, chanting kaleido-scope.

Swaziland has succeededwhere many others havefailed to create a nation thatprides itself in its culture andheritage. sardc.net r

TO RE-ENfORCE the cen-tral role played by culture inregional integration and co-operation among countries,SADC adopted the Protocolon Culture, Information andSport in 2001. The Protocol isguided by the following gen-eral principles:• Strive to develop policies

and programmes in theareas of culture informa-tion and sport;

• Pooling of resources (ex-pertise, infrastructure facil-ities) by Members States;and;

• Commitment to enhancea regional identity in di-versity and the right of ac-cess to information andparticipation in the areasof culture, informationand sport by all citizens.The Protocol calls for co-

operation areas of training,capacity-building and re-search, resource mobilisa-tion, language policyformulation, preservation ofcultural heritage and artsand culture festivals. r



August - October 2016October 24 Sept-5 Oct, 17th Meeting of the Conference of Parties to CITESSouth Africa This will be the fourth meeting of the Parties to the Convention on Inter-

national Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES)held in Africa since CITES came into force on 1 July 1975. Parties willtake decisions on measures to end illicit wildlife trafficking as well as con-sider proposals to list additional species under CITES trade controls orchange the status of existing CITES listings.

5-6, South Africa SADC Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Strategy and Action Plan(REEESAP) Validation WorkshopThe workshop will bring together SADC energy stakeholders to deliberateon and validate the REEESAP document. The REEESAP seeks to increasethe uptake of renewable energy and efficiency in the region.

13, Malawi 41st SAPP Executive Committee MeetingThe Southern African Power Pool (SAPP) will discuss ways of improvingthe energy situation in the region to ensure supplies meet the demand.SAPP is a regional body that coordinates the planning, generation, trans-mission and marketing of electricity on behalf of utilities in SADC main-land Member States.

13-14, SADC River Basin Organisations WorkshopSouth Africa Representatives of river basin organisations in SADC will meet in Johan-

nesburg to discuss pertinent issues such as climate change and to shareexperiences about responses to this and other challenges.

19-20, Zambia SAPP Energy Traders and System Controllers ForumEnergy traders and system controllers from SAPP members will meet todiscuss various issues of energy interchange and trading and system con-trol such as participation on the Day Ahead Market, system disturbances,and how to improve communication among utilities.

November 7-11, Lesotho RERA Annual Conference

Running under the theme “Providing Universal Access and SustainableDevelopment through Renewable Energy: Challenges and Opportunitiesfor the SADC Region”, the conference provides an opportunities for stake-holders to network and exchange information on pertinent electricity sup-ply industry issues in southern Africa.

7-18, Morocco UNFCCC COP 22The 22nd session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 22) to the UNFramework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the 12th ses-sion of the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Partiesto the Kyoto Protocol (CMP 12) will bring global leaders to continue ne-gotiations towards a global consensus on addressing the impacts of cli-mate change.

15, Ethiopia Tenth African Development Forum The Forum offers a multi-stakeholder platform to debate, discuss and pro-pose concrete strategies for Africa’s development. The Tenth African De-velopment Forum will be held under the theme “Migration and Africa’sTransformation” which stems from the recognition of the central role ofmigration as an enabler for inclusive and sustainable developmentpremised on African-owned and African-driven developmental initiatives.

December5-7, Nigeria African Economic Conference

This year’s annual conference focuses on the theme of “Feeding Africa:Towards Agro-Allied Industrialization for Inclusive Growth.” It seeks toprovide an opportunity to discuss Africa's agricultural transformation bypresenting the latest empirical evidence on how to leverage agro-indus-trialization for feeding Africa and promoting inclusive growth. Policy-makers, researchers and development practitioners from Africa and fromaround the world will gather to make strategic contributions for acceler-ating agro-allied industrial development. The conference is jointly organ-ized by the African Development Bank, UN Economic Commission forAfrica, UN Development Programme, and the African Economic Con-ference.

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THE fIRST president of Mozambique, Samora Moises Machel, is a symbol offreedom in his country and throughout southern Africa. Machel supported the liberation of the region from colonial rule, before andafter his own country gained independence in 1975. Machel and 34 others, including some of his closest aides and advisors, diedwhen the presidential plane, returning from a summit in Zambia, crashed atMbuzini in South Africa on 19 October 1986. The cause of the crash has not been officially determined, although significantcircumstantial evidence points to a false navigational beacon placed by the formerapartheid regime in South Africa to draw the plane off course. Prime Minister Carlos Agostinho do Rosário said the truth behind the incidentthat claimed the life of Machel will one day become clear. “Samora Machel was a national hero for Mozambique. He is an important his-toric reference for the people of Mozambique, South Africa and the world,” hesaid during a ceremony held on 17 October at Mbuzini to commemorate the 30thanniversary of the tragic death of the Mozambican leader. The South African Deputy President, Cyril Ramaphosa, described Machel as atrue pan-Africanist who sacrificed the welfare of his own people to accommodatethose from other countries who were fighting against the yoke of oppression. “He unconditionally welcomed liberation fighters into Mozambique and ded-icated his life to the complete emancipation of southern Africa. He continues toinspire us to build a society free of prejudice, racism, patriarchy and exploitation,”Ramaphosa said, adding that South Africa owes an enormous debt of gratitudeto the people of Mozambique for their unconditional moral, political and materialsupport of its liberation movement. The official ceremony to commemorate the anniversary of Machel’s death istraditionally held at the Mbuzini site of the plane crash just inside South Africanterritory. The memorial at Mbuzini is perched on an isolated hillside and has, embed-ded in a cement base, 35 vertical steel pillars, one for each person who died. Theycast long shadows over the base, and the wind causes a permanent whisperingthrough small incisions in the pillars. The commemoration for the 30th anniversary was launched in June byMozambican President Filipe Nyusi during the 41st anniversary of the country’sindependence.

President Nyusi said his government will continue “to renew our commitmentto preserve truth and freedom, noble gains of the struggle waged by Mozam-

bicans.” He said Machel will continue to inspire the whole nation and therest of Africa.

“Samora Machel was much more than the founder of a free and inde-pendent nation…” he said, adding that “he remains a cornerstone of ourpride in being what we are.” He said even though “30 years after hisphysical disappearance, his lessons remain” to inspire the country.

“Machel won admiration and respect for his integrity and moralstature, as well as for his humanism, which surpassed the barriersof borders, race, tribe, gender or religion,” he said.

Machel was the leader of the Mozambique Liberation Front (Fre-limo), which toppled the colonial Portuguese administration throughguerrilla warfare.

Machel became the first president of Mozambique at independenceon 25 June 1975, and his government accommodated liberation fight-ers from South Africa and Zimbabwe who were still battling to over-throw the apartheid and Rhodesian regimes. sardc.net

4 October Peace and National Reconciliation Day Mozambique4 October independence Day Lesotho14 October Mwalimu Julius Nyerere Day Tanzania15 October Mothers’ Day Malawi24 October independence Day Zambia30 October Divali Mauritius

1 November All Saints’ Day Madagascar, Mauritius, Seychelles2 November Remembrance Day Angola11 November National independence Day Angola

8 December immaculate conception Seychelles9 December independence Day Tanzania10 December international human Rights Day Namibia16 December Day of Reconciliation South Africa22 December National Unity Day Zimbabwe25 December christmas Day All SADc countries except

Botswana, Malawi, Zambia Family Day Angola, Mozambique26 December christmas day Botswana, Malawi, Zambia incwala Day Swaziland Boxing day Lesotho, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zimbabwe27 December Public holiday Botswana, Malawi, Zambia

PUBLIC HOLIDAYS IN SADCOctober – December 2016

A shared future within a regional community

H I S T O R Y T O D A Y

30Remembering President Samora

bOTSWANA CElEbRATED 50 years of independenceon 30 September 2016.

The road to independence was not an easy one, andcan be traced back to the 1800s when Zulu invasions andBoer encroachment from South Africa led to threeBatswana chiefs, Khama, Bathoen and Sebele I, making astrategic pact to seek protectorate status with Britain.

In January 1885, the British Protectorate of Bechuana-land was established under the High Commissioner forSouth Africa, with the British hoping it would be ab-sorbed into the Union of South Africa. But Khama hadother ideas. He kept control of governance in the large butsparsely populated country, while the British protectedthe borders.

The deaths of Khama in 1923 and his son, Sekgoma in1926 set in motion the historic events that are now an in-tegral part of the history of modern-day Botswana. Four-year-old Seretse Khama succeeded his father and hisuncle, Tshekedi Khama held real power as Regent, withKhama going abroad to study.

Tshekedi began a series of events leading to the tem-porary disinheritance of Seretse who was forced to standdown as Chief because he married a white British woman,Ruth Williams.

Khama was banished in Britain, returning toBotswana only in 1956 where he began a political move-ment for change. In 1962, he formed the Botswana Dem-ocratic Party (BDP) and campaigned for a non-racial anddemocratic society which recognised and gave role to tra-ditional chiefs.

On 30 September 1966 the independent Republic ofBotswana was born.

Botswana celebrates golden jubilee 19 October 1986

30 years


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