# tblSANF

title:
ADB to spend $1.2
billion on water in
Africa

Abstract:
THE AFRICAN Development
Bank (AfDB) will invest $1.2 billion
on development of water
infrastructure in Africa over the
next three years.

body:
THE AFRICAN Development
Bank (AfDB) will invest $1.2 billion
on development of water
infrastructure in Africa over the
next three years.
This was confirmed by the
bank's president, Donald
Kaberuka, at the 11th Session of
the African Union Summit in
Egypt held under the theme,
“Meeting the Millennium Development
Goals (MDGs) on
Water and Sanitation.”
“The implementation of this
water development [programme]
will be carried out both in the
urban and rural areas of African
countries with poor facilities of
access to water and sanitation,”
Kaberuka said.


title:
Oil price hikes put squeeze on regional economies

Abstract:
SOUTHERN AFRICA is grappling
with rising global fuel
prices caused by a number of
factors which have pushed the
price of a barrel of crude oil towards
the unprecedented
US$150 mark.

body:
SOUTHERN AFRICA is grappling
with rising global fuel
prices caused by a number of
factors which have pushed the
price of a barrel of crude oil towards
the unprecedented
US$150 mark.
Global crude oil prices rose
from less than US$100 a barrel
(bbl) at the beginning of 2008 to
a record high of US$146 in early
July, with economists warning
that the price will hit US$200 bbl
before year end.
The current rise in oil prices
represents a 25 percent increase
in the last four months and 400
percent since 2001.
In real terms, except for the
1979 oil shock, this is the highest
price of oil ever.
While some analysts blame
the increased demand from
East Asia, especially China,
others have put the fault on the
strong demand in developed
countries, and political disruptions
in oil-producing countries
such as Iraq, Iran and
Nigeria.
SADC consumers are feeling
the pinch of rising oil prices in
the form of increases in food
and transport costs, increased
interest rates, and a generally
high inflationary economic environment.
In the month of June, interest
rates went up in Botswana,
Namibia and South Africa by
more than five percent.
Fossil fuels account for 95
percent of the energy used in
transport, making the sector the
most prone to surges in oil
prices. Although people are likely
to continue with their daily
business, they will inevitably be
forced to cut down on other
basic requirements.
In the past two months alone,
the price of public transport has
increased by more than 60 percent
in some SADC countries.
For example in Namibia, the
price of fuel went up for the
sixth time this year in July, a situation
which was summarised
by the Minister of Mines and
Energy, Erkki Nghimtina, as “detrimental to the travelling
public”.
The cost of petroleum products
affects just about every economic
activity, directly or indirectly.
Since petroleum drives agriculture,
its increased cost will
also drive up the price of food,
making more and more people,
especially those in the rural
areas, vulnerable to poverty.
For net oil importing countries,
of which these are the majority
in the region, the rise in oil
prices tends to slow down economic
progress.
For example, countries such
as South Africa and Zambia,
which have enjoyed a healthy
growth rate of between 3 and 5
percent per year, have been
forced to revise their growth
prospects due to higher fuel
prices.
The African Development
Bank estimates that the current
high price of oil will translate -
as a first round effect - into a
higher average inflation of 1 to 3 percentage points for most
countries in SADC for 2008 and
2009 respectively.
Second, as the short-run demand
for oil is highly inelastic,
consumers are forced to reduce
their consumption of other
goods and services to meet
higher energy bills.
Third, net oil importing countries
face balance of payment
constraints, as they must secure
additional resources to pay for
the higher oil import bill.
Concomitantly, governments
face tighter budget constraints,
which can affect their capacity
to finance social programmes
while some may be forced to
borrow more from external
sources, threatening another
debt trap.
High fuel prices have
prompted countries to reconsider
their over-reliance on fossil
fuels and brought to prominence
the need to make greater
use of alternate clean energy resources
such as biofuels and geothermal
energy.


title:
SADC power supply-demand remains unstable, SAPP

Abstract:
THE ELECTRICITY supply-demand
situation in the region continues
to be unstable as evidenced
by the recurrence of
blackouts and load shedding in
virtually all SADC countries with
the exception of Mauritius.

body:
THE ELECTRICITY supply-demand
situation in the region continues
to be unstable as evidenced
by the recurrence of
blackouts and load shedding in
virtually all SADC countries with
the exception of Mauritius.
This is according to a midyear
status report by the Southern
African Power Pool (SAPP).
“This situation is undesirable
and has negative consequences
on trade, industry, social services
and the general economic development
in the affected countries
if not reversed,” says the report.
The report warns that this situation
is likely to impact on the
SADC regional integration
agenda, which depends on the
availability of energy and infrastructure
services.
In view of this, the SADC Secretariat
in conjunction with the
SAPP Coordinating Centre has been closely monitoring the situation
to ensure that short-term
rehabilitation and generation
projects are on track to complement
power supply in the region.
The report observes that the
region's installed capacity of
55,000MW is not enough to forestall
the inevitable energy shortage
that the region is experiencing.
“Indeed, had there been sufficient
investment in the energy
sector, the Democratic Republic
of Congo (DRC) would have
achieved a generation capacity
of more than 44,000MW at its
Inga Dam on the Congo River,”
notes the report.
To date, this facility is producing
less than 3,000MW.
The situation is the same at
hydropower generating plants
in Angola, Mozambique, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe
where lack of investment has restricted
power generation and
transmission capacity.
The shortfall is expected to
be reduced to zero through the
implementation of short-term
generation and rehabilitation projects that Member States are
involved in.
The current challenge for the
region is to be able to meet the
ever-increasing power demand,
noting that the installed capacity
and the available capacity are
not increasing at the same rate.


Installed versus Available Capacity

No. Country Utility Installed

Capacity
[MW]

Apr-08 Available

Capacity
[MW]

Dec-06 Available

Capacity
[MW]

Apr-08 %
Change

1 Angola ENE 1 128 590 943 60
2 Botswana BPC 132 120 90 -25
3 DRC SNEL 2 442 1 170 1 170 0
4 Lesotho LEC 72 70 70 0
5 Malawi ESCOM 302 241 246 2
6 Mozambique EDM 233 174 173.8 0
HCB 2 250 1 675 2 075 24
7 Namibia NamPower 393 360 360 0
8 South Africa Eskom 43 061 36 208 38 764 7
9 Swaziland SEB 51 50 70 40
10 Tanzania TANESCO 1 186 680 780 15
11 Zambia ZESCO 1 737 1 095 1 200 10
12 Zimbabwe ZESA 2 045 1 085 1 125 4
TOTAL SAPP 55 032 43 518 47 067 8
Total Interconnected SAPP 52 416 42 007 45 098 7
Source: SAPP


The installed capacity of the
SAPP as of April 2008 was
55,032MW while dependable
capacity was about 47,067MW
indicating a deficit of
about 8,000MW without
giving cognisance to the
requisite 10 percent reserve
margin.
A new generation plant was
commissioned in South Africa
(1,050MW) and another plant
that had been temporarily put out of operation was brought to
service (2 x 190MW) at Camden.
In Swaziland, 20MW of new
plant was commissioned in December
2007. In Angola
2x130MW units were commissioned
at Capanda in March
and July 2007, respectively.
Angola, Tanzania and
Malawi are still non-operating
members of SAPP meaning that
they are not yet connected to
the SAPP grid and thus do not
enjoy the benefits of energy
trading in the region.
Operating members are
Botswana, DRC, Lesotho,
Mozambique, Namibia, South
Africa, Swaziland, Zambia, and
Zimbabwe.
The situation is expected to
be reversed by 2011 in most
SADC countries when rehabilitation
of generating plants will
end and new hydropower stations
will come on stream.
Once SADC recaptures selfsufficiency
in electricity, it is expected
that planned inter-connectors
will then be built.
These include the Mozambique-
Malawi 220-kv interconnector,
the Zambia-Tanzania-
Kenya 330-kv interconnector,
DRC-Zambia 220-kv upgrade,
DRC-Zambia 330-kv second interconnector,
Zambia-Namibia 220-kv interconnector, the
Hwange-Livingstone 330-kv
interconnector and the Cambambe-
Luanda third 220-kv
line in Angola.
The difference between the
installed and available capacity
is mainly due to remedial
maintenance, power station
auxiliaries, fuel constraints and
ageing infrastructure.
SAPP has urged its members
that power utilities should
strive to commission generation
projects as planned. Any
delays will lead to more capacity
deficiency.
Member States should also
implement Demand Side Management
(DSM) measures
which have proved to relieve
pressure on the power system
in South Africa in order to
influence the time, pattern
and amount of electricity demand
as a short term alternative
measure to system expansion.
Demand and supply forecast 2007-2015
The following graph shows the
demand and supply situation
in the medium term. Adequate
generation capacity would be
attained by the year 2013. The
situation might improve sooner
if load management measures
are put into place.





Abstract:
THE SOUTHERN African
Power Pool (SAPP) grid is now
fully operational after having
operated as three separate “islands”
for the past five months
owing to technical faults on the
main interconnectors.

body:
THE SOUTHERN African
Power Pool (SAPP) grid is now
fully operational after having
operated as three separate “islands”
for the past five months
owing to technical faults on the
main interconnectors.
According to SAPP Coordination
Centre Manager,
Lawrence Musaba, the last interconnector
to be brought on
the grid was the Zambia-Zimbabwe
one that came online on
1 July.
The Zambia-Zimbabwe interconnector
went down in January
and since then Zambia has been
standing on its own unable to
trade with the other members on
the SAPP grid.
The disconnection also meant
that Zambia and the Democratic
Republic of Congo (DRC) were
unable to import or export
power in the southern region.
The other interconnectors
that were affected in February
are the Zimbabwe-Mozambique
(ZESA and EDM/HCB) and the
South Africa, Botswana, Mozambique,
Lesotho and Namibia
(Eskom, EDM, LEC and Nam-
Power).
Musaba confirmed that SAPP
is in the process of making sure
that the other members of SADC
who are not yet connected to the
SAPP grid are linked in the
immediate future.


title:
Africa's power providers to standardise electricity grids

Abstract:
AFRICA'S ELECTRICITY
providers meeting in Kenya recently
agreed to start a process
that will culminate in common
electricity standards across the
continent.

body:
AFRICA'S ELECTRICITY
providers meeting in Kenya recently
agreed to start a process
that will culminate in common
electricity standards across the
continent.
The move aims to speed up
the pace of interconnection across
national borders, which has been
blocked by the different standards
in different countries.
The power systems in most
African countries run on different
operating frequencies and voltage,
have different methods of
procurement and equipment
standards.
Power generation and distribution
standards are also
different. This is despite the
fact that nearly all of the continent's
regional trading blocs
have established frameworks
for sharing electricity through
power pools and have a longterm
aspiration to establish a
continental pool.
An Africa-wide pool is seen
as the best solution to ensuring
adequate and regular power
supply, especially for countries
facing shortages.
The pool is expected to facilitate
development of untapped potential of power generation in
countries such as the Democratic
Republic of Congo.
Data from the Southern
African Power Pool (SAPP)
shows that the DRC has a
44,000MW hydro resource potential
on the Congo River that
is yet to be harnessed. There
are plans to tap this potential
and export it to other countries
in the region.
Energy experts say regional
interconnection is important
because it protects countries
from emergency electricity
demand.

Demand and supply forecast 2007-2015

The following graph shows the
demand and supply situation
in the medium term. Adequate
generation capacity would be attained by the year 2013. The
situation might improve sooner
if load management measures
are put into place.
Source: SAPP


title:
Solar Power: Cheap energy source for the region

Abstract:
Due to shortfalls in
electricity production
and the high
oil prices on the global
market, countries in
southern Africa are seeking
alternatives to give
rural families efficient
means to cook food and
light their homes.

body:
Due to shortfalls in
electricity production
and the high
oil prices on the global
market, countries in
southern Africa are seeking
alternatives to give
rural families efficient
means to cook food and
light their homes.
Stand-alone sources of
energy, such as solar and
wind, can help fill the
gap.
Under the New Partnership
for Africa's Development
(NEPAD) it
has been agreed that to
achieve the desired social
and economic prosperity,
countries must boost access
to cheaper and reliable
energy, as just 20
percent of people in the
region have access to
electricity, mostly in
urban areas.
This figure falls to an
average of two percent in
rural areas where the
majority of the people
live - far from the 35 percent
consumption level
which African leaders
pledged to achieve at the 8th Session of the African
Union Summit in 2007.
To realise the NEPAD
vision, cheaper energy
sources must be found
while minimising environmental
hazards and
ensuring sustainability. In
this regard, solar power,
which is clean and renewable,
fits the bill.
The majority of people
in southern Africa still
rely on traditional energy
sources. Wood, or
other biomass such as
crop waste, is the dominant
fuel for cooking.
This comes at a huge cost
to the environment as
families continue to cut
down trees for muchneeded
fuel.
Perhaps the most ambitious
project for harnessing
solar energy
was a project in Zimbabwe
supported by
UNDP through the
Global Environment Facility
(GEF).
Under this initiative,
some 9,000 solar power systems were installed
throughout the country
in a bid to improve living
standards, but also to
curtail land degradation
and pollution.
With all their advantages,
solar systems are
not cheap to install; a
typical home system in
the region costs anywhere
between US$500
and US$1000, according
to the African Development
Bank.
The use of innovative
financing schemes,
such as fee-for-service
arrangements, is one
way to overcome these
high up-front costs. Installing
solar panels to
power multiple houses at
once can also cut down
on costs.
Regional cooperation
to facilitate energy trading
is another major goal.
A UNDP-GEF report
on solar financing and
delivery models notes
that private sales,
through dealers, initially
dominated the market in
South Africa, but that the
government later initiated
a massive off-grid effort
that is now fully active.
Botswana, Namibia,
Swaziland and Zambia
have developed solar
markets, in many cases
with special funds to support
consumer credit.
Apart from domestic
use, people are harnessing
solar power to run
small businesses.
No major marketing is
needed to convince regional
citizens to turn to
solar. The demand is
high. What is lacking is
affordability and availability
of solar units in
the rural areas where
they are needed most.


title:
Appetite for alternative energy sources grows

Abstract:
Southern African governments
have
strengthened efforts to
harness renewable energy
amid fears of a continuous
rise in the global
price of oil and shortages
of electricity in the region.

body:
Southern African governments
have
strengthened efforts to
harness renewable energy
amid fears of a continuous
rise in the global
price of oil and shortages
of electricity in the region.
The South African
government announced
that it was setting aside
about US$300 million
for alternative energy
over the next three
years.
The Namibian government
issued a directive the beginning of 2008
saying that all government
buildings must be
fitted with solar waterheating
panels as an energy-
saving measure.
The directive includes
all government parastatal
buildings and agencies.
In Zimbabwe, new
policy measures have reintroduced
biofuels to reduce
costs and counter
the escalating global oil
prices.
According to Energy
and Power Development Minister, Mike
Nyambuya, the policy
instructs all oil companies
to carry out their
business activities with
a target to use alternative
cleaner fuel in the
next five years.
One of the projects
under the bio-fuels programme
is the resuscitation
of petrol-ethanol
blending. A plant was
commissioned at Triangle
in southeastern Zimbabwe
and production of
fuel-grade ethanol has already
started.


title:
African environment ministers launch environment atlas

Abstract:
AFRICAN MINISTERS of
environment have launched
the Africa: Atlas of Our Changing
Environment, which shows
a rapidly changing landscape,
prominent of which is the disappearance
of glaciers on
Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania
and the Ruwenzori Mountains
in the Democratic Republic
of Congo.

body:
AFRICAN MINISTERS of
environment have launched
the Africa: Atlas of Our Changing
Environment, which shows
a rapidly changing landscape,
prominent of which is the disappearance
of glaciers on
Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania
and the Ruwenzori Mountains
in the Democratic Republic
of Congo. The atlas, launched at
African Ministerial Conference
on the Environment
(AMCEN) in June in South
Africa, brings to light stories
of environmental change
across every country in Africa.
Using current and historical
satellite images, the atlas
provides scientific evidence of
the impact that natural and
human activities have had on
Africa's environment over the
past decades.
“The intent of the book is to
bring compelling visual and
scientific evidence of environmental
change derived from
the Earth Observation Sciences
to a broader audience
and to build the awareness of
our rapidly changing environment,”
said executive director
of the United Nations Environment
Programme, Achim
Steiner at the launch.
The atlas also offers 36
years of environmental
change, including “the swell
of grey-coloured cities over a
once green countryside, protected
areas shrinking as
farms encroach upon their
boundaries, the tracks of road
networks through forests, pollutants
drifting over borders
of neighbouring countries, the
erosion of deltas, and shrinking
mountain glaciers.”
The Africa-wide atlas features
a number of changes in southern Africa. The changes
include the widening corridors
of deforestation in the
DRC following timber harvesting
and the opening of
new roads and the expansion
of old ones. The satellite
images also highlight positive
signs that natural resource
management is protecting
against, and even reversing,
environmental
degradation.
According to the atlas, deforestation
is a major concern
in 35 countries, including
DRC and Malawi.
Africa is losing four million
hectares of forests per year,
and this is twice the world's
average deforestation rate.
Biodiversity loss is rampant
in 34 countries, while
land degradation is a major
concern in 32 countries, including
Malawi, South Africa
and Zimbabwe.


title:
Carbon trading key to sustainable development

Abstract:
SOUTHERN AFRICAN
countries are exploring new
ways of mitigating human-induced
climate change, which
threatens to derail developmental
progress.

body:
SOUTHERN AFRICAN
countries are exploring new
ways of mitigating human-induced
climate change, which
threatens to derail developmental
progress.
A key challenge in the battle
against climate change in
the region is how to reduce
greenhouse-gas emissions
while, at the same time, advancing
development efforts.
The Kyoto Protocol -- the
current global framework for
reducing greenhouse gas
emissions by 2012 -- provides
three market-based mechanisms
through which emission
reductions can be
achieved cost-effectively
while promoting local sustainable
development.
The mechanisms -- Clean
Development Mechanisms,
Joint Implementation and
Emissions Trading -- together
make up the “carbon market”, a
global market in which carbon
emissions trading takes place.
The Clean Development
Mechanism (CDM) has
emerged as the most concrete
way in which countries in the
region can currently access the
growing carbon market, with
South Africa leading the race
to participate in carbon emissions
trading as other countries
continue to assess the
market.
The CDM allows a country
with an emission-reduction or
emission-limitation commitment
under the Kyoto Protocol
to implement emission-reduction
projects in developing
countries.
Such projects can earn
saleable certified emission reduction
(CER) credits, each
equivalent to one tonne of carbon
dioxide gas (CO2) – the
most common greenhouse gas.
Under the CDM, investors
in developed countries can buy
these certified carbon credits to
help meet their targets.
In 2007, the World Bank estimated
that the global CDM
market was worth over US$13
billion, with Africa accounting
for five percent of total sales.
In 2006, about 475 million
tonnes of CO2 were traded at
prices between US$6/tonne
and US$27/tonne.
Examples of CDM projects
include rural electrification
using solar panels, the installation
of more energy-efficient
boilers and renewable energy
generating projects.
One such project developed
by the City of Cape Town in
partnership with SouthSouth-North, implements energy efficiency
in building design, lighting
and solar water heating
into social housing in Kuyasa,
part of Khayelitsha township in
Cape Town.
The project will see 2,300
low-cost houses built in a way
that gives them hot water, reduced
energy bills and more
comfortable houses.
The houses will maintain a
temperature of 21 degrees Celsius
while energy bills will be
reduced by about US$100 for
each household a year.
The local benefits include
fuel savings for the 2,300
households while total emission
reduction for each household
has been calculated at
2.75 tonnes of carbon dioxide
avoided annually.
Greater energy efficiency
will ensure less burning of fuels
indoors thereby ensuring reduced
indoor air pollution and
improved health and safety.


Abstract:
THE EIGHT coastal countries
in SADC have agreed on
tough measures to curb illegal
fishing and the landing and
marketing of such catches at
their ports.

body:
THE EIGHT coastal countries
in SADC have agreed on
tough measures to curb illegal
fishing and the landing and
marketing of such catches at
their ports.
Overall, illegal fishing is estimated
to cause revenue losses
of US$1.1 billion a year in
the SADC region.
“We have signed a commitment
agreement that entails
the establishment of a regional
task force, a regional monitoring,
control and surveillance
centre, stiff penalties for vessels
caught with illegal catches
and to prohibit such vessels
to enter our ports,” Namibia's
fisheries and marine resources minister, Abraham Iyambo,
said.
“We will further implement
a ban on the trans-shipment of
catches from trawlers to other
and larger vessels at sea in
SADC waters.
“Any vessel transiting
through areas under our national
jurisdiction must notify its entry and exit from the exclusive
economic zones of any
SADC Member State,” Iyambo
added.
He was speaking at the
conclusion of a three-day technical
and ministerial conference
on illegal, unreported
and unregulated fishing,
which threatens fish stocks
and the livelihoods of local
communities.
All eight coastal countries
in SADC – Angola, the Democratic
Republic of Congo
(DRC), Madagascar, Mauritius,
Mozambique, Namibia,
South Africa and the United
Republic of Tanzania were
represented at the conference.
Illegal fishing deprives the
costal countries of taxes, port
fees and jobs that would otherwise
have been created in
fish processing.
The eight countries will
have to draw up their national
action plans to curb illegal
fishing, a task Namibia has already
completed.


Abstract:
ANGOLA AND China have
signed three complementary
financing accords under
the China-Exim Bank credit
line.

body:
ANGOLA AND China have
signed three complementary
financing accords under
the China-Exim Bank credit
line.
The first accord concerns
an agreement for the funding
of the electricity network rehabilitation
and expansion
project for the cities of Dundo
and Saurimo, estimated at
around US$50 million.
The second agreement is
estimated at US$28.79 million
with financing designed for
the rehabilitation of a residual
water treatment station in
Luanda and the construction
of a distribution centre in
Cacuaco district, as well as establishing new housing
projects.
The third will provide
funding for the improvement
of roads in the cities of Caxito,
Uíge and Negage, estimated at
US$56 million.
This funding will also allow
Angola to launch a project in
the Port of Luanda valued at
US$116 million to be implemented
over a five-year period.
The project will increase the
terminal's container storage
capacity and introduce an advanced
system to increase productivity
and use of the terminal,
thus reducing operating
costs. (Angola Economic Bulletin)


title:
Madagascar, Mauritius, Mozambique set
up regional company for food security

Abstract:
THREE SADC countries –
Madagascar, Mauritius and
Mozambique -- have set up a
regional food company as a
measure to increase food security
in the region.

body:
THREE SADC countries –
Madagascar, Mauritius and
Mozambique -- have set up a
regional food company as a
measure to increase food security
in the region.
The Mauritian minister of
Agro-Industry, Arvin
Boolell, confirmed the
development, saying
the Global Food Crisis
Response Facility
(GFCRF), instituted
by the World Bank with a fund of US$1.2 billion,
will be utilised for this project.
Apart from state organisations
of the three countries,
shares will also be sold to international
and local financial
institutions, individual investors,
and small and medium
farmers.
Boolell said the African Development
Bank has agreed to
help Mauritius in cross-border
initiatives with Mozambique
and Madagascar.


Abstract:
MOZAMBIQUE SAYS the
central port of Beira is now
handling goods destined for
the Democratic Republic of
Congo (DRC).

body:
MOZAMBIQUE SAYS the
central port of Beira is now
handling goods destined for
the Democratic Republic of
Congo (DRC).
The chairperson of Mozambique
Confederation of Business
Associations (CTA), Salimo
Abdula, said from the beginning
of July, the DRC has
been shipping petroleum
products, cement and other
commodities through Beira.
“Now that we are investing
in quality ports, the region
will rely on them for all their
shipping requirements. Only
in the past three months, the
DRC shipped 1.2 million litres
of petroleum products
through the Beira port, and we
hope Botswana will increase
its usage of the port as well,”
Abdula said.
Currently the port of Beira
serves landlocked Malawi,
Zambia and Zimbabwe.
Mozambique plans to invest
US$900 million to upgrade
its two main ports in the
northern and central regions
as part of its drive to become a
top service provider in SADC,
increasing investments on the
Nacala and Beira ports, including
the upgrading of
roads and railways linking
landlocked neighbouring
states.


title:
Anglo-American to
invest US$400m in
Zimbabwe platinum
mining

Abstract:
ANGLO-AMERICAN, the
London-based mining giant
says it will invest US$400 million
into the development of a
platinum mine in Zimbabwe.

body:
ANGLO-AMERICAN, the
London-based mining giant
says it will invest US$400 million
into the development of a
platinum mine in Zimbabwe.
“We are developing the
Unki platinum project because
we have a responsibility to
our employees, contractors
and the local community,”
said the spokesperson.
The company employs 188
people and a further 450 contractors
at Unki.
In February the global
giant reported a 2007 net profit
jump of 18 percent to US$7.3
billion.


title:
SADC gender protocol to be presented to Summit

Abstract:
JUSTICE MINISTERS from
southern Africa met recently
to consider the regional draft
Protocol on Gender and Development
in the last stage of
consultations before it is presented
to Heads of State and
Government during Summit
in August.

body:
JUSTICE MINISTERS from
southern Africa met recently
to consider the regional draft
Protocol on Gender and Development
in the last stage of
consultations before it is presented
to Heads of State and
Government during Summit
in August.
The draft Protocol will be
discussed by the Standing
Committee of Senior Officials
and the Council of Ministers of SADC who meet from 10-
12 August and 14-15 August
respectively before it is presented
to Heads of State and
Government when they meet
16-17 August in South Africa.
Although the draft was
discussed by Heads of State
and Government at the previous
Summit in Lusaka in
2007, they referred it back to
Member States for further
consultation at national level.
The consultation process
seeks to ensure that the draft
Protocol that is submitted to
Summit is solid and that
Member States reach a consensus
so that the document
can be adopted.
Consultation with a wide
range of officials in key ministries
such as gender and justice
will ensure practical
ownership of the document
on implementation.
SADC leaders made it
clear at their previous meeting
that they want a realistic
protocol that can be implemented
and monitored.
Once signed, the Gender
Protocol is expected to speed
up the process of achieving
gender equality and equity,
and improve the status of
women in the region.
The draft has specific timebound
goals and targets to
ensure accountability in addressing
inequalities in constitutional
and legal rights;
governance; education and
training among other issues.
In the region, women suffer
discrimination due to
non-uniform marriage and
divorce laws, the application
of customary property laws
and lack of equal access to education.
The draft proposes that
SADC Member States ensure
that women and men enjoy
equal rights and are regarded
as equals.
The draft also addresses
emerging issues of concern in
the region such as trafficking
of women and girls and proposes
legislation to prevent
trafficking in the region by
2015.
Among contentious issues
that needed to be ironed out,
as identified by gender ministers
when they met in April
ahead of the justice ministers'
meeting, were that the language
used in some of the articles
is too mandatory and
the financial obligations that
it places on state parties is
enormous.
A Protocol is the most
binding of SADC legal instruments
and if the Gender Protocol
is approved, it would
ensure attainment of gender
targets set within the timeframe
2010-2020.


title:
Making the SADC Free Trade Area gender inclusive

Abstract:
AS SADC launches its Free
Trade Area in August, many
are hoping that the new trade
regime takes into account special
needs of women involved
in cross-border trade if it is to
be gender inclusive.

body:
AS SADC launches its Free
Trade Area in August, many
are hoping that the new trade
regime takes into account special
needs of women involved
in cross-border trade if it is to
be gender inclusive.
According to a regional
study by the Southern African
Research and Documentation
Centre (SARDC), some 70 percent
of informal cross border
traders in SADC are women.
The study showed that although
the trade is informal, it
has a number of positive implications
on the regional national
economies.
Although the SADC Trade
Protocol has been criticised for
being gender blind, the need
to consider the gender dimensions
of trade is outlined in the
draft SADC Protocol on Gender
and Development, to be
presented at Summit in August
2008.
Article 17 of the draft Protocol
that focuses on economic
empowerment encourages
state parties to, by 2015, adopt
policies and enact laws which
ensure equal access, benefits
and opportunities for women
and men in business, taking
into account the contribution
of women in the formal and
informal sectors.
The establishment of the
FTA could potentially address
some of the challenges that informal
cross border traders
face such as excessive customs
charges; cumbersome registration
processes in obtaining
trader's licenses and numerous
checkpoints at border
posts that frustrate most
traders.
Interviews with cross border
traders in SADC revealed
that the majority of traders do
not know about the Trade Protocol
and do not understand
the implications it may have
on trading activities.
Even if informal traders
were armed with information
on the Trade Protocol, measures
set out to facilitate trade
are more likely to benefit established
companies than they would benefit the small
traders.
For example, the SADC
Certificate of Origin, which
validates whether or not
goods qualify for duty-free
entry into Member States has
little relevance to small traders
because the document specifically
requires that in cases
where the producer is not the
exporter, then the latter should
furnish the exporter with a
written declaration to the effect
that the goods qualify as
originating in the Member
States.
Small traders, the majority
of whom are women, often
deal in several product lines in
small quantities and therefore
it would not be feasible to get a
certificate of origin for each
product line.


title:
Deep Economy: The
wealth of communities
and the durable future

Abstract:
COMPELLINGLY ARGUED with statistics
and anecdotes from around the world, this
book says humanity must move towards an
updated version of community-based economics
that emphasizes buying and selling at
the local level first.

body:
COMPELLINGLY ARGUED with statistics
and anecdotes from around the world, this
book says humanity must move towards an
updated version of community-based economics
that emphasizes buying and selling at
the local level first.
Specifically, humanity should shift to eating
more locally grown food, to using more locally
produced energy, and, even, to new local
financial arrangements. ...
Such a shift would reduce carbon emissions
by reducing the energy used to transport
food while at the same time serving to de-couple
food and energy production from centralized,
oil-intensive sources.
This would in turn open the door to a rediscovery
of the joys of community life, which
lies at the foundation of human happiness, as
opposed to the endless consumerism and
“hyper-individualized” approach to life that
is currently marketed worldwide as the epitome
of civilization.
“Growth is bumping against physical limits
so profound - like climate change and peak
oil - that continuing to expand the economy
may be impossible; the very attempt may be
dangerous.
“But there's something else too, a wild card
we're just now beginning to understand: new
research from many quarters has started to
show that even when growth does make us
wealthier, the greater wealth no longer makes
us happier.”
Deep Economy, by Bill McKibben, is written
in a voice and style that encourages readability.
The book is a treasure chest of ideas
for how humanity might ameliorate the dark
side of consumption. It is, at least, a positive
prescription for how to live more
lightly on our small planet. (One Country,
Jan-March 2008)
Available from Times Books/
Henry Holt and Company, New
York, 2007


title:
UNEP Yearbook 2008
An Overview of Our Changing Environment
“Climate change is real”

Abstract:
CLIMATE CHANGE is happening
and with great impact as confirmed by
the Fourth Assessment Report of the
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate
Change, and this is the focus of the
UNEP Yearbook 2008.

body:
CLIMATE CHANGE is happening
and with great impact as confirmed by
the Fourth Assessment Report of the
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate
Change, and this is the focus of the
UNEP Yearbook 2008.
In three sections, the yearbook takes
the reader through the developments
and events on the environment front as
well as scientific findings, with a particular
focus on climate change.
Section one provides a calendar of
selected significant events, chief
among them is the December meeting
in Bali which resulted in the adoption
of the Bali Road Map.
The SADC region had its own impacts
with Mozambique having the
worst floods in six years and South
Africa its first significant snowfall
since 1981.
Under the Features Focus section,
emphasis is placed on the responses to
climate change, including private sector players. The role of government is emphasized,
to set standards, support research
and provide incentives for the
transition to an environmentally sound,
low-carbon economy.
The last section looks at emerging
challenges including the Arctic Climatic,
methane from thawing permafrost
and methane from hydrates.
The release of large amounts of
methane into the atmosphere could
lead to abrupt changes in the climate
that are likely to be irreversible.
Formerly titled the GEO Year
Book to accompany the Global Environment
Outlook (GEO) published
every four years, most recently in
2007, this is the 5th annual report
produced by the United Nations Environment
Programme and is available
from UNEP in Nairobi, Kenya
(2008).
Email: uneppub@unep.org
Website: www.unep.org


title:
Official SADC Trade, Industry and
Investment Review 2007/2008

Abstract:
Official SADC Trade, Industry and
Investment Review 2007/2008

body:
PUBLICATIONS

Official SADC Trade, Industry and
Investment Review 2007/2008
Gaborone, Botswana, Southern African
Marketing Co. (Pty) Ltd. and SADC, 2007
287pp.
This 12th edition of the annual publication focuses on
business opportunities in the SADC region, and presents
the SADC corporate profile. It includes Directorate
reports, SADC projects, country profiles, trade
and industry update, investment opportunities, business
contacts, and the trade exhibition calendar for the
SADC region, and covers the years 2007 and 2008.
Available from SADC Secretariat, Private Bag 0095,
Gaborone, Botswana; and Southern African Marketing
Company (Pty) Ltd, Box 201112,
Gaborone, Botswana
Website: www.sadcreview.com
Economic Report on Africa 2008
Africa: Progress Towards Attaining the
Millennium Development Goals 2007
Tunis, Tunisia, Economic and Social Statistics Division,
Statistics Department, African Development
Bank (AfDB), 2007
Country specific data is presented including charts
showing the progress of African countries in reaching
the targets for the Millennium Development Goals.
The goals are to eradicate extreme poverty and hunger,
attain universal primary education in all countries by
year 2015, promote gender equality and empower
women, improve maternal health, combat HIV and
AIDS, malaria and other diseases, ensure environmental
sustainability, and develop a global partnership for
development.
Available from AfDB Temporary Relocation Agency,
BP 323, 1002 Tunis Belvedere, Tunis, Tunisia
Email: statistics@afdb.org
Website: www.afdb.org
<hr color="brown"


Trade as an Instrument for Achieving the
Millennium Development Goals in
Southern Africa
Judith Kaulem and Donald P Chimanikire
Harare, Zimbabwe, Trade and Development Studies
Centre, 2007
22p.
This publication analyses some key trade areas as they
relate to the UN Millennium Goals in southern Africa,
focusing specifically on Goal 8. This views trade as an
instrument for meeting MDGs in southern Africa, the
challenges to trade as an instrument for achieving
MDGs and how trade could help to deliver on targets.
It concludes that trade must be fair and structured in
a way that permits fragile economies to participate.
Available from Trade and Development Studies Centre,
3 Downie Avenue, Belgravia, Harare, Zimbabwe
Email: tradesc@tradescentre.co.zw
Website:
www.tradescentre.org.mw
Biopiracy of Biodiversity: Global
Exchange as Enclosure
Andrew Mushita and Carol B. Thompson
Asmara, Eritrea, Africa World Press, 2007
330p.
This book provides a revealing analysis of the theft of biodiversity
from Africa and how Africans are working to
prevent this in the 21st century. The analysis lays out the
context of previous stripping of continental resources,
such as the theft of people during the slavery era and the
theft of minerals, even up to this day. The study refers to
the African continent in general and specifically southern
African from where it draws real life experiences.
Available from Africa World Press, Box 48, Asmara,
Eritrea; Box 1892, Trenton, NJ 08607, USA
Website: www.africaworldpressbooks.com
<hr color="brown"


Abstract:
CELEBRATED ANNUALLY on 26 August,
HEROES' DAY also known as Namibia Day
commemorates numerous events in Namibian
history. Officially, the day honours those
Namibians who died for independence during
the liberation struggle which began on 26
August 1966.

body:
CELEBRATED ANNUALLY on 26 August,
HEROES' DAY also known as Namibia Day
commemorates numerous events in Namibian
history. Officially, the day honours those
Namibians who died for independence during
the liberation struggle which began on 26
August 1966.
National celebrations take place annually in places such as
the town of Eenhana in the Ohangwena region on the Angolan
border, where people gather to watch leaders such as the current
President Hifikepunye Pohamba and the founding President
Sam Nujoma, officially commemorate the veterans of the
People's Liberation Army of Namibia (PLAN), SWAPO's military
wing during the war.
The war of liberation brought to an end to apartheid South
Africa's illegal occupation of Namibia.
SWAPO under the leadership of Nujoma and the late PLAN
military commander Peter Nanyemba, waged a protracted war
for independence which ended with the ceasefire and democratic
elections in 1989, and independence on 21 March 1990.
Each year, thousands of Herero people also converge on
the town of Okahandja on 26 August to honour Herero chief
Samuel Maharero and his post-mortem return and reburial in
the town in 1923. They march in military formations and wear
traditional clothing at the event.
It is considered “a gesture of defiance and a symbol of regained
pride” for people of Herero origin after the Herero and
Namaqua genocide at the turn of the 20th century during the
German colonial period.
The essential contribution of the liberation heroes who paid
with their lives presented in the autobiography of Sam Nujoma,
Where Others Wavered, where he says that “the blood of all the
sons and daughters of Namibia watered the tree of our liberty
and will always be remembered by present and future generations
in the Republic of Namibia.”
The monument at Omugulu-gOmbashe dedicated to the
victims and survivors of the first battle of the war of liberation
is inscribed: “26 August 1966. The torch of the armed struggle
was lit and the path to freedom was illuminated. Independence
was their aim.”
SWAPO fought on several fronts, through mobilizing the
people inside the country as well as the international community
to support its cause of national independence, and
through military training of its cadres as well as educating
them to build the nation.
A key factor in the liberation struggle in Namibia, as elsewhere
in the region, was the support from neighbouring countries.
SWAPO had its headquarters and rear base first in Tanzania,
then Zambia, and Angola. The solidarity of other southern
African countries contributed significantly to the success
of the fight for independence in Namibia.


Abstract:
THE SECOND Congo War, also known as the Great War of Africa, began 10 years ago
in August 1998 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

body:
THE SECOND Congo War, also known as the Great War of Africa, began 10 years ago
in August 1998 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
The largest war in modern African history, it directly involved eight African countries,
as well as 25 armed groups.
The First Congo War (November 1996 to May 1997) ended when rebel forces backed
by Uganda and Rwanda overthrew President Mobutu Sese Seko in May 1997, in the
country he called Zaire. Insurgent leader
Laurent Kabila was sworn in as president.
The war set the foundation for, and was
quickly followed by, the Second Congo
War, which began on 2 August 1998.
Kabila had fallen out with his old allies
who accused him of not honouring his
agreement to guarantee peace and security
on their borders. A rebel group backed by
Rwanda and Uganda emerged and quickly
dominated the resource-rich eastern
provinces.
In less than two weeks, by 13 August, the
rebels had moved across the country and
held the Inga hydroelectric station that provides
power to Kinshasa and the SADC region,
as well as the port of Matadi through
which most of the Kinshasa's food passes.
The diamond centre of Kisangani fell
into rebel hands on 23 August and forces
advancing from the east begun to threaten Kinshasa by late August.
A besieged Kabila sought help from the neighbouring states. The rebel offensive
was abruptly reversed as Kabila's efforts at diplomacy bore fruit.
The first African countries to respond to Kabila's request for help were members of
the Southern African Development Community (SADC). The governments of Angola,
Namibia, and Zimbabwe sent troops to support the Kabila government after a meeting
in Zimbabwe on 19 August.
This intervention saved the government and pushed the rebel frontlines away from
the capital. Several more nations joined the conflict in support of Kabila, notably Chad,
Libya and Sudan. By September 1999 the rebels had agreed to a ceasefire deal and in
February 2000 the UN Security Council authorised a 5,500-member force to monitor
the ceasefire, but clashes persisted.


body:
HOLIDAYS
Public holidays in SADC for the period 
 August - October 2008

1 August Parents' Day DRC
4 August Farmers' Day Zambia
8 August Farmers' Day Tanzania
9 August National Women's Day South Africa
11 August Heroes' Day Zimbabwe
12 August Defence Forces Day Zimbabwe
15 August Assumption Day Madagascar, Mauritius
26 August Heroes' Day Namibia
1 September Umhlanga/Reed Dance Day Swaziland
4 September Ganesh Chathurti Mauritius
5 September Legislative Elections Angola
6 September Somhlolo Day (Independence Day) Swaziland
7 September Victory Day Mozambique
17 September Founder of Nation and National Heroes' Day Angola
24 September Heritage Day South Africa
25 September Armed Forces Day Mozambique
30 September Botswana Day Botswana
1 October Public Holiday Botswana
3 October Eid ul Fitr* Mauritius, Tanzania
4 October Independence Day Lesotho
4 October Reconciliation Day/Peace Day Mozambique
13 October Mothers' Day Malawi
14 October Mwalimu Nyerere Day and Climax of “Uhuru Torch Race” Tanzania
21 October Divali Mauritius
24 October Independence Day Zambia

* Depends on the sighting of the moon


body:
EVENTS EVENTS DIARY 2008
August 2008
31 July – 1 August
Namibia
SADC Technical Meeting on Environment

 Directors of environment in SADC countries meet to discuss
progress on the implementation of the Environment Programme
of Member States, the SADC Regional Environmental
Educational Programme, and the development of a regional
programme on Climate Change, as well as the imminent launch
of the Southern Africa Environment Outlook.


11- 12, Libya
Experts Conference on the African History Project

The aim of the conference will be to show the historical
relationships between the various parts of the continent, too
frequently subdivided in works published to date. Organised
by UNESCO and AU, the conference will review Africa's
historical connections with the other continents.


10-12, South Africa
Standing Committee of Senior Officials of SADC

The technical advisory committee to Council of Ministers
meets in advance of Council and is chaired by Zambia, as
current chair of SADC.

14-15, South Africa
SADC Council of Ministers

Council comprises ministers of foreign affairs, international
cooperation, economic development or planning and finance
from each Member State. Council precedes the Summit and
prepares policy recommendations for adoption by SADC leaders.


16-17, South Africa
SADC Summit

The Summit of Heads of State and Government is the ultimate
policy-making institution of the SADC. The Summit in Mid
Rand will witness the official handover of the rotating SADC
Chair from President Levy Mwanawasa of Zambia to President
Thabo Mbeki of South Africa.

18-21, Turkey
Africa-Turkey Summit

The summit gives participants from Africa and Turkey the
opportunity to exchange views and consider areas of
cooperation. Discussions will centre on the proposed Africa
–Turkey Cooperation Forum.


28-30, Ethiopia
6th Conference on African Traditional Medicine

The conference hopes to underscore the importance of
traditional medicine in Africa in the prevention, diagnosis and
treatment of social, mental and physical illnesses before the
advent of conventional medicine. The conference will be
jointly hosted by the African Union and UNESCO.

September
5, Angola

     Parliamentary elections

Legislative elections will be held for the first time since the
formal end of the 27-year civil war in 2002. The last elections
took place in 1992. The elections have been delayed for more
than a year to allow for the completion of voter registration.


11 - 12, South Africa

Conference on Transport Infrastructure

The conference plans to strengthen the understanding of the
effects of globalisation on transport infrastructure in Africa.
Hosted by the African Transport Federation, the conference
also hopes to recognise the need to build a strategic freight
network consisting of high volume routes and node

TBA

Parliamentary elections in Swaziland

Parliamentary elections will take place after the completion of
voter registration in July. Nationals in the Diaspora will be
able to vote for the first time through postal votes.


title:
SADC COMESA EAC
Joint summit to tackle overlapping membership

Abstract:
THE CHALLENGE of overlapping membership
among African regions comes under scrutiny in
October as leaders of three trade blocs meet to
find common ground on trade, customs and infrastructure
development.

body:
THE CHALLENGE of overlapping membership
among African regions comes under scrutiny in
October as leaders of three trade blocs meet to
find common ground on trade, customs and infrastructure
development.
Uganda hosts the joint summit of SADC, the
Common Market of East and Southern Africa
(COMESA) and the East African Community
(EAC) on 20 October.
Membership overlaps exist SADC, COMESA
and EAC, and all three organisations plan to create
customs unions, a situation that presents
technical challenges as a country cannot belong
to more than one customs union.
Eight SADC members -- the Democratic Republic
of Congo, Malawi, Mauritius, Madagascar,
Seychelles, Swaziland, Zambia and
Zimbabwe -- also belong to COMESA, while
Angola is a member of the Economic Community
of Central African States and the United Republic of Tanzania belongs to the East
African Community.
With Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia, South
Africa and Swaziland being members of the
Southern African Customs Union (SACU), only
one out of the 15 SADC Member States is a member
of a single Regional Economic Community –
and that is Mozambique.
Yet SADC, COMESAand EAC either plan to create
customs unions or have already declared one.
Since all SACU members belong to SADC, it
does not present much of a technical problem as
the SACU arrangement automatically falls away
with the creation of a SADC Customs Union.
However, real problems exist between SADC
countries' membership to either COMESA or the
EAC. The tripartite summit will address some of
these challenges and possibly recommend a
framework that would allow for the creation of a
bigger FTA and Customs Union.
SADC began this process
with the launch of a Free Trade
Area (FTA) at the 28th Summit
held in South Africa in August,
marking a major achievement
in its 28-year history.
Formed in 1980 and transformed
in 1992 to the present
Southern African Development
Community, SADC has embarked
on several ambitious regional
integration projects, in
areas such as trade, infrastructure,
food security, human and
social development, as well as
politics, defence and security,
all intended to bring about economic
prosperity, peace and security
to its 250 million citizens.
Trade has been singled out
as the intervention with the
greatest potential to address
southern Africa's biggest challenge
- poverty.
SADC plans include the
launch of the FTA as the initial
step in the trade integration trajectory,
moving incrementally
to establish a Customs Union in
2010, a Common Market by
2015 and a Monetary Union by
2016. A regional central bank
and a common currency are expected
in 2018.
Thus by launching the FTA
on SADC Day, 17 August,
southern African leaders
demonstrated their will to deliver
a better life to the millions
of citizens as acknowledged
by the host, South
African President Thabo
Mbeki who took over the rotating
SADC chair at the twoday
Summit in Johannesburg.
"The challenge facing our
region during this era is to do
extraordinary things so as to
build the Free Trade Area
and consolidate its gains
for the mutual benefit
of the region's
economies and development,"
Mbeki said.
A key challenge facing the
region is infrastructure development.
Better road and rail
networks are necessary to facilitate
the cross-border flow
of goods and services. Current
road and rail networks do not
adequately support effective
intra-regional trade.
An Infrastructure Master
Plan is being developed to address
this shortcoming.
While the FTA directly addresses
the question of tariffs
insofar as it allows for 85 percent
of traded goods to be
duty free, Member States still
need to tackle the challenge of
non-tariff barriers such as restrictive
entry border requirements
which are counter to
the spirit of free trade.
Other challenges are on the
supply side of trade where the
private sector would be called
upon to improve productivity
if they are to remain competitive
in the regional market.
Such competition, while it
may have negative implications
on employment in smaller
and weaker economies, is
likely to bring in cheaper alternatives,
from the consumer's
point of view.
The FTA was established
through the SADC Trade Protocol
whose implementation
began in the year 2000.
To date, 11 out of 15 SADC
Member States are applying
the protocol meaning that as
many as 170 million people in
those countries will immediately
benefit from the new
economic dispensation.
Malawi is expected to come
on board once current constitutional
challenges affecting the
budgeting process are over. Angola
and the DRC have asked
for more time before they join
the FTA, and Seychelles, which
rejoined SADC at the Summit,
will be expected to begin formalities
soon to become a
member of the FTA.
Member States are expected
to harmonise their national
trade policies with all the provisions
of the Trade Protocol if
the FTA is to be successfully
implemented.
The 19-member COMESA,
which launched its FTA in
2004, plans to declare a customs
union by December this
year. The EAC declared its
customs union in 2005.
In any case, regional economic
communities are building
blocks of the envisaged
African Economic Community
(AEC).
If the three sub-regions,
spanning from Cape to Cairo,
can find common ground regarding
trade arrangements,
that would constitute a major
breakthrough insofar as the
African Union is seeking a
smooth and faster route towards
the AEC.
Not only do Member States
face problems with multiple
memberships when it comes
to trade, but a plethora of
challenges in other areas.
In the case of SADC,
COMESA and the EAC, overlaps
exist in other areas such
as infrastructure as well as
challenges arising from time
and financial obligations as regards
membership contributions,
attendance at meetings
as well as implementation of
several other regional integration
programmes.
Thus the tripartite summit
will seek to find a joint approach
to implement regional
telecommunications networks
based on the COMESA
Comtel Project, the SADC Regional
Information Infrastructure
Project as well as a
harmonized approach to the
implementation of the
NEPAD Broadband East
African Submarine Cable
(EASSY) Project. The latter
will facilitate connectivity
with North Africa, the
Oceanic Islands and the rest
of the world.
The three sub-regions are
expected to discuss how best
to accelerate the implementation
of inter-connector projects
under the auspices of the
Southern African Power Pool
(SAPP) and the East African
Power Pool.
A Tripartite Task Force involving
the three trade blocs
has been holding meetings
for more than a year in
preparation for the joint summit.


title:
Key Decisions
28th SADC Summit of Heads of State and Government

Abstract:
THE SUMMIT of Heads of
State and Government, the
ultimate policy-making institution
of SADC, convened in
Johannesburg on 16-17 August
to review the socio-economic
and political situation
in the region. According to
the final communiqué, the
leaders discussed a wide
range of issues affecting the
region and made some key
decisions.

body:
THE SUMMIT of Heads of
State and Government, the
ultimate policy-making institution
of SADC, convened in
Johannesburg on 16-17 August
to review the socio-economic
and political situation
in the region. According to
the final communiqué, the
leaders discussed a wide
range of issues affecting the
region and made some key
decisions.
SADC Free Trade Area
The Summit launched the
SADC Free Trade Area (FTA),
which is the first milestone in
the regional economic integration
agenda. The leaders
recognised that free trade in
the region will create a larger
market, releasing potential for
trade, economic development
and employment creation.
Regional leaders called for
the acceleration of interventions
to further deepen the regional
integration agenda
through the development of a
programme of co-operation
aimed at expanding regional
production capacity.
This entails the provision
and rehabilitation of regional
infrastructure to facilitate efficient
movement of goods and
people in a more open regional
economy.
Economic development

Summit noted the positive
economic performance
recorded by most SADC
Member States in 2007 and
called for concerted efforts to
sustain this progress. Economic
growth was indicated
by growth in real GDP, which
remained strong for most
Member States. SADC
leaders also noted that the region’s
debt position has improved
substantially, largely
due to a number of Member
States benefiting from the
Highly Indebted Poor Countries
(HIPC) initiative.
Power supply

Summit welcomed the initiatives
currently underway to
mitigate the negative consequences
of the critical shortages
and high prices of energy
confronted by the region.
In this respect, the leaders received
a report on the projections
by the Southern African
Power Pool (SAPP), which
predicted that power deficits
would persist until 2012.
During this period, projects
aimed at providing additional
power to the region amounting
to 6,550MW will be implemented
and commissioned at
cost of US$5 billion.
Political developments
Summit recognised that the
region has managed to consolidate
peace and democracy
in SADC.
With regard to the ongoing
challenges in Zimbabwe, the
Extraordinary Summit of the
Organ on Politics, Defence and
Security Cooperation held
during the course of the SADC
Summit, among other issues:

Recalled the Resolutions
adopted in Dar es Salaam,
United Republic of Tanzania
on 29 March 2007 and in
Sharm El Sheik, Egypt on 30
June - 1 July 2008 on the
framework of dealing with
the political situation in Zimbabwe,
which called upon the
parties to form an all-inclusive
government;
Commended the parties
for their commitment to the
dialogue in implementing the
SADC and AU resolutions on
resolving the political situation
in Zimbabwe;
Encouraged and appealed
to the parties to sign any outstanding
agreements and
conclude the negotiations as a
matter of urgency to restore
political stability in Zimbabwe;
Recognised that while negotiations
are continuing, it
may be necessary to convene
Parliament to give effect to
the will of the people as expressed
in the parliamentary
elections held on 29 March
2008; and
Expressed commitment to
support the parties as they
implement the agreement.



The leaders also noted the
progress in the Democratic
Republic of Congo (DRC)
since the signing of the peace
agreement in January 2008,
the developments in
Lesotho’s political impasse,
and the challenges in Malawi
regarding different interpretations
of the Constitution.
Membership

Seychelles has been re-admitted
into the SADC family
bringing the total number of
Member States to 15. The Indian
Ocean archipelago had
withdrawn from SADC in
2004 citing difficulties in fulfilling
financial obligations.
Protocols signed

Leaders attending the Summit
signed five legal documents:


Agreement Amending
the SADC Treaty
Protocol on Gender and
Development
Protocol on Science,
Technology and Innovation
Agreement Amending
Article 20 of the Protocol on
Trade
Agreement Amending
Article 6 of the Protocol on
the Tribunal and the Rules
of Procedure Thereof.


COMESA-EAC-SADC Tripartite Summit

The Summit noted with appreciation
progress on the
preparations for the COMESA-
EAC-SADC Tripartite
Summit to be held on 20 October
2008 saying it is an important
vehicle for harmonisation
of the regional integration
programmes and also
constitutes an important
framework for broader continental
integration.


title:
Angola to join SADC Free Trade
Area in 2010

Abstract:
ANGOLA IS set to join the SADC Free Trade Area (FTA) in
2010, according to the country’s planning minister, Ana Dias
Lourenço.

body:
ANGOLA IS set to join the SADC Free Trade Area (FTA) in
2010, according to the country’s planning minister, Ana Dias
Lourenço.
"For reasons we all know, our country will not join the
Free Trade Area this year... as we are not yet in a position to
do so," she told journalists at the 28th SADC Summit.
"The country experienced a long war; it is going through
a reconstruction phase, a re-launch of internal production
and we consider that we are not in a position to join the Free
Trade Area as yet," the minister said. "In due time, when all
conditions that we consider as important are in place to set
this step, we will do so."


title:
Let us be inspired by Frontline
States legacy - Mbeki

Abstract:
SOUTH AFRICAN President
Thabo Mbeki turned back the
hands of time when he assumed
the leadership of
SADC on behalf of his country
at the 28th Summit in Johannesburg,
reminding his colleagues
that, although the region
faces numerous challenges,
none are insurmountable
if Member States draw on
the inspiring legacy of the
Frontline States.

body:
SOUTH AFRICAN President
Thabo Mbeki turned back the
hands of time when he assumed
the leadership of
SADC on behalf of his country
at the 28th Summit in Johannesburg,
reminding his colleagues
that, although the region
faces numerous challenges,
none are insurmountable
if Member States draw on
the inspiring legacy of the
Frontline States.
Mbeki took over the rotating
SADC chair from Zambia,
held by the late President
Levy Mwanawasa, and he
called for political unity and
cohesion in the region.
"SADC inherited the proud
record of the Frontline States
under the leadership that
never wavered in their resolve to ensure that none but ourselves
would continue to be
our own liberators. This leadership
was consistent and
courageous despite some of
the most horrific human suffering
and huge military and
economic damage visited on
the Frontline States," Mbeki
said.
SADC was formed in 1980
in Lusaka, Zambia, with nine
majority-ruled states - Angola,
Botswana, Lesotho,
Malawi, Mozambique, Swaziland,
the United Republic of
Tanzania, Zambia, and the
soon-to-be independent Zimbabwe.
The SADC chairperson said
these "states were united in
their noble determination to
end colonialism and apartheid so that all the people of this region
could be free to determine
their own destiny."
He added, "In recent times,
however, we have had numerous
challenges that have tested
the very cohesion that
acted as a potent weapon
against those forces that have
an interest in our perpetual
weakness and marginalisation."
Using the example of the
Zimbabwe inter-party talks
that were ongoing at the time
of the Summit, Mbeki said,
"We must over this weekend
draw on the inspiring legacy
of the Frontline States to help
put Zimbabwe on the right
road to its recovery and the resumption
of its role as a major
driver of the process of the upliftment
of our region."
Mbeki said Africans should
be united and fearless in promoting
the interests of the
continent.
Apart from the problems in
Zimbabwe, there are pockets
of instability in the Democratic
Republic of Congo (DRC)
where rebels have engaged in
skirmishes with government
troops. There are also differences
over the electoral
process in Lesotho while there
is a raging constitutional row
in Malawi.
Turning to the economic
front, Mbeki said, "We need
extraordinary efforts to turn
the resources boom into permanent
economic development,
ensuring that today’s
yields become the harvests for
all seasons."
In reference to the newly
launched SADC Free Trade
Area, Mbeki said, "Let us implement
the necessary protocols
and programmes that will
take us further towards economic
integration. ...
"The challenge facing our
region during this era is to do
extraordinary things so as to
build the Free Trade Area and
consolidate its gains for the
mutual benefit of the region’s
economies and development."
Speaking at the same Summit,
the SADC Executive Secretary,
Tomaz Augusto Salomão,
called on the region’s
leaders to prepare to address
the next challenges.
"As we now have addressed
the issue of tariffs, our
next step should be to focus
on addressing non-tariff barriers
which mainly present
themselves in the form
of unnecessary bureaucratic
processes, complicated procedures
and rules as well as the
generally poor state of infrastructure
in the region. These
contribute immensely to the
costs of doing business."
The Summit communiqué
called for the "acceleration of
interventions to further deepen
the regional integration
agenda through the development
of a programme of cooperation
aimed at expanding
regional production capacity
which entails provision
and rehabilitation of regional
infrastructure to facilitate
efficient movement of
goods and people in a more
open economy."


Abstract:
SEYCHELLES IS
made up of as many as
115 islands with a total
land area of 444 sq km.
Growth has been led
by the tourist sector,
which employs about
30 percent of the labour
force and provides
more than 70 percent of the country’s foreign exchange earnings. In recent years, the
government has encouraged foreign investment in order to
upgrade hotels and other services.

body:
SEYCHELLES IS
made up of as many as
115 islands with a total
land area of 444 sq km.
Growth has been led
by the tourist sector,
which employs about
30 percent of the labour
force and provides
more than 70 percent of the country’s foreign exchange earnings. In recent years, the
government has encouraged foreign investment in order to
upgrade hotels and other services.
According to the national Statistics Office in 2007, the islands
state had a population of 87,000 people, with a Gross
Domestic Product (GDP) of US$0.71 billion and an economic
growth rate of 5.27 percent. Main exports include seafood,
refined petroleum and chemicals.
The fishing industry is also very important, contributing
13 percent of GDP.
Government has moved to reduce dependence on
tourism by promoting the development of farming, fishing,
and small-scale manufacturing.
Since independence in 1976, the per capita income
has expanded seven-fold to US$8,500.


title:
Southern Africa Regional Climate Outlook Forum
Normal rainfall season forecast

Abstract:
WEATHER EXPERTS in
southern Africa have forecast
normal rainfall in major parts
of the region for the 2008/09
agricultural season.

body:
WEATHER EXPERTS in
southern Africa have forecast
normal rainfall in major parts
of the region for the 2008/09
agricultural season.
The rainfall outlook for
southern Africa was prepared
by climate scientists from national
meteorological and hydrological
services within the
SADC region, as well as the
SADC Drought Monitoring
Centre, and the International
Research Institute for Climate
and Society.
According to the 12th Southern
Africa Regional Climate
Outlook Forum (SARCOF-12),
which met in South Africa recently,
the coming rainfall season
has been divided into two
parts, October-December 2008
and January-March 2009.
The Forum has forecast normal
to above normal rainfall in
most parts of southern Africa
during the first half of the season,
October-December.
This covers western coastal
South Africa, Namibia, western
coastal and northern Angola,
DRC, greater part of Zambia,
much of Zimbabwe, eastern tip
of Botswana, north-eastern tip
of South Africa, major parts of
Mozambique, central and
southern part of Malawi, the
eastern parts of Tanzania,
northern part of Madagascar
and Mauritius.
However, parts of Namibia,
south-western and extreme
north-eastern Zambia, western
Zimbabwe, bulk of Botswana,
South Africa, Lesotho, Swaziland,
northern part of Malawi,
greater part of Angola, bulk of
Tanzania, and southern half of
Madagascar have an increased
chance of receiving normal to
below-normal rainfall during
the same period.
In the second half of the
season January to March 2009,
most parts of SADC will receive
normal to below-normal
rainfall.
This covers northern Tanzania,
bulk of DRC, northern and central Angola, and Namibia,
western flank of Botswana,
southern half of South Africa
and southern half of Lesotho.
Also forecast to have normal
to below-normal rainfall are
eastern half of Zimbabwe, central
and southern Mozambique,
Madagascar and Mauritius.
However, greater parts of
the central and eastern half of
the region and the western
parts of Angola have an increased
chance of receiving normal
to above-normal rainfall.
In developing the outlook,
the scientists took into account principal factors such as the
sea-surface temperatures in
Indian, Atlantic and Pacific
Oceans.
They noted that the current
state of the equatorial Pacific
Ocean is in a neutral state and
projections point towards the
likelihood of neutral El Nino-
Southern Oscillation conditions
during the next couple of
months.
The SARCOF process starts
with the pre-SARCOF capacity-
building training workshop
which lasts for six weeks, followed
by the SARCOF meeting itself and then the SARCOF
mid-season correction
meeting.
These activities are carried
out at the SADC regional
level. In addition, workshops
are held by national meteorological
and hydrological services
at country level. The pre-
SARCOF capacity-building
workshop is intended to
strengthen the technical ability
of forecasters in seasonal
weather forecasting.
The SARCOF forecasts are
based on a combination of statistical
methods, numerical
weather prediction models and
expert judgment. The seasonal
forecasts generated through the
SARCOF process have become
an important planning tool for
many communities across
southern Africa.
Based on the forecasts, decisions
are made in user sectors
as how to plan activities
and practices as well as allocate
resources for the coming
rainy season.


title:
Malawi's President Mutharika wins food security policy award

Abstract:
MALAWIAN PRESIDENT
Bingu wa Mutharika has received
the inaugural regional
award for his agricultural policy
interventions that have
transformed Malawi from a
food deficit nation into a net
maize exporter.

body:
MALAWIAN PRESIDENT
Bingu wa Mutharika has received
the inaugural regional
award for his agricultural policy
interventions that have
transformed Malawi from a
food deficit nation into a net
maize exporter.
The award by the Food Agriculture
and Natural Resources
Policy Analysis Network (FANRPAN)
is intended to encourage
regional countries to be selfreliant
in food production.
Due to a number of pro-active
policies in the last two
years, Malawi has moved
from a food net-importer to a
regional exporter, achieving a
high rate of agricultural production
and food security at
national level but also at
household levels.
During the 2005/2006-
crop season, the country realised
a food surplus of over
500,000 metric tons. In the
2006/2007 season, the food
surplus increased to 1.3 million
metric tons over and
above the national food requirements.
Speaking at the award ceremony
in Blantyre, the FANRPAN
chief executive officer,
Lindiwe Sibanda said the
award was established to honour
individuals or organisations
that made effective evident
contributions towards
food security and poverty alleviation
in southern Africa
against the backdrop of the
current global food shortages.
"Malawi's food policies are
a demonstration that regional
countries have the capacity to
be food secure if they apply
the right policies.
"President wa Mutharika
has implemented effective
policies in support of
Malawi's Agricultural Input
Subsidy Programme and
other institutional arrangements,"
said Sibanda.
Mutharika came into office
in 2004 and immediately declared
his intention to turn
Malawi into a "hunger free
nation."
He then went on to overhaul
the country's development
policies and programmes
and utilised policies
to transform Malawi's economy
based on, among others,
the prioritisation of agriculture
and food security to increase
self-sufficiency, prioritisation
of irrigation and water
development to reduce dependence
on rain-fed agriculture.


Abstract:
THE SIGNING of a powersharing
deal between Zimbabwe's
main political parties has
demonstrated SADC and
Africa's ability to find African
solutions to African problems.

body:
THE SIGNING of a powersharing
deal between Zimbabwe's
main political parties has
demonstrated SADC and
Africa's ability to find African
solutions to African problems.
SADC appointed the South
African President Thabo Mbeki
in March 2007 to mediate in the
inter-party talks and the 11th
Session of the African Union
AU) Summit this year endorsed
him as the chief mediator and
pledged to support his role.
"The agreement is a testimony
that SADC is capable of
solving its problems. It is a
peace-loving region that is
guided by the principles of dialogue,"
Mbeki said. "We need
to continue with the same spirit
so that the region remains an
oasis of peace for future generations."
Mbeki stepped down as president
a few days later but remains
the Zimbabwe mediator.
South Africa is the current chair
of SADC.
AU chairperson and Tanzanian
President Jakaya Kikwete
said the agreement between
Zimbabwe's main political parties parties
is a victory for the people of
the region, which signals the beginning
of a new era of reconciliation
among the people of Zimbabwe.
"This is a dawn of a new era
for Zimbabwe, a great day for SADC, Africa and the world. It
has attracted the attention of
many, even those beyond. All
are touched and elated by this
occasion," Kikwete said.
He paid tribute to the signatories
for their patriotism and statesmanship while applauding
the leader of a smaller third
group, Arthur Mutambara, for
bringing "balance" to the negotiations.
King Mswati of Swaziland,
the chairperson of the SADC
Organ on Politics, Defence and
Security Cooperation, said the
agreement provides adequate
proof that SADC structures are
effective in dealing with the region's
challenges.
"This day makes a day where
the region celebrates the power
of peace and dialogue. It's the
greatest milestone achieved
through dialogue and it is a
great achievement for Zimbabwe,
SADC and the continent,"
he said.
The ruling Zimbabwe
African National Union-Patriotic
Front (ZANU-PF) and formations
of the Movement for
Democratic Change (MDC)
signed a SADC-brokered
power-sharing deal on 15 September
at a ceremony attended
by regional leaders and international
diplomats in the capital,
Harare. (See full text of agreement
on pages 11-14)
Throughout the negotiating
process, SADC and the AU expressed
their full support to the
parties and the mediator, and
the two institutions also agreed
to act as guarantors.
In terms of the agreement,
President Robert Mugabe of
ZANU-PF remains Head of
State; Morgan Tsvangirai of
MDC-Tsvangirai (MDC-T) becomes
Prime Minister, while
Arthur Mutambara of MDCMutambara
(MDC-M) becomes
the Deputy Prime Minister.
The resultant cabinet comprises
15 ministers from ZANUPF,
13 from the MDC-T and
three from MDC-M.
The SADC-brokered deal
was concluded on 11 September
after more than a year of negotiations.


title:
Swazi polls "peaceful, transparent, credible"

Abstract:
THE SADC Election Observer
Mission (SEOM) described the
19 September parliamentary
elections in Swaziland as
"peaceful, transparent and
credible".

body:
THE SADC Election Observer
Mission (SEOM) described the
19 September parliamentary
elections in Swaziland as
"peaceful, transparent and
credible".
The SEOM mission, headed
by Mozambique's Minister for
Diplomatic Affairs, Francisco
Madeira, said that in SADC's
view the elections reflected the
will of the people of the Kingdom
of Swaziland.
"The Mission is therefore,
pleased to congratulate the People
of the Kingdom of Swaziland
for the lesson of civility,
good behaviour, mutual tolerance
and, above all, for the
tremendous efforts to reach the
perfection as they embark on
their gradual and challenging road for the entrenchment of
democracy," Madeira said.
The SEOM praised the new
Constitution (enacted 2005) and
other laws and regulations governing
the electoral process
Swaziland, saying these fully
comply with SADC Principles
and Guidelines Governing Democratic
Elections.
The campaign was characterised
by an open interaction
between the candidates and the
electorate, unlike the classic
rally model, thus indicating
high level of mutual acknowledgement,
the SEOM said.
SADC sent a 30-member observer
mission which was deployed
a week before the elections
and covered all
provinces.


title:
African governments commit to reducing
environmental threats to health

Abstract:
A RECENT gathering of environment
and health ministers
in Libreville, Gabon, saw the
signature and adoption of the
Libreville Declaration which
commits governments to take
measures to stimulate policy,
institutional and investment
reforms to optimise synergies
between health, environment
and other relevant sectors.

body:
A RECENT gathering of environment
and health ministers
in Libreville, Gabon, saw the
signature and adoption of the
Libreville Declaration which
commits governments to take
measures to stimulate policy,
institutional and investment
reforms to optimise synergies
between health, environment
and other relevant sectors.
The Gabon meeting highlighted
the need to address
health, environment and economic
development issues in
an interrelated manner to generate
new synergies in poverty
reduction and social equity.
The World Health
Organisation (WHO) website
quoted Luis Sambo, the
Regional Director of WHO
Regional Office for Africa, as
saying "The signing of this
landmark declaration is the
first step towards saving the
lives of millions of people
from the harmful effects of
changes in the environment.
"We will work together to
promote strategic alliances
between health and environment.
I am delighted that we
have managed to secure political
commitment to catalyse
institutional changes needed to
improve the health and wellbeing
of communities in the
region."
It is estimated that a quarter
of the total burden of diseases
in developing countries
is associated with environmental
risk factors.
According to a WHO
report, in Africa 23 percent or
2.4 million of all deaths in 2006
were attributed to environmental
risk factors.
The environmental risk factors
to which Africa is exposed
include inadequate water supply,
sanitation and hygiene, as
well as poor water resource
management and unsafe
water environments.
Africa's coverage of safe
drinking water and safe sanitation
stands at about 56 and
37 percent of the population,
respectively.
While there has been an
overall improvement in the
coverage of water supply in
Africa since 1990, the regional
projected coverage in 2015 still
falls well below the MDG target
of 75 percent. As such the vast majority of Africa's population
will continue to rely on
unsafe water sources, which
themselves are exposed to
increasing contamination and
pollution.
About 90 percent of the
global burden of malaria and of
schistosomiasis affects the population
of sub-Saharan Africa.
Cholera is also an important
water-related, vector-borne disease
which is prevalent in some
parts of Africa.
The impact of air pollution
on health is seen in the
increasing cases of respiratory
illnesses such as asthma, bronchitis
and tuberculosis.
According to the fourth
Global Environment Outlook
(GEO-4) report, Africa also
faces challenges associated
with chemical safety. African
farmers use large amounts of
chemical pesticides, and there
are as much as 50,000 tonnes of
obsolete stockpiles of pesticides
contaminating soil, water, air,
and food.
The Libreville Declaration
acknowledges that Africa is
one of the most vulnerable
regions to climate change.


title:
SADC Gender Protocol: From commitment
to action

Abstract:
APPROVAL OF the groundbreaking
Protocol on Gender
and Development by 12 southern
African countries brings
with it the need to take action
by all stakeholders so as to
accelerate the empowerment of
women in the region through
speedy implementation.

body:
APPROVAL OF the groundbreaking
Protocol on Gender
and Development by 12 southern
African countries brings
with it the need to take action
by all stakeholders so as to
accelerate the empowerment of
women in the region through
speedy implementation.
Signed by 11 Member
States at the 28th SADC
Summit held in South Africa
in August 2008, the protocol is
widely regarded as historic
and groundbreaking insofar as
empowerment of women in
the region is concerned.


Madagascar and Mauritius
had not immediately signed,
but have since appended signature
to the protocol. Botswana
and Malawi are yet to sign.
Planned initiatives towards
implementation of the agreement
include meetings organized
by the SADC Gender Unit
and its partners such as one to
develop a regional monitoring
tool that will monitor and track
implementation of the gender
equality commitments made by
SADC Member States and
another to develop guidelines
for the implementation of the
50 percent target representation
of women in politics and decision
making.
The Southern African
Gender Protocol Alliance, consisting
of gender and women's
non-governmental organizations
(NGOs), has parallel
complementary actions outlined
in a consolidated plan
still in draft form. Actions
include activities on tracking,
monitoring and evaluating
progress towards achieving
goals set out in the protocol.
Legal and gender experts
who participated in the
Southern African Protocol
Alliance meeting
held prior to the
SADC Summit, described
the protocol "as the most far-reaching of any
sub-regional instrument for
achieving gender equality."
Participants said it was time
for southern Africa to move
from being "a region of commitments
to one of action."
Former South African
President, Thabo Mbeki, who
assumed the SADC chair on
behalf of his country during
the summit, said the signing of
the protocol was one of the
most important decisions that
the regional organisation took
this year.
"This protocol is important
because it consolidates all the
important SADC policies and
programmes dealing with gender
equity. The protocol will
help our region to advance the
process of women's emancipation
through policies, laws, programmes
and projects which all
Member States have to implement,"
Mbeki said.
Now that the protocol has
been signed, the next stage is
to ensure ratification by
Member States for the protocol
to enter into force.
Ratification of the protocol
implies readiness by Member
States to begin implementation,
which involves domestication
of the regional policy
into national legislation and
policy. To formalize ratification,
a Member State is
required to deposit legal
papers known as Instruments of Ratification with the SADC
Secretariat.
The ratification process,
however, can take several years
before the protocol receives the
requisite two-thirds majority
for it to have legal force. This
brings into prominence the
need for gender movements in the region to work closely
together with national gender
machineries in Member States
if early ratification is to be
achieved, just as they did in
preparation for the historical
Beijing conference in 1995.
In Article 40, the gender pact
says, "The protocol shall be ratified
by the signatory states in
accordance with their constitutional
procedures." SADC
Member States, however, have
different constitutional requirements
for ratification.
In some countries, the protocol
has legal force once the
president has signed the document
whereas others require
parliamentary approval before
the head of state or government
can pass an international
agreement as ratified.


title:
SADC joins "16 Days of Activism
Against Gender Violence" campaign

Abstract:
THE YEAR 2008 marks the
18th edition of the global campaign
widely known as "16
Days of Activism Against
Gender Violence".

body:
THE YEAR 2008 marks the
18th edition of the global campaign
widely known as "16
Days of Activism Against
Gender Violence".
The campaign links issues
concerning violence against
women and human rights and
emphasises that all forms of
violence, whether perpetrated
in the public or private sphere,
are a violation of human rights.
The dates chosen for the
campaign symbolically make
this link - 25 November marks
the International Day Against
Gender Based Violence and 10
December is International
Human Rights Day.
This year's campaign activities
have been extended for 365
days for the purpose of highlighting
the organising efforts
of a broader movement for
women's human rights and to
provide others with examples
of activities and strategies used by individuals and
organisations during the campaign.
For this year's campaign,
the SADC Gender Unit has
mobilised men-to-men groups
to form a strong male force to
support the campaign and to
create teams of male supporters
to participate in the ongoing
campaign in various
countries in the region.
The presence of men in the
struggle to combat genderbased
violence is gradually
creating new voices aimed at
addressing other men and
encouraging them to re-think
their attitudes and behaviour,
tackling critical issues about
masculinity and male responsibility.
This year's theme is "Human
Rights for Women - Human
Rights for all: Universal
Declaration for Human Rights
60 years after."


Abstract:
MORE THAN two decades ago, on
22 December 1987, the two liberation
parties in Zimbabwe - the
Zimbabwe African National Union (ZANU) and the Zimbabwe
African People’s Union (ZAPU) signed the historic Unity Agreement
that ensured peace and political development.

body:
MORE THAN two decades ago, on
22 December 1987, the two liberation
parties in Zimbabwe - the
Zimbabwe African National Union (ZANU) and the Zimbabwe
African People’s Union (ZAPU) signed the historic Unity Agreement
that ensured peace and political development.
The then Prime Minister and First Secretary of ZANU, Robert
Mugabe and the leader of ZAPU, Joshua Nkomo, signed the Unity
Agreement effectively stopping the political instability that had erupted
since the early 1980s.

The Unity Agreement was significant in that it showed that the
leaders of the dominant parties had the capacity to resolve their ideological
and political differences for the nation and the region in
general.
Speaking after the signing ceremony, Mugabe remarked that:
"Today is a great day. It is great because we have seen the coming
together in body, mind and spirit of our two parties.
"What we are witnessing is a tremendous blow to the forces of
negation, the forces of division, the forces of destruction...let them be
murdered and laid to rest for eternity."
Nkomo went on to say that the accord was "the beginning of unity,
for unity is not just the signing of documents, unity is what follows."
The historic agreement of 1987 was not the first attempt to achieve
unity in the country; the first united front was achieved in 1896, during
the First Chimurenga War against white domination and colonial
bondage when the Shona and Ndebele leaders collaborated to resist
colonial domination.
The accord was described by Nathan Shamuyarira, a historian and
nationalist leader, as "the final and successful effort" to unite ZANU
and ZAPU.
The road towards achieving unity was potholed by many impediments
and credit must be given to Mugabe and Nkomo for their
remarkable fortitude and determination in the face of vicissitudes of
the liberation struggle and negotiations in the early years of
Zimbabwe’s independence.
The Patriotic Front was a child of the liberation struggle, and was
formed by the two parties in 1976 to provide a joint front at the
Geneva talks.
This followed the coming together of the parties under the banner
of the African National Council to give a resounding "No" to the
Pearce Commission on constitutional change.
As remarked by Kenneth Kaunda, the then President of Zambia,
the benefits that accrued from such a sacrifice outweighed the sweat
and toil occasioned by the thorny path towards the agreement.
The talks were by no means achieved over night, to the contrary
they broke down along the way and a remarkable feat of balancing
and compromise was required of all concerned.
That the leaders who effected the Unity Agreement could actually
understand and accommodate the other’s demands is worthy
of praise.
The extension of the hand of peace was an act replete with sincerity
and the acclaimed virtue of forgiveness.


title:
Mbeki’s legacy: Toward
empowerment of Africa and
countries of the South

Abstract:
THABO MBEKI’S legacy was established even before he became the
President of South Africa when, as deputy president, he laid out his
vision for the continent and inspired a new generation of Africans
throughout the continent with his leadership. Speaking on behalf of the
African National Congress on the occasion of the adoption by the
Constitutional Assembly of the Republic of South Africa Constitution
Bill in May 1996 in Cape Town, he made a commitment and a speech that
has become both a road map and a classic. It begins and ends as follows:

body:
THABO MBEKI’S legacy was established even before he became the
President of South Africa when, as deputy president, he laid out his
vision for the continent and inspired a new generation of Africans
throughout the continent with his leadership. Speaking on behalf of the
African National Congress on the occasion of the adoption by the
Constitutional Assembly of the Republic of South Africa Constitution
Bill in May 1996 in Cape Town, he made a commitment and a speech that
has become both a road map and a classic. It begins and ends as follows:
"On an occasion such as this we should, perhaps, start from the beginning.
So let me begin. I am an African. I owe my being to the hills and the
valleys, the mountains and the glades, the rivers, the deserts, the tree, the
flowers, the seas and the ever-changing seasons that define the face of our
native land. ...I know what it signifies when race and colour are used to
determine who is human and who subhuman. I have seen the destruction of all sense
of self-esteem, the consequent striving to be what one is not, simply to acquire some
of the benefits which those who had improved themselves as masters had ensured
that they enjoy. I have experience of the situation in which race and colour is used to
enrich some and impoverish the rest. I have seen the corruption of minds and souls
as a result of the pursuit of an ignoble effort to perpetrate a veritable crime against
humanity. ... I am born of a people who would not tolerate oppression. ...The thing
that we have done today, in this small corner of a great continent that has contributed
so decisively to the evolution of humanity, says that Africa reaffirms that she is continuing
her rise from the ashes. Whatever the setbacks of the moment, nothing can
stop us now! Whatever the difficulties Africa shall be at peace! Whoever we may be,
whatever our immediate interest, however much we carry baggage from our past,
however much we have been caught by the fashion of cynicism and loss of faith in the
capacity of the people, let us say today: Nothing can stop us now! (Thabo Mbeki,
Africa ~ the time has come ~)
The continent strengthened its governance with the establishment of the African
Union and the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD), and the leading
countries of the South strengthened their collaboration, notably India, Brazil and
South Africa, to contribute to "further empowerment of the countries of the South".


title:
Public Holidays in SADC
December 2008 - February 2009

body:
Holidays
Public Holidays in SADC

December 2008 - February 2009
8 December Immaculate Conception Day Seychelles
8 December Eid-ul-Adha Tanzania
9 December Independence Day Tanzania
10 December International Human Rights Namibia
16 December Incwala Day Swaziland
16 December Day of Reconciliation South Africa
22 December National Unity Day Zimbabwe
25 December Christmas Day SADC
26 December Boxing Day Botswana, Lesotho, Swaziland,
Malawi and Zimbabwe
26 December Family Day Namibia
26 December Day of Goodwill South Africa
1 January New Year’s Day SADC
3 January Public Holiday Botswana
4 January Marty’s Day Angola, DRC
12 January Zanzibar Revolutionary Day Tanzania
15 January John Chilembwe Day Malawi
16-17 January Patrice Lumumba Day DRC
18 January Kabila Hero Day DRC
26 January Chinese Spring Festival Mauritius
1 February Abolition of Slavery Mauritius
3 February Heroes Day Mozambique
4 February National Armed Struggle Day Angola
5 February Chama Cha Mapinduzi Day Tanzania
8 February Thaipoosam Cavadee Mauritius
23 February Maha Shivratree Mauritius
* Depends on visibility of the moon


body:
EVENTS
EVENTS DIARY December 2008
October

November
12-14, Tunisia
African Economic Conference

Organised by the African Development Bank, the
conference brings together government and the private
sector to discuss implementation of better economic
policies in light of the global financial crisis. The conference
seeks to encourage research and information dissemination
on economic issues of interest to the continent.

18 - 19, Botswana
Groundwater in the SADC Integrated Water Resource
Management (IWRM) Initiative Conference

The conference will discuss groundwater-related issues in
the SADC Region and strategise on how to replicate the
SADC Groundwater Management initiative into continentwide
processes on groundwater utilisation and
management. It is jointly organised by SADC, the African
Ministers’ Council on Water (AMCOW), and Germany
Agency for Technical Co-operation (GTZ).

29 Nov- 2 Dec, Qatar
International Conference on Financing for Development

The Conference aims at assessing progress made in 2008
in the financial sector in developing countries. The
conference brings together government representatives
from developing countries and hopes to reaffirm goals
and commitments, share best practices, lessons learned
and identify obstacles and constraints encountered by
most developing countries.

December
1, Global
World Aids Day

On 1 December every year, SADC and the rest of the
world comes together to commemorate World AIDS Day.
The theme for this year is "Stop AIDS. Keep the Promise."

8-12, Belgium
Joint SADC-EC EPA Technical and Senior Officials
meeting

Representatives from SADC and the European Union will
meet to negotiate the Economic Partnership Agreements
that failed to bring any positive aspects in the last round
in August.

10, Global
International Human Rights Day

International Human Rights Day is marked every year
worldwide with activities led by the Office of the United
Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. The day
marks the anniversary of the Assembly’s adoption of the
Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948.

10, Global
High-level Conference on Water for Agriculture and Energy in Africa

The conference aims at unlocking the potential of water
for development in Africa. More specifically, it will assess
the challenges faced by the agricultural sector in Africa
taking into account the strong linkages with energy and
climate change. The conference will carefully examine
how investment in the rural space can reverse trends to
obtain well-balanced sub-sectors that offset production
risks.



Abstract:
SOUTHERN AFRICA  is taking steps to ensure that national economies are better prepared to withstand the potential impact of
shocks from a global recession amid warnings of a worsening economic outlook for Europe and America, which are yet to fully recover
from the financial crisis of four years ago.Not leaving anything to chance after the 2008/09 financial crisis inflicted serious damage
to the regional economy four years ago, and SADC is moving to cushion its Member States from the vagaries of the present unstable
global economy. Global economic activity is expected to stall in 2012 and the medium-term in the face of intensified downward risks.

body:
SOUTHERN AFRICA  is taking steps to ensure that national economies are better prepared to withstand the potential impact of
shocks from a global recession amid warnings of a worsening economic outlook for Europe and America, which are yet to fully recover
from the financial crisis of four years ago.Not leaving anything to chance after the 2008/09 financial crisis inflicted serious damage
to the regional economy four years ago, and SADC is moving to cushion its Member States from the vagaries of the present unstable
global economy. Global economic activity is expected to stall in 2012 and the medium-term in the face of intensified downward risks.

 Among the main downward risks are chronic fiscal imbalances and failure to redress excessive debt obligations to the European
Union, and extreme volatility in energy and agriculture prices. The Eurozone economy is expected to go into a mild recession in 2012 as most
economies in the region report contractions in output and suffer from the effects of additional fiscal consolidation.Growth in emerging and developing
economies such as China, Brazil and Russia is also expected to slow due to the weakening external environment and reduced internal
demand.
 

According to a report by the SADC Directorate of Trade, Industry, Finance and Investment (TIFI), the regional economy slowed
only marginally in 2011, expanding by an average 4.7 percent compared to 5.5 percent the previous year. The SADC economy is forecast to grow by
5.1 percent in 2012 although its medium-term prospects may be overshadowed by the recession worries and the prospect of rising food
prices. One of the strategies being pursued by SADC to counter the threat of external shocks and uncertainties is the promotion of diversification
of regional economies.
 

Member States are being encouraged to shift from reliance on commodities towards activities that exploit their comparative advantages
such as manufacturing and services. This strategy is premised on the understanding that narrow-based economies that rely on a few sectors are particularly vulnerable
to the vagaries of global financial shocks compared to more diversified economies.Most southern African economies rely on one or
two sectors, mostly natural resource industries, and are therefore vulnerable in the event of sharp fluctuations in prices of
those commodities.
 

The structure of production of SADC countries is characteristic of a developing region where large shares of GDP originate
in primary sectors of production such as agriculture and mining, whose total contribution is on average over 50 percent of
total Gross Domestic Product (GDP). According to TIFI, statistics on SADC show that only Mauritius and South Africa have
sizeable manufacturing sectors at approximately 25 percent of GDP. The share of manufacturing sector to GDP in the rest of
member states averages less than 15 percent.
 

In addition to having a small manufacturing sector, SADC economies do not produce a diversified range of manufactured products.
SADC Member States produce a similar range of products such as foodstuffs, beverages, tobacco, textiles, clothing and footwear, which are predominantly
agricultural-resource based. As a result, SADC economies are susceptible to volatilities emanating from developments in the international
markets. “Regional economic performance for 2012 and the medium-term will also largely depend on the food situation
as this influences macroeconomic fundamentals such as inflation; and both internal and external balances,” TIFI said in
the report titled “Economic Performance 2011 and Medium- Term Prospects”.
 

Regionally, the food security situation has remained relatively stable, with the majority of staple foods readily available
in local markets and at household level. This scenario is projected to continue in the foreseeable future, with Malawi, South Africa
and Zambia projected to hold sufficient stocks at the close of the 2011/12 marketing season that should cushion shortages in food
deficits in some Member States. “However the downside risk is that due to low globalstocks of maize, South African
white maize will continue to be in high demand and that could push prices up which could be at the detriment of net-importing
countries in the region,” the report said.


Abstract:
THE ANTICIPATED  economic downturn in Europe may affect Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) inflows into SADC, given that
Europe is a major source of FDI into the region. Latest data from the Committee of Central Bank Governors in
SADC shows that FDI inflows into the region declined from US$21.6 billion in 2009 to US$18.4 billion in 2010, representing
an average decline of almost 20 percent, although this average masks some dramatic highs and lows for individual
countries.

body:
THE ANTICIPATED  economic downturn in Europe may affect Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) inflows into SADC, given that
Europe is a major source of FDI into the region. Latest data from the Committee of Central Bank Governors in
SADC shows that FDI inflows into the region declined from US$21.6 billion in 2009 to US$18.4 billion in 2010, representing
an average decline of almost 20 percent, although this average masks some dramatic highs and lows for individual
countries.

 The decline was attributed to the adverse effects of the global financial crisis of 2008/09.No final FDI figure has been
compiled for 2011 although the committee said preliminary reports pointed to an increase in inflows as the region benefited
from the temporary recovery of the global economy. Individual country updates however show commendable growth in FDI inflows into
southern Africa during the past year. 
 

FDI to Zambia in the first 11 months of 2011 stood at US$4.6 billion with a potential for 31,000 new jobs, according to
the Zambia Development Agency (ZDA) which is a government body in charge of investment promotion. Zimbabwe approved projects
worth US$6.63 billion in 2011, with more than 55 percent of these in the mining sector at US$3.68 billion. Disaggregated data from the
Zimbabwe Investment Authority shows that the tourism sector was the second largest recipient of FDI in 2011, attracting
a total US$1.58 billion. It was followed by agriculture (US$444.77 million), construction (US$120.9 million), services
(US$128.1 million) and manufacturing (US$670 million).
 

China remains the biggest source of FDI in the SADC region. By the end of 2011, China's investments in SADC amounted
to US$9.9 billion, including about US$5 billion in non-financial investments. Chinese investments in mining include significant partnerships
with the Zambian government in the extensive Copperbelt, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)'s stateowned Gécamines in cobalt and heavy earth minerals, and Zimbabwe
in diamonds. Chinese companies have also entered the retail sector, mainly through cheaper textiles in most SADC Member States.

 
“While there are still many uncertainties with the global economic recovery, China and the Southern African Development
Community should strengthen their economic cooperation to help both achieve stable growth and advance the global economy,” Chinese Vice
Premier, Wang Qishan, observed at the recent China- SADC Investment and Business Forum. There are significant opportunities
in southern Africa in mining, agriculture, manufacturing, financial services, information and communication
technologies, tourism and infrastructural development


title:
SADC completes initial assessment of 15-year blueprint

Abstract:
THE SADC  Secretariat has completed a desk assessment of the first five years of the Regional Indicative Strategic Development
Plan (RISDP) that will form the basis of an independent review of the 15-year plan. The aim of the desk assessment
was to analyse performance as well as to identify the challenges encountered so far and lessons learnt during implementation
of the RISDP from 2005 to 2010. The review provides an overview of the implementation status of the differentsectors outlined in the RISDP.

body:
THE SADC  Secretariat has completed a desk assessment of the first five years of the Regional Indicative Strategic Development
Plan (RISDP) that will form the basis of an independent review of the 15-year plan. The aim of the desk assessment
was to analyse performance as well as to identify the challenges encountered so far and lessons learnt during implementation
of the RISDP from 2005 to 2010. The review provides an overview of the implementation status of the differentsectors outlined in the RISDP.

According to SADC Executive Secretary Tomaz Salomao, a broader assessment that involves all key stakeholders in the Member States
is the next step and is expected to provide a more comprehensive analysis, showcasing the impact of the interventions to date in order
to chart the way forward for the next 10 years of implementing the RISDP. “Therefore, as envisaged, an independent review covering
all the stakeholders of SADC will now be done starting in 2012 to enable Member States and external stakeholders
from civil society, private sector and others to reflect on the key issues that should become priorities in the next
phase of implementation,” he said. 
 

Such an approach builds on in-depth analysis from internal and external perspectives and should encourage and clarify political steering
and leadership.The desk assessment has revealed that all sectors were able to either fully or partially reach most of the different outputs and targets
within the stated timeframes. “The consultative process in the Secretariat has revealed very satisfactory levels of
RISDP implementation over the past five years,” said Salomao. SADC has developed or approved critical policies, protocols and frameworks,
and has established implementing  nstitutions, thus increasing its visibility since implementation started in 2005.

 
Human resource constraints were cited as a major impediment to improving the organisation’s performance.
Issues identified by the review include the need to:

 • accelerate implementation at Member State level;
 
• ensure effective structures for Secretariat and Member State cooperation;
 
• deepen consultation at Member State level; 
 
• ensure realistic targets and ongoing RISDP evaluation; and,
 
• tackle human, financial and technical resource constraints at the SADC Secretariat.
 
 
 

The review also identified some of the main challenges to be addressed in the next 10 years of implementing the
RISDP, as follows: 
 
o strengthen monitoring and evaluation;
 
o ensure the mainstreaming of RISDP cross-cutting issues such as gender and climate change;
 
o improve the think-tank capacity of the Secretariat;
 
o maintain SADC as a platform for common pan- African and global positions; and,
 
o ensure more effective and efficient stakeholder participation. 
 
 
 


The Summit of SADC Heads of State and Government last August directed the Ministerial Taskforce on Regional Economic Integration
to review the RISDP to identify priorities and reorient the region’s integration agenda. The RISDP review is expected to result in the
development of a focussed work programme for implementation of high-impact programmes to enhance developmental regional integration.

 

The review also helps to prioritise SADC’s work programme to achieve optimum impact from limited resources. The RISDP contains timebound
targets that are considered as beacons leading toward continental and international goals, in particular the continental African Economic
Community and the UN Millennium Development Goals. The overriding target is to attain annual economic growth rates of at least seven
percent, necessary to halve the proportion of people living in poverty by 2015.

 

The proposed review of the RISDP and reorientation of SADC’s priorities comes in the wake of current Tripartite negotiations
between SADC, the East African Community and the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA). The negotiations are expected
to result in the establishment of the Tripartite Free Trade Area to strengthen intraregional trade by creating a
wider market, increased investment flows, enhanced competitiveness and the development of cross-regional infrastructure.


title:
wa Mutharika’s death a blow to Africa’s integration agenda

Abstract:
THE DEATH  of President Bingu wa Mutharika early this month has not only robbed Malawi of its leader but also
deprived Africa of a fearless campaigner for deeper regional integration and agrarian revolution. Mutharika, who died on 5
April due to a heart failure, played an instrumental role in southern Africa’s efforts to transform the region from a
food-deficit area to one producing surplus grain. Doubling as Malawi’s Agriculture Minister, Mutharika introduced
a grain subsidy programme in 2005 to increase the provision of maize seed and fertilizer to smallholder farmers
by more than 75 percent.

body:
THE DEATH  of President Bingu wa Mutharika early this month has not only robbed Malawi of its leader but also
deprived Africa of a fearless campaigner for deeper regional integration and agrarian revolution. Mutharika, who died on 5
April due to a heart failure, played an instrumental role in southern Africa’s efforts to transform the region from a
food-deficit area to one producing surplus grain. Doubling as Malawi’s Agriculture Minister, Mutharika introduced
a grain subsidy programme in 2005 to increase the provision of maize seed and fertilizer to smallholder farmers
by more than 75 percent. 

As a result, Malawi’s maize production trebled from about 1.2 million metric tonnes in the 2004/5 agricultural season
to 3.4 million metric tonnes in 2007/08. In addition, the average farmer’s yield increased to two metric tonnes per hectare
from 0.8 metric tonnes in 2005 as government provided vouchers to farmers to buy appropriate inputs.
 


Despite widespread criticism by economists and multilateral agencies who argued that the expansion of subsidies
would worsen Malawi’s budget deficit and create distortions in the market, wa Mutharika stood by his programme
to ensure that low-income farmers are empowered. Recent successes in turning around the agricultural sector  and ensuring
 food security for the country have confounded critics. In fact, the significant increase in production has
saved Malawi more than US$120 million annually that it could otherwise have spent on food imports. 
 


As chair of the African Union in 2010, Mutharika urged member states to invest heavily in the construction of
infrastructure such as food storage facilities, roads and railway to support their food security programmes.
He proposed a road map for Africa to achieve sustainability in food security, which essentially advocated for a new partnership
among African nations.
 


His strategy involved improving agriculture and food security on the continent through interventions such as subsidies to smallholder farmers,
improvements in irrigation, increased budgetary allocations, private sector investment and affordable information and
communications technology. A former World Bank economist, wa Mutharika is also credited with adopting wideranging
measures that significantly improved Malawi’s economic performance during his first term in office.  
 


These included a zero-tolerance policy on corruption and fiscal indiscipline, resulting in the country experiencing economic
growth each year and keeping its inflation rate within the single digit mark. However, wa Mutharika’s good track record
 during his first term in office was quickly forgotten in 2010 when he refused to be bullied by Britain and invited 
the wrath of Malawi’s former colonial ruler by expelling the British high commissioner. 
 


For routinely standing his ground against Western powers, wa Mutharika was labelled an intolerant and autocratic
leader whose government became a target of external regime change agents. Donors responded by withdrawing their support to the
country and making governance rather difficult. Newly appointed Malawi President Joyce Banda is faced with a
 daunting task to restore stability in the country.

 

 Banda – the first women president in southern Africa and the continent’s second after  President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf of Liberia – needs to improve Malawi’s economic performance by improving the
availability of basic commodities and restoring relations with development partners. Other challenges facing Banda in her new post include
how to deal with outside interference, particularly from the West and some of the multilateral  financial institutions
such as the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
 


The IMF has for example, recommended that Malawi first devalues its currency, the Kwacha, before the institution could resume
its programme in the country. However, history has shown that the devaluation of currencies does not usually benefit
the poor and instead pushes them deeper into poverty. She will also be expected to deal with pressure from development
partners who have linked their assistance to alleged respect for human rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual and
transgender people and the right to freedom of the press.
 


In her acceptance speech during her inauguration, Banda called on all Malawians to work together in rebuilding
the country, especially during this difficult time as it mourns its leader. “I want all of us to move into the future with hope and
with that spirit of oneness and unity. I just sincerely hope that there is no room for revenge and that we shall stand
united,” she said.
 


Under the Malawian constitution, the vice president takes over when the sitting president can no longer govern due to
death or illness. Under the Constitution, the vice president will assume the office of president for the remainder of the term
and appoint another person to serve as vice president for the same period. She is Malawi's fourth president since the country’s independence
in 1964. Her predecessors are Kamuzu Banda, Bakili Muluzi and wa Mutharika. She is the founder and leader of the People's Party
which was formed in 2011.
sardc.net


title:
SADC, Japan agree on infrastructure development

Abstract:
SADC AND  Japan have agreed to set up a project identification and follow-up mechanism as part of measures to
strengthen the implementation of infrastructure projects in southern Africa. In an effort to scale up infrastructure
development in the region, the Group of SADC Ambassadors in Japan in collaboration with the SADC Secretariat and the
Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs convened the “SADCJapan Infrastructure Investment Seminar” from 14-15 March.

body:
SADC AND  Japan have agreed to set up a project identification and follow-up mechanism as part of measures to
strengthen the implementation of infrastructure projects in southern Africa. In an effort to scale up infrastructure
development in the region, the Group of SADC Ambassadors in Japan in collaboration with the SADC Secretariat and the
Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs convened the “SADCJapan Infrastructure Investment Seminar” from 14-15 March. 

The seminar engaged the Japanese government and business community and showcased the SADC infrastructure
portfolio of projects, particularly in the priority areas of energy, transport, information and communication
technology, and water. It was agreed, among other issues, that a project identification and follow-up mechanism consisting 
of representatives from the SADC Group of Ambassadors (assisted by the SADC Secretariat) and the Japanese government working with its
private sector should be instituted.

 

In this regard, both sides agreed that a follow-up mechanism should be developed and incorporated into the annual
planning cycle of the SADC Secretariat in order to ensure continuity of projects. The Japanese government reaffirmed its support to
SADC infrastructure within the framework of the Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD) IV and the yokohama
Declaration and Action Plan of 2008.
 


Angolan Minister of Transport, Augusto Da Silva Tomaspraised the role Japan has played to date in the development
of Africa and highlighted the vast opportunities SADC offers to Japanese public and private sector investors
in terms of trade, investment and infrastructure development.
 


Tomas is the current chairperson of the SADC Cluster of Ministers responsible for Infrastructure. The meeting agreed that
projects will be presented to the upcoming TICAD Ministerial Follow-up Meeting to be  held in May in Senegal as well
as to the next SADC Council of Ministers meeting to be held in Mozambique in August. It was also agreed to engage
the Japanese private sector in the development of SADC infrastructure hence the  importance of developing
strategic partnerships with Japanese investors under the auspices of the TICAD framework.
 


SADC has created a conducive environment for investment, by among other things, implementation of the Protocol on Finance and Investment
and the recent establishment of a Project Preparation and Development Facility (PPDF) that aims to facilitate
preparation of bankable projects. The long-awaited launch of the SADC Regional Infrastructure Master Plan later
this year is expected to guide development in key infrastructure such as road, rail and ports.
 


The master plan should allow the region to develop an efficient, seamless and cost-effective transboundary infrastructure
network that would promote socio-economic growth in Member States as a thriving economy depends on
a reliable infrastructure both at the national and regional levels. The proposed creation of a Tripartite Free Trade Area
(FTA) involving SADC, the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) and the East African Community (EAC)
also enhances the opportunities for infrastructure investment in southern Africa.
 


Progress is already evident in the plans by the Tripartite grouping to strengthen the North-South transport corridor
between Dar es Salaam in the United Republic of Tanzania and the South African coastal city of Durban.
The investment conference was attended by some 250 delegates drawn from the Japanese government and business
community, the SADC Secretariat and representatives of COMESA and the EAC.
 


It was sponsored by Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), Japan Bank for International Cooperation
(JBIC), Japan External Trade Organisation (JETRO) and United Nations Industrial Development Organisation
(UNIDO).


Abstract:
SADC DEPUTY  Executive Secretary for Regional Integration,
João Samuel Caholo, identified the region’s priority projects requiring
investment partners as:

body:
SADC DEPUTY  Executive Secretary for Regional Integration,
João Samuel Caholo, identified the region’s priority projects requiring
investment partners as:  

 • energy generation and transmission projects aimed at addressing current challenges relating to regional and national
energy security; 
 
• rehabilitation, expansion and modernisation of road, rail and port infrastructure;
 
• development of ICT broadband networks as part of implementation of the SADC Regional Information Infrastructure;
and
 
• water projects within the SADC Strategic Water Infrastructure Development Programme relating to water supply and
sanitation, irrigation and hydro-power development.


Abstract:
THE UNITED  Nations Conference on Sustainable Development set for Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in June provides an opportunity
for the global community to renew its commitment to promote sustainable development, and address new and
emerging challenges such as climate change. The Rio+20 conference comes 20 years after the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio, where adopted
Agenda 21 was adopted as a comprehensive blueprint of action that was to be taken globally, nationally and locally by
UN organisations, governments and major groups in every area in which humans directly affect the environment.

body:
THE UNITED  Nations Conference on Sustainable Development set for Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in June provides an opportunity
for the global community to renew its commitment to promote sustainable development, and address new and
emerging challenges such as climate change. The Rio+20 conference comes 20 years after the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio, where adopted
Agenda 21 was adopted as a comprehensive blueprint of action that was to be taken globally, nationally and locally by
UN organisations, governments and major groups in every area in which humans directly affect the environment.
 
The global community will meet again in Brazil from 20-22 June to agree on measures to reduce poverty while promoting
sustainable and fair use of resources.
The Rio +20 conference will have two themes:  

o Green Economy in the Context of Sustainable Development and Poverty Eradication 
  
o Institutional Framework for Sustainable Development. 
 
 
 

The aim of the conference is to secure renewed political commitment for sustainable development, assess progress in the
implementation of agreed multilateral environmental agreements, and how to respond to emerging challenges facing the
global community. At least seven key areas have been identified for discussion – energy, water, food, jobs, cities,
oceans and disasters. These are the areas considered critical towards poverty reduction and sustainable development.

 
With regard to energy, the global community seeks to find ways of promoting the uptake of cleaner energy sources such
as wind, hydro and solar energy that are less polluting to the environment. On food, methods are being sought on 
how to grow, share and consume food without degrading the environment, due to the added pressure of climate 
change on agriculture.

 
In respect to water, the conference will seek solutions to improve and increase access to
cleaner and safe water. According to a UN report, there is sufficient freshwater to achieve this goal.
 However, bad economies and poor infrastructure are hindering the world from providing its population with clean
and safe water With regard to jobs, Rio+20  will aim to offer action plans and policies that create employment,
particularly for the youths. Emphasis will be put on “green jobs” in agriculture, industry,
services and administration as these contribute to preserving and restoring the quality of the environment.

 
On cities, oceans and disasters, the conference will seek ways that make cities more habitable, as well as protecting the
oceans from over-fishing and destruction as they are vital conduits for trade and transportation. In preparation for Rio+20,
southern Africa is guided by the “Africa Consensus Statement to Rio+20” that was adopted in October 2011 by African ministers
responsible for the environment and approved by the African Union summit early this year.

 
The African common position calls for developed countries to fulfil previous commitments and pledges to help Africa’s efforts in achieving sustainable
development. Other proposals are for Rio+20 to explore the possibility of reactivating and reinvigorating the National Councils for
Sustainable Development to enable them to coordinate, consolidate and ensure the mainstreaming of cross-cutting
issues in the highest decisionmaking bodies. 

 
Meeting in Luanda, Angola for their recent SADC Council of Ministers meeting, SADC said a technical consultation seminar for Member States would be held in Angola prior to Rio+20.
“The meeting is specifically aiming at affording the region an opportunity to have a common understanding of the environmental
issues that will be discussed at the summit,” the ministers said in a statement.


Abstract:
AFRICAN MINISTERS,  meeting in October 2011 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, adopted a common African position for
Rio+20 United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development.  The position includes:

body:
AFRICAN MINISTERS,  meeting in October 2011 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, adopted a common African position for
Rio+20 United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development.  The position includes:   

• A call for the conference to adopt concrete measures, supported by adequate means of implementation that would
ensure accelerated implementation of sustainable development commitments;
  
• A request to industrialized countries to fulfil previous commitments and pledges to support Africa’s efforts in
achieving sustainable development;
  
• Developed countries should commit to a second period under the Kyoto Protocol from 2013-2017, and reduce their
emissions by 40 percent below 1990 levels by 2017, and provide appropriate additional and long-term financing, technology
and capacity-building support to enable developing nations to face the adverse effects of climate change;
  
• Need to define the green economy as a tool for achieving sustainable development, and to assess the opportunities
and challenges related to this concept, as well as the means for implementation needed to achieve a smooth transition
to a green economy in African countries;
  
• Strongly urge the international community to support African countries to benefit fully from the sectors in which
there is a comparative advantage.


title:
New power generation projects to add 1,770 Mw in 2012

Abstract:
SOUTHERN AFRICA  expects to commission new power projects between 2012 and 2016 that will add 14,300MW of electricity to the
regional grid, allowing the region to match supply and demand, according to the Southern African Power Pool (SAPP).
Part of this capacity will be initiated in 2012 through commissioning new and rehabilitated energy generation
projects that will add about 1,770 megawatts (MW) of electricity, The power will come from Botswana, which is expected
to commission 600MW this year, the Democratic Republic of Congo and South Africa, contributing a total of 430MW
and 300MW respectively.

body:
SOUTHERN AFRICA  expects to commission new power projects between 2012 and 2016 that will add 14,300MW of electricity to the
regional grid, allowing the region to match supply and demand, according to the Southern African Power Pool (SAPP).
Part of this capacity will be initiated in 2012 through commissioning new and rehabilitated energy generation
projects that will add about 1,770 megawatts (MW) of electricity, The power will come from Botswana, which is expected
to commission 600MW this year, the Democratic Republic of Congo and South Africa, contributing a total of 430MW
and 300MW respectively. 

New power generation projects to add 1,770 Mw in 2012 SOUTHERN AFRICA will in the next few years experience a
gradual increase in the uptake of cleaner energy sources that result in reduced carbon emission. This follows the adoption
of a wide-range of strategies aimed at aligning the region with new trends in the global energy sector, which now
favours renewable energy as opposed to fossil fuels. Renewable energy sources such as solar, hydro and wind
are less polluting to the environment, and unlike fossil fuels such as coal will last forever. Meeting in Gaborone,
Botswana, for their 2nd SADC workshop on Renewable Energy Strategy and Action Plan (RESAP), energy experts from
the region said it was time southern Africa increased its uptake of cleaner energy sources to ensure sustainable
development, and agreed on the following: 
   

• Southern African Power Pool (SAPP) must achieve a renewable energy mix in the regional grid of at least
32 percent by 2020 and 35 percent by 2030; 
 
• Member States must identify all renewable energy projects that can be connected to the regional grid;
 
• SAPP must develop a Renewable Energy Development Plan that lists projects according to priority and should be
 linked to the proposed SADC Infrastructure Master Plan;
  
 

Region sets Angola will contribute an additional 315MW, followed by the United Republic of Tanzania and Namibia with
160MW and 90MW. Zambia and Zimbabwe are expected to contribute 56 MW and 30MW in additional power generation.

However, the additional power generated in Angola will not be enjoyed by the rest of the region since the country
is not yet linked to the SADC grid. This leaves 1,460MW as the addition to the regional power grid.
Last year, southern Africa managed to commission at least eight energy generation projects that added about
1,230MW of electricity to the regional grid, slightly above  the 1,110MW of additional electricity commissioned the
previous year.

The SADC region has been experiencing power shortages dating as far back as 2006 due to a combination of factors including
the diminishing generation surplus capacity against increasing growth in demand.


Abstract:
SOUTHERN AFRICA  will in the next few years experience a gradual increase in the uptake of cleaner energy sources that
result in reduced carbon emission. This follows the adoption of a wide-range of strategies aimed at aligning the region
with new trends in the global energy sector, which now favours renewable energy as opposed to fossil fuels. 
Renewable energy sources such as solar, hydro and wind are less polluting to the environment, and unlike fossil fuels
such as coal will last forever. Meeting in Gaborone, Botswana, for their 2nd SADC workshop on Renewable Energy
Strategy and Action Plan (RESAP), energy experts from the region said it was time southern Africa increased its
uptake of cleaner energy sources to ensure sustainable development, and agreed on the following:

body:
SOUTHERN AFRICA  will in the next few years experience a gradual increase in the uptake of cleaner energy sources that
result in reduced carbon emission. This follows the adoption of a wide-range of strategies aimed at aligning the region
with new trends in the global energy sector, which now favours renewable energy as opposed to fossil fuels. 
Renewable energy sources such as solar, hydro and wind are less polluting to the environment, and unlike fossil fuels
such as coal will last forever. Meeting in Gaborone, Botswana, for their 2nd SADC workshop on Renewable Energy
Strategy and Action Plan (RESAP), energy experts from the region said it was time southern Africa increased its
uptake of cleaner energy sources to ensure sustainable development, and agreed on the following:

    
• Southern African Power Pool (SAPP) must achieve a renewable energy mix in the regional grid of at least
32 percent by 2020 and 35 percent by 2030; 
  
• Member States must identify all renewable energy projects that can be connected to the regional grid;
  
• SAPP must develop a Renewable Energy Development Plan that lists projects according to priority and 
should be linked to the proposed SADC Infrastructure Master Plan;SADC to showcase projects at an investors’ roundtable;
  
• By 2015 all SADC Member States should have updated and consolidated their renewable energy resource maps;
  
• By 2015 all SADC Member States and SAPP should have assessed their grid capacity for renewable energy
and identified requirements for grid upgrades, if any;
  
• By 2015 all Member States should have undertaken Strategic Environmental Assessments (SEAs) for the various 
renewable energy types in their countries;
  
• By 2020 at least one of the renewable energy technologies should be manufactured in the SADC region.


title:
Energy ministers meeting set for lesotho

Abstract:
SADC MINISTERS  responsible for energy are scheduled to meet in Lesotho to review the energy situation in the
region and address obstacles in an effort to ensure demand and supply are evenly matched.

body:
SADC MINISTERS  responsible for energy are scheduled to meet in Lesotho to review the energy situation in the
region and address obstacles in an effort to ensure demand and supply are evenly matched. Other issues 
on the agenda will include the status of implementation of ongoing rehabilitation and new power projects as well as
measures to address structural, operational and institutional challenges hindering development in the energy
sector.


title:
Diversification of the economy key to sustainable development

Abstract:
SOUTHERN AFRICA  could achieve sustainable development if countries in the region do more to broaden their economic
bases that rely heavily on single sectors, mainly agriculture and mining. Strengthening other sectors such as
 tourism, manufacturing and energy will serve as a buffer against external financial shocks such as the global financial downturn
that affected the world in 2008, and looks set to return this year.

body:
SOUTHERN AFRICA  could achieve sustainable development if countries in the region do more to broaden their economic
bases that rely heavily on single sectors, mainly agriculture and mining. Strengthening other sectors such as
 tourism, manufacturing and energy will serve as a buffer against external financial shocks such as the global financial downturn
that affected the world in 2008, and looks set to return this year. 

A 2010 report by the SADC Ministerial Task Force on Regional Economic Integration shows that those countries
that diversified into other economic sectors such as fisheries and manufacturing were not as badly affected by
the global financial crisis as those that solely depended on one sector for development. To minimize the impact of
global economic turbulence on SADC Member States and achieve sustainable development, the SADC Trade Industry
Finance and Investment (TIFI) Directorate is urging countries in the region to consider diversifying their economies.

 
“The effects of the recent global economic crisis have demonstrated that no economy is safe from destabilizing
external events,” TIFI said a recent report, titled “Regional Economic Performance in 2011 and Medium-term Prospects
for SADC”. “Diversifying economies is one way of countering these shocks and uncertainties,” TIFI said adding that
“economies which are narrowbased, including resource-dependent countries which most SADC Member States have
vulnerabilities stemming from a lack of diversification in one or more economic dimensions.”

 
TIFI said most SADC countries are aware that their economies are undiversified and hence vulnerable to external
shocks. “The countries recognize that having a diverse economy – that is, one based on a wide range of profitable sectors, not
just a few – play a key role in sustainable economy.” President Seretse Khama Ian Khama has already stated
publicly that Botswana will do more to broaden its economic base and diversify into agriculture and tourism.

 
“We have long recognized that the diversification of the economy both within the minerals sector and beyond is a key strategy for our future
survival,” he said, adding that the “combined effect of our investments in the various sectors will be job creation as well
as poverty alleviation.” TIFI proposed a widerange of diversification options that SADC countries could pursue in making their
economies more resilient and stable.

 
One such avenue is horizontal diversification, which is more applicable to agriculture as an economy migrates into
alternative crops. In this case, Member States would strive to broaden the range of agricultural products they produce so
that they do not rely on just one crop. An alternative route is vertical diversification, which is a strategy whereby new products
or services are added that are complementary to the existing product or service line Most SADC Member States
could benefit from product beneficiation, particularly in the extractive industries.

 
A third option available to SADC Member States is diversification into non-naturalbased activities that exploit
comparative advantage such as manufacturing and services. This is the preferred solution for SADC in the long run
and should, therefore, be a long-term objective of most countries’ development strategies, according to TIFI.
Diversification could also follow the route of trade preferences signed between trading blocks as in some cases preferences 
encourage export diversification by providing tariff exemptions to certain markets.

 
However, the preferences have at times stifled diversification by making commodity dependence profitable. For example,
if the preferences come to an end, so goes the sectors and products developed to benefit from them. As such, there is need for
SADC countries to come up with vibrant measures that ensure that their diversification programmes are a success.

 
Brazil offers one of the best examples of successful diversification. The South American  country has been for many
years the world's largest producer of coffee. However, since the 1990s coffee is no longer central to the Brazilian economy.
 The country diversified into other areas including manufactured goods and “green” fuel products, propelling its economy to
become the tenth largest in the world.


Abstract:
THE STRUCTURE  of production in SADC Member States is characteristic of a developing region where large shares of
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) originate in primary sectors of production such as agriculture and mining whose total
contribution is on average more than 50 percent of total GDP. Statistics on SADC show that only Mauritius and South
Africa have sizeable manufacturing sectors at approximately 25 percent of GDP. The share of manufacturing sector to GDP
in the rest of Member States average less than 15 percent.

body:
THE STRUCTURE  of production in SADC Member States is characteristic of a developing region where large shares of
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) originate in primary sectors of production such as agriculture and mining whose total
contribution is on average more than 50 percent of total GDP. Statistics on SADC show that only Mauritius and South
Africa have sizeable manufacturing sectors at approximately 25 percent of GDP. The share of manufacturing sector to GDP
in the rest of Member States average less than 15 percent.

 In addition to having a small manufacturing sector, SADC economies do not produce a diversified range of manufactured products. They produce a similar range of products
such as foodstuffs, beverages, tobacco, textiles, clothing and footwear, which are agricultural-resource based.
As a result SADC economies are susceptible to volatilities emanating from developments in the international markets.
The sustainability and ability of the economies to offer their populations the opportunity of jobs and creation of wealth
are therefore limited. TIFI Directorate .


title:
Mauritius gender quota law 5– another step forward

Abstract:
A NEW  gender law in Mauritius that requires one-third of candidates in local elections to be women represents another
step towards parity in decision-making. The gender quota is contained in the new Local Government Act that entered into
force on 1 January 2012 and compels all political parties to field more women to contest in local elections due by April
this year.

body:
A NEW  gender law in Mauritius that requires one-third of candidates in local elections to be women represents another
step towards parity in decision-making. The gender quota is contained in the new Local Government Act that entered into
force on 1 January 2012 and compels all political parties to field more women to contest in local elections due by April
this year.

Under Mauritian law, the town and village councillors are elected every five years and their main role is to ensure
the smooth running of five towns and 108 villages, overseeing the provision of services such as garbage collection
and road maintenance. They are also tasked with taking care of the environment and organizing cultural,leisure
 and sporting activities.Just 6.4 percent of all village and town councillors are women at present. 

 
The quota system  is expected to enable at least 1,300 women to participate as candidates in the forthcoming local elections.
The new law falls far short of the 50-percent target for women’s participation in political decision-making by
2015 set by the African Union and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) of which Mauritius is a member. 
The fact that the quota system applies only to local elections means that the representation of women in
positions of authority in Mauritius remains low.

 
Mauritius is one of the lowest in SADC in terms of the number of women in decisionmaking positions such as parliament parliament
and cabinet, and is one of two member states yet to append its signature to the SADC Protocol on Gender and
Development. The other is Botswana. Only 10 women were elected into the 70-seat unicameral House of Assembly in
the 2010 general elections, while three more were appointed among the eight “best losers”, a total of 13 women
and just 19 percent of the seats in parliament.

 
 A total of 62 parliamentarians are elected by direct popular vote under a block system where each voter casts three
ballots for three candidates from each of the 21 constituencies, including the island of Rodrigues off the south-east
coast of Mauritius, which elects two deputies. The remaining eight candidates are drawn from a list of “best losers” to ensure a fair
representation of various communities of the country. This voting method is not used to address the gender imbalance,
yet women make up the largest number of voters as well as just over half of the population of Mauritius. Only three women serve as
ministers in the 25-member Mauritian cabinet, representing just 12 percent. Prime Minister Navichandra Ramgoolam said
the new quota system is expected to see a significant increase in participation by women in the socio-political
process of the island nation, adding that more should be done to elevate women to positions of authority.

 
“We must ensure that the number of women candidates rises considerably,” Prime Minister Ramgoolam said. On the need to extend the gender
quota system to national elections, he said the government would wait for the outcome of a study by a team of constitutional
experts before taking a decision to review the system. Mauritius is scheduled to hold national elections in 2015
and expectations are that the necessary changes to the laws would have been made to ensure that more women are
elected to parliament and appointed to Cabinet.

 
In the 15 members’ states of SADC, South Africa has the highest representation of women in parliament at 45 percent, followed by Mozambique
at 39.2 percent and Angola at 38.6 percent. These countries have electoral systems based on proportional representation that
encourage participation by women, as well as voluntary political party quotas. A minimum 30 percent representation
 s a constitutional requirement in the United Republic of Tanzania which has guaranteed seats for women.


title:
Zambia appoints first woman police commissioner

Abstract:
ZAMBIAN PRESIDENT  Michael Sata has appointed Stella Libongani as Inspector- General of Police, making her the first woman to
occupy such a position. Libongani becomes the first woman in southern Africa to head the police force. Until
her appointment, she was the deputy head of the police. She joined the police service as a cadet assistant
superintendent and was deployed to Kitwe East police station as officer-in-charge in 1998 and has risen
through the ranks to become head of the police.

body:
ZAMBIAN PRESIDENT  Michael Sata has appointed Stella Libongani as Inspector- General of Police, making her the first woman to
occupy such a position. Libongani becomes the first woman in southern Africa to head the police force. Until
her appointment, she was the deputy head of the police. She joined the police service as a cadet assistant
superintendent and was deployed to Kitwe East police station as officer-in-charge in 1998 and has risen
through the ranks to become head of the police.


title:
SADC has made progress in promotion of women rights

Abstract:
SADC IS  committed to developing more innovative programmes necessary to empower girls and women, particularly
in rural areas, SADC Executive Secretary, Tomaz Salomão said in a message to mark International Women Day.
International Women’s Day is held on 8 March each year and this year’s commemorations took place under the theme “Connecting Girls, Inspiring
Futures”. “It is quite pleasing to note that over the years SADC has made notable progress in the promotion and protection of
women and girl’s rights,” Salomão said. However, there is “a lot that still needs to be done for women and girls to enjoy the
full fundamental rights, freedom and dignity.”

body:
SADC IS  committed to developing more innovative programmes necessary to empower girls and women, particularly
in rural areas, SADC Executive Secretary, Tomaz Salomão said in a message to mark International Women Day.
International Women’s Day is held on 8 March each year and this year’s commemorations took place under the theme “Connecting Girls, Inspiring
Futures”. “It is quite pleasing to note that over the years SADC has made notable progress in the promotion and protection of
women and girl’s rights,” Salomão said. However, there is “a lot that still needs to be done for women and girls to enjoy the
full fundamental rights, freedom and dignity.”


Abstract:
THE WORLD’S  largest transfrontier park, the Kavango- Zambezi, was launched in March by five southern African countries.
Environment ministers from Angola, Botswana, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe launched the Kavango- Zambezi Trans Frontier
Conservation Area (KAZA TFCA) at a ceremony in Katima Mulilo, Namibia. The historic launch followed signing of the treaty by
the Heads of State and Government of the respective countries in August 2011.

body:
THE WORLD’S  largest transfrontier park, the Kavango- Zambezi, was launched in March by five southern African countries.
Environment ministers from Angola, Botswana, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe launched the Kavango- Zambezi Trans Frontier
Conservation Area (KAZA TFCA) at a ceremony in Katima Mulilo, Namibia. The historic launch followed signing of the treaty by
the Heads of State and Government of the respective countries in August 2011. 

Situated in the Okavango and Zambezi river basins where the borders of the five countries converge, the KAZA
TFCA covers an area of about 444,000 square kilometers consisting of 36 national parks, game reserves, community
conservancies and game management areas. The conservation area boasts of numerous tourist attractions such as the Victoria
Falls between Zambia and Zimbabwe, San Rock paintings in Botswana, whitewater rafting and other water sports,and the
 absorbing wildlife population in the region. 
  

This high concentration of attractions is expected to create an entirely new assortment of tourism opportunities in
 southern Africa, presenting new opportunities for socio-economic development in SADC, thus strengthening socio-economic
development and integration.The opportunities include the joint marketing of attractions, presenting prospective
tourists with a wide range of opportunities and experiences. A joint report by the Peace Parks Foundation and the Development
Bank of Southern Africa predicts that the conservation area could attract as many as eight million tourists
to the region annually as well as creating employment for thousands of people. 
  

Speaking at the launch, the representatives of partner countries reaffirmed their commitment to regional economic
integration through sustainable management of transboundary natural resources and tourism development, adding that implementation
should be accelerated. They said that tangible results should be delivered to the local communities since they
are the owners of the natural resources and bear huge opportunity costs associated with biodiversity conservation such
as human-wildlife conflicts.
  

Namibian Minister of Environment and Tourism, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah said it is the responsibility of all the
five countries to ensure that KAZA TFCA is developed as a sustainable conservation and tourism development programme.
“Harmonizing natural resource management approaches and tourism development across our international
boundaries will enhance the ecosystem’s integrity and natural ecological processes,” she said. 
  

The establishment of the KAZA TFCA is founded on the SADC ideals articulated in the Protocol on Wildlife Conservation
and Law Enforce ment of 1999, that commits Member States to “promote the conservation of shared wildlife resources through the
establishment of transfrontier conservation areas.” The transfrontier conservation areas concept is based on
the principle that the flow of nature, including rivers, wind, vegetation and animals, is not bound by political boundaries.

  
Existing TFCAs in the SADC region include, among others, the Greater Limpopo TFCA made up of conservation
areas in Mozambique, South Africa and Zimbabwe; and the Lubombo TFCA shared by Mozambique, South Africa and Swaziland.


title:
Zambia, Zimbabwe intensify preparations for international tourism summit

Abstract:
ZAMBIA AND Zimbabwe are preparing to co-host a major global tourism conference next year at Victoria Falls,
and have initiated various projects to ensure that the meeting is a major success. The United Nations World Tourism Organization
(UNWTO) General Assembly is to be held at Victoria Falls/Mosi oa Tunya in 2013, the second time for Africa to
host the assembly after Senegal in 2005.

body:
ZAMBIA AND Zimbabwe are preparing to co-host a major global tourism conference next year at Victoria Falls,
and have initiated various projects to ensure that the meeting is a major success. The United Nations World Tourism Organization
(UNWTO) General Assembly is to be held at Victoria Falls/Mosi oa Tunya in 2013, the second time for Africa to
host the assembly after Senegal in 2005.  

Zambia and Zimbabwe won the bid to co-host the 20th Session of the UNWTO General Assembly over other competitors
Russia, Turkey, Jordan and Qatar. Zimbabwe plans to build a new conference centre in the resort town of Victoria Falls
to accommodate delegates to the General Assembly. The conference centre is expected to have a seating capacity of 
to 5,000 delegates, with committee rooms, golf course, three-star and fivestar hotels.

  
Both countries are refurbish- ing local airports in anticipation of the influx of visitors. The UNWTO general assembly,
which meets every two years to discuss and give direction to global tourism, is expected to boost tourism in the
two countries as well as across the region.


title:
President Michel appointed global tourism ambassador

Abstract:
SEYCHELLOIS  PRESIDENT  James Michel has been appointed a global ambassador for tourism by the United Nations
World Tourism O r g a n I s a t I o n (UNWTO), becoming the first serving head of state to be accorded such an honour.
Michel received the “Global leaders for tourism campaign open letter” from UNWTO secretary general Taleb Rifai in March
during the official opening of the Carnaval International de Victoria in Seychelles. Rifai said it is the first time that
such a letter is presented to heads of state and government. He added that by accepting the letter, Michel
automatically becomes a world ambassador for tourism. Seychelles Nation

body:
SEYCHELLOIS  PRESIDENT  James Michel has been appointed a global ambassador for tourism by the United Nations
World Tourism O r g a n I s a t I o n (UNWTO), becoming the first serving head of state to be accorded such an honour.
Michel received the “Global leaders for tourism campaign open letter” from UNWTO secretary general Taleb Rifai in March
during the official opening of the Carnaval International de Victoria in Seychelles. Rifai said it is the first time that
such a letter is presented to heads of state and government. He added that by accepting the letter, Michel
automatically becomes a world ambassador for tourism. Seychelles Nation


title:
Lesotho general elections set for 26 May

Abstract:
THE KING  of Lesotho has set 26 May as the date for eagerly awaited general elections following a successful dialogue
that ended the deadlock among the main political players. Agreement was reached one year ago by political parties
in Lesotho after lengthy negotiations mediated by SADC aimed at finding a lasting solution to the political
challenges in the country. “King Letsie III, in accordance with section 37 (1) of the 2011 National Assembly Election
Act, and acting in accordance with the advice of the Council of State, proclaims that May 26 will be Election
Day,” said a statement released by Prime Minister Mosisili Pakalitha in March.

body:
THE KING  of Lesotho has set 26 May as the date for eagerly awaited general elections following a successful dialogue
that ended the deadlock among the main political players. Agreement was reached one year ago by political parties
in Lesotho after lengthy negotiations mediated by SADC aimed at finding a lasting solution to the political
challenges in the country. “King Letsie III, in accordance with section 37 (1) of the 2011 National Assembly Election
Act, and acting in accordance with the advice of the Council of State, proclaims that May 26 will be Election
Day,” said a statement released by Prime Minister Mosisili Pakalitha in March.
  
King Letsie III dissolved the Lesotho Parliament on 15 March to pave way for campaigning by the country’s 10
political parties. Post-electoral dissatisfaction emerged in Lesotho after the 2007 elections as the opposition
party refused to accept the results, plunging the country into a crisis. This resulted in a negotiating team comprising heads
 of churches in Lesotho and facilitators from the SADC Troika being put in place by southern African leaders to address the
situation.

  
Stakeholders to the meditation process included the Independent Electoral Commission of Lesotho, the former ruling
Lesotho Congress for Democracy (LCD), opposition parties and the government.The agreement led to the amendment of the Lesotho
Electoral Law and the constitution in preparation for the forthcoming elections. The ultimate result of this was
 the presentation of the National Assembly Electoral Bill 2011 and the 6th Amendment to the Constitution to the Parliament
in March last year. The run-up to the elections saw Mosisili’s defection from the LCD to form a new party
called Democratic Congress. In office since May 1998, Mosisili remained prime minister while the LCD became the
main opposition party.

  
 Mosisili's departure was said to be the result of a fallout with the LCD national executive committee, after prolongedfactional squabbles since
2008. The new party formed on 25 February gained a slim majority after garnering support from 45 Members of Parliament
from 80 constituencies in Lesotho’s 120-member parliament. It was the second time Mosisili has crossed the
floor, having defected from the Basutoland Congress Party under leader Ntsu Mokhehle in 1997 to form the
LCD.

  
The LCD won 62 seats or 52 percent of the 120-seat National Assembly in the last elections held in February 2007, followed by National Independent
Party with 21 seats and the All Basotho Convention with 17 seats. Under Lesotho law, the leader of the majority party in
the National Assembly becomes prime minister. Lesotho has a bicameral Parliament consisting of the Senate with 33 seats and the National
Assembly with 120 seats. The monarchy is hereditary and under traditional law only the college of chiefs has the power to depose and/or invest
a monarch. In the Senate, 22 members are hereditary while the remaining 11 members are nominated by the monarch. They
are both expected to serve five-year terms.

  
National Assembly members are elected by direct popular vote using the mixed member proportional system.Under this system, 80 parliamentarians
in single-member constituencies are chosen using the first-past-the-post system while the remaining 40 are elected from one national
constituency using party-list proportional representation. 

  
The latter is used to determine the number of seats each party would receive if the system as fully proportional. The total number of votes cast on the party ballot is divided
by the 120 seats at stake in the National Assembly to determine how many seats each party deserves to receive.
This number is then compared to the seats a party won in constituency list to determine how many seats it should
 be awarded in the party list. For example, if a party is determined to deserve 20 seats but has won only 10 in the constituency
elections, it will be given an additional 10 seats.


Abstract:
MALAWI  IS  expected to hold general elections by May 2014, allowing the country’s new President Joyce Banda to serve
the remainder of the current term following the sudden death of former President Bingu wa Mutharika in April.
Under the Malawi Constitution, the president is elected jointly with a first vice president but the president may
appoint a second vice president if he or she considers this desirable in the national interest. The second vice president
cannot be appointed from the party of the president.  

The 2014 elections are expected to be a five-way race between Banda’s People’s Party; the Democratic Progressive
Party of Mutharika; the Malawi Congress Party led by veteran politician John Tembo; the United Democratic
Front; and the Alliance for Democracy. There are more than 35 other smaller registered political parties.
The Malawian parliament is discussing a constitutional amendment that will harmonise local government, parliamentary
and presidential elections in 2014. The last House of Assembly and presidential elections in Malawi were held in May
2009.

body:
MALAWI IS   expected to hold general elections by May 2014, allowing the country’s new President Joyce Banda to serve
the remainder of the current term following the sudden death of former President Bingu wa Mutharika in April.
Under the Malawi Constitution, the president is elected jointly with a first vice president but the president may
appoint a second vice president if he or she considers this desirable in the national interest. The second vice president
cannot be appointed from the party of the president.  

The 2014 elections are expected to be a five-way race between Banda’s People’s Party; the Democratic Progressive
Party of Mutharika; the Malawi Congress Party led by veteran politician John Tembo; the United Democratic
Front; and the Alliance for Democracy. There are more than 35 other smaller registered political parties.
The Malawian parliament is discussing a constitutional amendment that will harmonise local government, parliamentary
and presidential elections in 2014. The last House of Assembly and presidential elections in Malawi were held in May
2009.


title:
Zambia wins AfcoN 2012, makes southern Africa proud

Abstract:
ZAMBIA HAS  etched its name in the history books after becoming only the third southern African country to
lift the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) trophy in the tournament’s 55-year history. The Chipolopolo, as the
Zambian national team is affectionately known by its fans, beat tournament favourites Ivory Coast 8-7 in a penalty
shootout to win the AFCON for the first time.

body:
ZAMBIA HAS  etched its name in the history books after becoming only the third southern African country to
lift the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) trophy in the tournament’s 55-year history. The Chipolopolo, as the
Zambian national team is affectionately known by its fans, beat tournament favourites Ivory Coast 8-7 in a penalty
shootout to win the AFCON for the first time.
  

Zambia became the third SADC country to win the biennial continental championship since the Democratic Republic of Congo in 1968
and 1974, and South Africa in 1996. Spurred on by a strong belief that destiny had brought them to Gabon, the Zambians
dedicated their victory to their heroes who perished in a plane crash in Gabon while on their way to play Senegal
in a World Cup qualifier in 1993. The victory came 19 years after 18 members of the Zambian team died in a plane
crash close to where the final was played in the Gabonese capital.

  
Zambia is one of the most successful football teams in SADC, participating in most AFCON finals. Zambia has
been to the finals for a record 15 times. Zambia’s previous best moments in the continental tournament came in 1974 and
 1994 when the country was losing finalist. Against all odds, the Zambian Football Association managed to assemble a strong
team for the 1994 finals following the loss of the entire team. Zambian Football Association chairperson Kalusha Bwalya captained the trailblazing
1994 team.

  
The first AFCON took place in Khartoum, Sudan in 1957 and the inaugural tournament was won by Egypt. Egypt has gone on to win
the trophy six times, leading North Africa to a record 10 wins West Africa is the most successful region having won the trophy seven times, with
Ghana being crowned champions four times since 1957. Following Zambia’s victory, southern Africa has now won
the tournament four times while Central Africa has also taken the trophy four times through Cameroon victories.
The only East African side to ever win the AFCON was Ethiopia in 1962.


Abstract:
SOUTH AFRICA   will host the finals of the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations, the second time the tournament is being
held in a southern African country since 2010. The last SADC Member State to host the AFCON finals was Angola
two years ago. South Africa had hosted the event in 1996. A total of 47 countries have entered the competition,
including South Africa, which automatically qualifies as hosts. The remaining 46 teams will compete in the qualifiers
over three rounds.

body:
SOUTH AFRICA   will host the finals of the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations, the second time the tournament is being
held in a southern African country since 2010. The last SADC Member State to host the AFCON finals was Angola
two years ago. South Africa had hosted the event in 1996. A total of 47 countries have entered the competition,
including South Africa, which automatically qualifies as hosts. The remaining 46 teams will compete in the qualifiers
over three rounds.


Abstract:
SADC ISdefining a new development blueprint
that is expected to shape southern Africa’s
regional integration agenda until 2050.

The SADC Vision 2050 aims to provide a
framework for a long-term vision for SADC as
the region seeks to position itself in a context of
emerging global and continental issues such as
climate change, democratisation of the United
Nations and increasing financial instability.

body:
SADC ISdefining a new development blueprint
that is expected to shape southern Africa’s
regional integration agenda until 2050.

The SADC Vision 2050 aims to provide a
framework for a long-term vision for SADC as
the region seeks to position itself in a context of
emerging global and continental issues such as
climate change, democratisation of the United
Nations and increasing financial instability.

According to the SADC chairperson, Angolan
President Jose Eduardo dos Santos, the intention
is to set in motion a development agenda that
takes into account the dynamics of events and issues
affecting not only the southern African region,
but also the rest of the world.


"We propose that our organisation holds, at
the highest level, an extended reflection about
our vision and our strategic objectives in a longterm
horizon," he said.


Dos Santos stressed that this should mitigate
potential threats from emerging global issues,
and ensure that the strategic objectives of
SADC are not endangered.


The Angolan president warned that without
a common position on emerging global issues
“we run the risk of suffering from their undesirable
effects both in all our countries and in
the region as a whole.


”The direction of economic growth in several
SADC member states is influenced by trends in
global commodity prices due to relatively high
dependence on the export of commodities,
mainly minerals including crude oil, gold, diamonds
and platinum, as well as tobacco, sugar
and cotton.


For example, the global crisis of 2008/09 resulted
in a reduction in mineral value in nine
economies in southern Africa.


The most affected sectors in 2009 were oil
and mining, because of their sensitivity to
global GDP changes, thus Angola, Botswana,
DRC, Mozambique and Namibia were negatively
affected.


other countries such as Lesotho, Madagascar,
Mauritius and to a lesser extent Swaziland,
which are heavily dependent on the export of
income-sensitive products such as clothing and
textiles, were severely affected in terms of reduced
export returns and shrinking employment.


Dos Santos presented a concept paper on
the need to develop the SADC Vision 2050 to
other SADC Heads of State and Government
during an Extraordinary Summit held in Luanda
in June.


The concept was referred
to Member States for further
consultations and contributions.


“Inputs from this process
will be consolidated and submitted
to Council and Summit
at the next meeting in August
2012,” said a final communiqué
from the Extraordinary
Summit.


SADC is in the process of
engaging consultants to undertake
an independent midterm
review of the Regional
Indicative Strategic Development
Plan (RISDP), its 15-
year regional integration
plan."


The objective is to analyse
SADC’s performance and
identify the challenges encountered
and lessons learnt
during the implementation of
the RISDP from 2005 to 2010.


An initial desk assessment
of the RISDP carried out by
the SADC Secretariat at the beginning
of 2012 has revealed
that all sectors have been able
to fully or partially reach most
of the outputs and targets
within the stated timeframes.


SADC has developed,
adopted and approved critical
policies, protocols and frameworks,
established implementing
institutions and
increased its visibility since
implementation of the RISDP
started in 2005.


Issues identified by the
desk assessment as some of
the main challenges to be addressed
in the next 10 years
of implementing the RISDP
include the need to: facilitate
implementation at Member
State level; ensure effective
structures for Secretariat and
Member State cooperation;
deepen consultation at Member
State level; ensure realistic
targets; complete the
ongoing RISDP evaluation;
and, tackle human, financial and technical resources constraints
at the SADC Secretariat.


The desk review also identified
the need for: strengthening
monitoring and
evaluation; mainstreaming
RISDP crosscutting issues
such as gender and climate
change; improvement of the
think-tank capacity of the Secretariat;
maintaining SADC as
a platform for common pan-
African and global positions;
and ensuring more effective
and efficient stakeholder participation.


Human resources constraints
have been identified
as a major impediment to improving
the Secretariat’s performance.


The Extraordinary Summit
noted that the Regional Infrastructure
Development Master
Plan is being finalised. This
would form the basis for implementing
infrastructure networks
in the key sectors such
as energy and transport including
maritime corridors,
information communication
technologies, tourism and
water infrastructure, taking
into account the specificities of
the island member states.


Summit approved a proposal
to include specific programmes
to develop the
infrastructure connecting the
maritime island states of the
SADC region as part of the infrastructure
master plan.


“It is unfortunately a common
occurrence that African
continental organisations
sometimes neglect the infrastructure
needs of its maritime
space,” the Seychelles Foreign
Minister, Jean-Paul Adam, observed.


The long-awaited launch
of SADC’s infrastructure master
plan is expected to allow
the region to establish an efficient,
seamless and cost effective  transboundary infrastructure
network to support
socio-economic development
in Member States.


A vibrant transport network
can accelerate regional
integration as well as ensure
that the SADC Free Trade
Area (FTA) launched in 2008
and the impending SADC
Customs Union are successfully
implemented through
addressing delays at border
posts and promoting the free
movement of goods and services
across southern Africa.


Some of the programmes
that the plan would target include
the Kazungula Bridge
linking Botswana, Namibia,
Zambia and Zimbabwe; the
proposed Zimbabwe-Zambia-
Botswana-Namibia power
transmission line that links the
four respective countries,
dubbed ZiZaBoNa; and the
Benguela railway line through
Angola and Zambia.


The Luanda Extraordinary
Summit also directed the
Council of Ministers, and in
particular the SADC Ministers
responsible for Finance and
Investment, to expedite the
process for the establishment
of the SADC Development
Fund, which would, among
other things, ensure the availability
of adequate levels of resources
to fund regional
infrastructure programmes.


The march towards regional
integration in southern
Africa has been delayed by the
slow pace of implementation
of projects and programmes
due to lack of adequate funding.

This has been partly
blamed on the current funding
structure of SADC where
Member States contribute
about 40 percent of the annual
budget, with the remainder
coming from International Cooperating
Partners.


title:
SADC supports Dlamini-Zuma for
top Au post

Abstract:
SADC HAS reinforced its support
for South African Home
Affairs Minister, Nkosazana
Dlamini-Zuma for the top
African Union (AU) Commission
post.

body:
SADC HAS reinforced its support
for South African Home
Affairs Minister, Nkosazana
Dlamini-Zuma for the top
African Union (AU) Commission
post.


Elections to choose the new
AU Commission chairperson
will be held at the forthcoming
19th AU Summit set for
Ethiopia in mid-July.


Dlamini-Zuma is contesting
against the incumbent Jean
Ping of Gabon. The election to
choose the AU chairperson was
suspended at the previous AU
summit when no winner
emerged after several rounds of
voting.


<Ping’s failure to secure twothirds
of the vote, even as the
sole candidate in the last round,
was seen as a vote of no-confidence
as there was much disquiet
among many AU leaders
over his handling of recent conflicts
on the continent in Ivory
Coast and Libya.


SADC has said the time for
southern Africa to lead the AU
Commission is now, since all
other regions in Africa have
had the opportunity to occupy
the top AU post.


Nigeria, through Vice-President
Mohammed Namadi
Sambo, has already thrown its
support behind Dlamini-Zuma,
and SADC member states have
been lobbying other African
leaders for support for their
candidate.


Kenya has said publicly that
they want to retain the status
quo as they have their man,
Erastus Mwencha, as deputy
chairperson.


If elected, Dlamini-Zuma
would become the first woman
to lead the AU commission.


title:
SEAC
Advisory council to encourage adherence to sADc election
principles and guidelines

Abstract:
The SADC Electoral Advisory
Council (SEAC) has been
tasked with encouraging adherence
to principles and
guidelines governing the conduct
of elections.

body:
The SADC Electoral Advisory
Council (SEAC) has been
tasked with encouraging adherence
to principles and
guidelines governing the conduct
of elections.


The 15-member SEAC,
which was inaugurated in
April 2011, is mandated to advise
SADC on electoral matters
and issues pertaining to enhancement
of democracy and
governance.


Adopted in August 2004 at
the Summit of SADC Heads of
State and Government in Mauritius,
the principles and
guidelines contain procedures
to be followed by SADC observer
teams and minimum
standards that a Member State
should follow if its election is
to be declared free and fair.


The electoral guidelines
aim to enhance the transparency
and credibility of
elections and democratic governance
as well as ensuring the
acceptance of election results
by all contesting parties.


They are, however, not
legally binding and are subservient
to national law provisions.


It is not mandatory for a
Member State holding elections
to invite a SADC
Electoral observer Mission
(SEoM) to observe its elections.


Section 3.1 of the principles
and guidelines states that
a SEoM will have a role only
“in the event a Member State
deems it necessary to invite
SADC to observe its elections.”
In addition to ensuring
adherence to the SADC electoral
principles and guidelines,
the SEAC is expected to
encourage the development,
improvement and review of electoral laws and regulations
in SADC Member States, and
develop strategies on handling
electoral disputes in the
region.


First conceived in 2005, the
SEAC is a statutory body created
under the SADC Inter-
State Politics and Diplomacy
Committee (ISPDC) to advise
Member States on electoral
matters.


The ISPDC reports to the
Ministerial Committee of the
organ (Mco) on Politics, Defence
and Security Cooperation,
made up of the ministers
responsible for foreign affairs,
defence, public security and
state security from the SADC
Member States. The Mco reports
to the Summit of SADC
Heads of State and Government.


The SEAC is guided by
various SADC documents, including
the SADC Principles
and Guidelines Governing
Democratic Elections, and, as
an official SADC body, is able
to engage with countries at all
levels, both governmental and
non-governmental.


SEAC is composed of one
representative from each
Member State, selected and
appointed by the Mco from a
list nominated by governments.


To avoid conflict of interest,
SEAC members cannot be
serving Members of Parliament
or cabinet ministers; they
cannot be active in party politics
or sit on any election management
body.


They must be individuals
of the highest reputation with
experience in democracy and
governance issues and must be
over 40 years of age.


Retired Tanzanian judge
John Tendwa is the inaugural
chairperson of the SEAC. Hon.
Tendwa leads 14 other former
judges, ambassadors, professors
and civil society officials
from the SADC region appointed
to the SEAC.


other members are Angolan
diplomat Virgilio Marques
de Faria; Professor
Appollinaire Malumalu of
the Democratic Republic of
Congo; Abel Leshele
Thoahlane of Lesotho; Malawian
judge, Justice Maxon
Mbendera; orlanda Rafael of
Mozambique; Prof. Gerard
Totemeyer of Namibia; Seychelles
Supreme Court judge,
Justice Bernadin Renaud;
Zambian lawyer, Gertrude Imbwae; and Zimbabwean
ambassador, Prof. Hasu Patel.
Botswana government’s first
choice candidate, Gloria Somolekae
relinquished the post
after being appointed a Specially
Elected Member of Parliament
and Assistant Minister
of Finance and Development
Planning. Botswana is still to
submit a replacement.


The South African government
redeployed its first nomination,
Ambassador Ajay
Bramdeo and, is therefore, still
to submit the name of a replacement.


Mauritius and Swaziland
are still to submit their nominees
while Madagascar is
under suspension from active
participation.


title:
SADC Principles and Guidelines
governing Democratic Elections

Abstract:
The SADC Principles
and Guidelines Governing
Democratic Elections outline
the responsibilities and
code of conduct for election
observers as well as
expectations from countries
holding elections.

body:
tHe SADC Principles
and Guidelines Governing
Democratic Elections outline
the responsibilities and
code of conduct for election
observers as well as
expectations from countries
holding elections.

The charter sets out the
following basic principles for
the conduct of democratic
elections which SADC
Member States should follow,
although not mandatory:


 Full participation of the
citizens in the political
process;

 Freedom of expression;

 Political tolerance;

 Regular intervals for
elections as provided for
by the respective national
constitutions;Equal opportunity for all
political parties to access
the state media;

 Equal opportunity to
exercise the right to vote
and be voted for;

 Independence of the
judiciary and impartiality
o f t h e e l e c t o r a l
institutions;

 Voter education;

 Acceptance and respect
of the elections results
by political parties
proclaimed to have been
free and fair by the
competent national
electoral authorities in
accordance with the law
of the land; and

 Challenge of the election
results as provided for in
the law of the land.


title:
Africa-EU negotiations
first Economic Partnership Agreement operational as negotiations continue in sADc

Abstract:
Negotiations on an economic
agreement between
Eastern and Southern Africa
(ESA) and the European Union
(EU) advanced in May when
the two parties agreed to start
implementing an interim
agreement.

body:
Negotiations on an economic
agreement between
Eastern and Southern Africa
(ESA) and the European Union
(EU) advanced in May when
the two parties agreed to start
implementing an interim
agreement.

The interim Economic Partnership
Agreement (EPA) between
the EU and four Eastern
and Southern African states –
Mauritius, Madagascar, Seychelles
and Zimbabwe – came
into effect on 14 May following
several years of painful negotiations.


The agreement provides access
to the EU market free of
import duties and quotes for
exports from the four countries,
which will, in turn, be required
to gradually open their
markets to European exports
over a 15-year period, with exceptions
for certain products
the countries consider sensitive.


The agreement covers provisions
on rules of origin, development
cooperation,
fisheries, trade defence instruments
and dispute settlement.
The ESA group comprises Comoros,
Djibouti, Ethiopia, Eritrea,
Madagascar, Malawi,
Mauritius, Seychelles, Sudan,
Zambia and Zimbabwe.


Comoros, Madagascar,
Mauritius, Seychelles, Zambia
and Zimbabwe concluded an
interim EPA with the EU at the
end of 2007, and the first four
countries signed in August
2009 in Mauritius.


The four countries have
now completed steps towards
ratification so the agreement
can be applied.


All the four countries that
have operationalized the
agreement are also SADC
Member States.


EPAs are trade and development
agreements that the EU is currently negotiating
with the six African,
Caribbean and Pacific (ACP)
regions. These regions are
SADC, ESA, the Economic
Community of Central African
States (CEMAC) and the Economic
Community of West
African States (ECoWAS), and
groups representing
Caribbean and Pacific nations.


They seek to replace the
trade chapters of the 2000
Cotonou Agreement between
the EU and the ACP countries.
In 2000, ACP countries and
the EU opted for a more ambitious
trade and development relationship covering not just
trade in goods, but also services,
trade-related rules, investment
and development
cooperation.


Negotiations for such comprehensive
trade and development
agreements started in
2002. However, it became clear
towards the end of 2007 that it
would not be possible for all
ACP regions to finalise negotiations
before the end of the
Cotonou trade regime on 31
December 2007.


A series of interim agreements
were concluded to minimise
trade disruption for ACP countries arising from
the expiry of the Cotonou
trade regime in 2008 while
maintaining progress towards
comprehensive regional EPAs.


The entry into force of the
interim EPA with the four ESA
countries is seen as a stepping
stone to a wider and more
comprehensive deal currently
under negotiation between the
EU and the whole ESA region.
However, membership of the
various negotiating groups
does not reflect the membership
of the Regional Economic
Communities (RECs). For example,
the ESA group is not
made up of all countries in
eastern and southern Africa.


Similarly, the SADC negotiating
group, consisting of Angola,
Botswana, Lesotho,
Mozambique, Namibia, Swaziland
and the United Republic
of Tanzania, is also not made
up of all SADC Member States.


Speaking at a ceremony to
mark the start of the EPA implementation
process between
the EU and ESA, the EU Trade
Commissioner, Karel de Gucht
said the agreement with the
four countries was a result of
“hard work of negotiations”
from both sides.


“With this trade deal we
hope to accompany the development
of our partners in
Eastern and Southern Africa
and open up better and lasting
business opportunities,” he
said.


Abstract:
DISCUSSIONS Are still ongoing
between the European
Union and the SADC group to
produce a comprehensive Economic
Partnership Agreement
(EPA) between the two regions.

body:
DISCUSSIONS ARE still ongoing
between the European
Union and the SADC group to
produce a comprehensive Economic
Partnership Agreement
(EPA) between the two regions.

Various issues have stalled
negotiations, including how to
navigate the complex and numerous
trade arrangements in
southern Africa while maintaining
coherence within the
region.


other challenges are how
to deal with services, investment
and other trade-related
issues such as rules of origin,
as well as some textual provisions
of the interim EPA text
that seem to favour one party
over another.


The SADC negotiating
group comprises Angola,
Botswana, Lesotho, Mozambique,
Namibia, Swaziland
and the United Republic of
Tanzania.


South Africa participates in
the SADC group but only as
an observer as the country already
has a trade agreement
with Europe.
 

The other SADC countries
– Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius,
Zambia and Zimbabwe –
negotiated under the Eastern
and Southern Africa group
(ESA), while the Democratic
Republic of Congo is in the
Economic Community of Central
African States (CEMAC).


This fragmented approach,
where SADC and other
African regions are negotiating
under different groups, is
seen as one of the major stumbling
bloc to the negotiation
process. Experts argue that a
comprehensive deal could
have long been reached if the
whole of Africa had negotiated
as a single group.


title:
Chirundu One Stop Border Post a huge success

Abstract:
THE CHIRUNDU One Stop
Border Post between Zambia
and Zimbabwe has more than
halved waiting times for transport
operators and improved
the general flow of persons and
goods in line with SADC’s regional
integration agenda.

body:
THE CHIRUNDU One Stop
Border Post between Zambia
and Zimbabwe has more than
halved waiting times for transport
operators and improved
the general flow of persons and
goods in line with SADC’s regional
integration agenda.

According to a progress report
on the implementation of
the North-South Corridor programme
by Tripartite Taskforce
for SADC, the Common Market
for Eastern and Southern Africa
(CoMESA), and the East
African Community (EAC), the
Chirundu one-stop border has,
since its inception in November
2009, addressed issues of delays
at the border and facilitated
trade among member states.


For example, waiting times
have been reduced by an average
50 percent for freight transport
and 83 percent for
passenger transport. It now
takes about a day for haulage
trucks to clear immigration and
customs formalities at the border
compared to three days previously.


It takes even less for passenger
vehicles – an average 30
minutes from more than three
hours previously.


The report noted that further
reductions in crossing times
was possible through additional
changes such as improved communications
between the Zambian
and Zimbabwean sides of
the border.


Under the one-stop border
post scheme, travellers are
cleared just once for passage
into another country in contrast
with the current situation where
travellers have to be passed on
both sides of the border.


CoMESA-SADC-EAC selected
Chirundu a few years
ago as one of the border posts
for the pilot phase of the onestop-
border initiative that aims
to facilitate trade and movement
of goods and services in
eastern and southern Africa,and Chirundu has become a
new benchmark for regional integration.


This development addresses
issues of delays as well as promoting
the smooth flow of
goods through the removal of
often perceived “restrictive” operational
procedures at borders.


<PIn the long run, the onestop
border post concept seeks
to harmonize customs and immigration
laws at border posts
within the eastern and southern
region.


other ports of entry identified
for implementation of this
concept include the Beitbridge border post linking South
Africa and Zimbabwe, and the
Kasumbalesa post between
Zambia and the Democratic
Republic of Congo.


Beitbridge and Chirundu
are considered to be among
sub-Saharan Africa’s busiest
border crossings with hundreds
of southward or northward
commercial trucks
passing through the two border
posts every day.


Under the North-South
Corridor initiative, CoMESA,
EAC and SADC have identified
border post refurbishment
as one of the initiatives to improve infrastructure and
increase intra-regional trade in
eastern and southern Africa.


More than US$1.2 billion
has been raised to implement
the North-South Corridor
project, which traverses eight
countries in eastern and
southern Africa.
Planned programmes include
the construction of more
than 8,000 kilometres of road,
rehabilitation of 600km of rail
track and upgrading of the
Dar es Salaam port in the
United Republic of Tanzania –
one of the biggest and busiest
ports in Africa.


title:
Shire-Zambezi waterways to boost trade in southern Africa

body:
THE ESTABLISHMENT of
the Shire-Zambezi waterways
involving three countries from
southern Africa is expected to
boost trade in SADC and
deepen integration among
member states.


Malawi, Mozambique and
Zambia – the countries developing
the Shire-Zambezi waterways
– in April received a
grant from the African Development
Bank (AfDB) through
the SADC Secretariat to conduct
a feasibility study on the
navigability of the waterways.


The waterway project entails
the construction of an inland
port to provide a direct
waterway transport system between
Nsanje in southern
Malawi and the port of Chinde
in Mozambique, which are
about 238 kilometres apart.


The project offers an alternative
route to the Indian
ocean for landlocked SADC
Member States through Zambia,
Malawi and Mozambique.


The proposed inland port
would have a lifespan of more than 50 yeastevers and be designed
to handle different
types of vessels, with a carrying
capacity of up to 48 containers.



on completion, the
port could be expected to
handle more than 10,000 containers
annually, thereby
reducing transport costs
for exporters and importers
from landlocked SADC
Member States that presently
use Durban port in
South Africa as the route to
the sea.


title:
2020
Towards biodiversity protection

Abstract:
AFRICA IS
 making steady
progress towards reducing the
direct pressures on biodiversity
and promoting sustainable use
of natural resources by safeguarding
different ecosystems.

body:
AFRICA IS
 making steady
progress towards reducing the
direct pressures on biodiversity
and promoting sustainable use
of natural resources by safeguarding
different ecosystems.

Executive Secretary of the
Convention on Biological Diversity
secretariat, Braulio de
Souza Dias, said this progress
should be maintained and improved
to ensure that by 2020
the ecosystems are resilient
and continue to provide essential
services, thereby securing
the planet's variety of life and
contributing to human wellbeing
and poverty eradication.


The 2020 goal is part of the
United Nations Strategic Plan
for Biodiversity and is also one
of the key targets of the Aichi
Biodiversity Targets adopted
in 2010 to address the underlying
causes of biodiversity loss
by mainstreaming biodiversity
across all sectors.


The Aichi Biodiversity Targets,
for example, identify five
strategic goals and 20 ambitious,
yet achievable targets.


Their purpose is to inspire
broad-based action in support
of biodiversity during the
decade from 2011 to 2020 by all
countries and stakeholders,
promoting the coherent and effective
implementation of the
three objectives of the Convention
on Biological Diversity –
conservation of biodiversity,
sustainable use of biodiversity,
and fair and equitable sharing
of the benefits arising from the
use of genetic resources.



Speaking at a recent regional
workshop for Africa on updating
national biodiversity strategies
and action plans held in
Ethiopia, de Souza Dias said despite
the challenges of reducing
the direct pressures on biodi-versity, Africa must continue
with broad-based action in support
of biodiversity.


“Some important advances
have been made in this region
to promote biodiversity and
sustainable use,” he said,
adding that a number of
countries in Africa have been
successful in integrating biodiversity
into poverty reduction
strategies and involving local
communities in protected
areas management.


“None of these are easy victories.
They require tradeoffs
among the interests of different
sectors of society. They can be
politically difficult to achieve
and we would therefore like to
salute these efforts.”


While remarkable progress
has been recorded in Africa,
there is need for intensified efforts
by all stakeholders to
scale up interventions and ensure
that Africa and the rest of
the world are able to meet the
desired targets by 2020.


For example, a number of
people around the world still
remain unconcerned about the
ongoing loss of life on earth.
This is largely because the majority
of people and policymakers
remain unaware of the
irreplaceable contributions
that biodiversity makes to
human wellbeing.


As a result, there is great
need to intensify efforts that
encourage the reduction of direct
pressures on biodiversity.
Countries must also step up
efforts to promote sustainable
use of the environment by safeguarding
different ecosystems.


Ecosystems are critical to
human life as they provide a
variety of goods and services
upon which people depend.


An ecosystem is a biological
system consisting of all the
living organisms in a particular
area and the non-living or
abiotic components with
which the organisms interact
such as air, soil, water, and
sunlight.


Key processes in ecosystems
include the capture of
light energy and carbon
through photosynthesis, the
transfer of carbon and energy
through food webs, and the release
of nutrients and carbon
through decomposition.


Abstract:
Aichi Biodiversity goals

 Goal A

 Address the underlying causes of biodiversity loss by mainstreaming
biodiversity across government and society

body:
Aichi Biodiversity goals

 Goal A

 Address the underlying causes of biodiversity loss by mainstreaming
biodiversity across government and society

 Goal B

 Reduce the direct pressures on biodiversity and promote
sustainable use

 Goal C

 Improve the status of biodiversity by safeguarding ecosystems,
species and genetic diversity

 Goal D

 Enhance the benefits to all from biodiversity and ecosystem
services

 Goal e

 Enhance implementation through participatory planning,
knowledge management and capacity building.


Abstract:
FOLLOWING THE 2010 International
year of Biodiversity,
the UN declared
2011-2020 as the Decade on
Biodiversity, intended to promote
and raise awareness
about the Strategic Plan for
Biodiversity and the Aichi
Biodiversity Targets.

body:
FOLLOWING THE 2010 International
year of Biodiversity,
the UN declared
2011-2020 as the Decade on
Biodiversity, intended to promote
and raise awareness
about the Strategic Plan for
Biodiversity and the Aichi
Biodiversity Targets.

The targets are specific
goals that are related to the
broad themes and goals of
the Strategic Plan.


The plan’s objective is to
ensure countries “take effective
and urgent action to
halt the loss of biodiversity
in order to ensure that by
2020 ecosystems are resilient
and continue to provide
essential services,
thereby securing the
planet's variety of life, and
contributing to human wellbeing
and poverty eradication.”


title:
SADC supports Namibia’s bid to host green climate fund

Abstract:
SADC LEADERS have endorsed
a bid by Namibia to
host the secretariat for the
Green Climate Fund to be established
by the United Nations
Framework Convention
on Climate Change (UNFCC).

body:
SADC LEADERS have endorsed
a bid by Namibia to
host the secretariat for the
Green Climate Fund to be established
by the United Nations
Framework Convention
on Climate Change (UNFCC).


The fund, announced in December
2011 at Durban, South
Africa during the 17th Conference
of the Parties (CoP17) to
UNFCC, seeks to support climate
change mitigation and
adaptation actions in developing
countries.


The fund is expected to raise
and disburse about US$100 billion
a year by 2020, starting
with US$30 billion from 2012 to
help the global community address
issues of climate change,
according to UNFCC.


Six countries in different
parts of the world have expressed
interest in hosting the
fund – Namibia, Mexico, Republic
of Korea, Germany,
Poland and Switzerland.


The decision on the host
country is expected to be made
later this year and presented
for endorsement at the climate
change conference set for
Doha, Qatar in December. The
provisional secretariat is in
Bonn, Germany.


At the SADC Extraordinary
Summit in June in Luanda,
chaired by Angola, southern African leaders endorsed the
candidature of Namibia to host
the Green Climate Fund, and
agreed to lobby the African
Union to support Namibia and
ensure that the African continent
has a sole candidate.


An endorsement by the AU,
which is widely expected,
would put more weight to
Namibia’s application as there
has been some unwritten consensus
among the global community
that such a fund be
situated in a developing country,
where the effects of climate
change are felt most acutely as
high levels of poverty reduce
the capacity to adapt 


The Seychelles Foreign Affairs
Minister, Jean-Paul
Adam, said that Namibia is an
ideal candidate to host the climate
fund as middle-income
small countries are often excluded
from climate change
funding due to their relatively
high per capita Gross Domestic
Product.


“Namibia’s bid represents
an important step in our quest
for fairness in terms of international
development mechanisms,”
he said, adding that
southern Africa and the entire
African continent “must be activists
in the fight against climate
change.


”This pro-active approach
may include intensifying efforts
to access the fund
through jointly identifying
projects that would be suitable
for financing.


Research has shown that
most financiers tend to favour
regional projects over individual
country projects as joint
projects have wider impact
and promote regional integration.


Examples of regional projects
that SADC could consider
for financing under the Green
Climate Fund include the Inga
hydropower station in the
Democratic Republic of
Congo, the Mphanda Nkuwa
hydropower project in
Mozambique, and the Kudu
gas project in Namibia.


Although there has been
some scepticism about the
magnitude of the figures and
the conditions to access the
funds, the establishment of the
fund represents another step
toward addressing climate
change in developing countries.


The Green Climate Fund is
expected to promote the paradigm
shift towards low-emission
and climate-resilient
development pathways by
providing support to developing
countries to limit or reduce
their greenhouse gas emissions
and to adapt to the impacts
of climate change.


The Board consists of 24
members, with equal representation
of developing and developed
countries, and will be
supported by an independent
secretariat to administer the
funds. The World Bank would
serve as interim trustee for the
first three years.



The establishment of the
Green Climate Fund was initiated
at the 2010 climate change
conference held in Cancun,
Mexico.
 sardc.net


Abstract:
RIO DE Janeiro, Brazil will
host the United Nations Conference
on Sustainable Development
to be held from 13 to
22 June.

body:
RIO DE Janeiro, Brazil will
host the United Nations Conference
on Sustainable Development
to be held from 13 to
22 June.

Dubbed Rio+20, the meeting
comes 20 years after the
1992 Earth Summit in Rio,
where United Nations members
adopted Agenda 21 – a
comprehensive blueprint of
action to be taken globally, nationally
and locally by UN organisations,
governments and
major groups in every area in
which humans directly affect
the environment.


It also comes a decade
after the 2002 World Summit
on Sustainable Development
held in Johannesburg, South
Africa.


In preparation for Rio+20,
southern Africa is guided by
the Africa position that was
adopted in october 2011 by
African ministers responsible
for the environment. The common
position calls for industrialized
countries to fulfil
previous commitments and
pledges to help Africa’s efforts
in achieving sustainable development.


title:
Africa and its Diaspora take steps to strengthen cooperation

Abstract:
THE AFRICAN Union (AU)
and representatives of the
African Diaspora have agreed
to set up multi-stakeholder
working groups to strengthen
cooperation in the fields of
economics and technology collaboration,
including measures
to promote widespread
use of renewable energy products
and technologies and research
in agriculture.

body:
THE AFRICAN  Union (AU)
and representatives of the
African Diaspora have agreed
to set up multi-stakeholder
working groups to strengthen
cooperation in the fields of
economics and technology collaboration,
including measures
to promote widespread
use of renewable energy products
and technologies and research
in agriculture.

This came out of the first
Global African Diaspora Summit
organised by the AU Commission
and held in South
Africa from 23-25 May.


It was agreed that working
groups, comprising experts
from the continent and its Diaspora,
be set up before the
next summit, focusing on
measures to strengthen economic
cooperation and science
and technology.


Some of the areas identified
requiring cooperation included
infrastructure development
in Africa, improvement
of transport links among
African countries as well as
measures to bolster trade and
investment into and among
member states.


Another working group
would also be formed to tackle
challenges faced by Africa in
the area of tourism promotion
against the backdrop of the
negative international publicity
about the continent.


In the area of science and
technology, the summit resolved
to set up a committee
to promote research into renewable
energy technologies,
infectious diseases and agricultural
production.


Africa’s regional integration
agenda is presently affected by
low-level connectivity of infrastructure
networks and poor
access to energy and information
services.


The uptake of renewable energy
products and technologies
has been slow in Africa despite
abundant resources to produce
such products. For instance, research
has shown that most
countries on continent receive
more than 2,500 hours of sunshine
per year since there is
sunshine all year round.


It has been noted that while
knowledge on solar energy
technology is widespread on
the continent, its use is still
limited due to prohibitive installation
costs.


With all their advantages,
solar systems are not cheap to
install; a typical home system
in the region costs anywhere
between US$500 and
US$1,000, according to the
African Development Bank.


Held under the theme “Towards
the Realisation of a
United and Prosperous Africa
and its Diaspora”, the summit
also came up with a programme
of action that will see
the direct involvement of the
African Diaspora in development
efforts on the continent
and its cooption as the continent’s
sixth region.


It was also resolved to explore
the possibility of creating
an African Investment
Fund to address development
challenges confronting Africa.
The continent’s total infrastructure
needs alone are estimated
at about $60 billion in
the next 10 years.


The summit agreed to encourage
AU member states to
establish more formal relations
with Caribbean and
Latin American nations,
which are home to millions of
people of African descend.


A proposed Diaspora Advisory
Board would address
overarching issues of concern
to Africa and its Diaspora such
as reparations and follow up
on commitments made by the
West at the 2001 World Conference
Against Racism, Racial
Discrimination, Xenophobia
and Related Intolerance
(WCAR).


The rich Western nations
and multilateral financial institutions
pledged, among other
issues, to promote investment
in their former African colonies
in order to eradicate poverty
among victims of racism, and
to develop capacity-building
programmes for Africans and
people of African descent in the
Americas and around the
world.


Speaking during the closing
session of the summit,
South African President, Jacob
Zuma said the outcome of the
meeting should serve to motivate
continent’s citizens that
the destiny of Africa lies in the
hands of Africans, whether at
home or abroad.


“The resolutions we have
taken in the summit demonstrate
that Africans are more
than capable of successfully
taking their destiny into their
own hands,” Zuma said.


The summit and the subsequent
programme of action
developed sought to build on
the resolutions of the 18th AU
Summit held in Ethiopia in
February where African leaders
agreed to speed up infrastructure
development, which
is regarded as one of the pillars
of the continent’s economic
integration agenda.


According to the Declaration
on the Programme for Infrastructure
Development in
Africa issued in February,
African leaders agreed to increase
public financing of infrastructure,
implement major
power projects such as hydroelectricity,
oil refinery and gas
pipelines, accelerate the construction
of missing links and
modernization of railways, and
increase the capacity of ports.


The declaration committed
African countries to developing
new and renewable energy
resources to provide
clean, reliable and affordable
energy as well as nuclear energy
for peaceful use.


The AU has also identified
increased intra-African trade
as another important pillar
of its regional integration
agenda, and targets the establishment
of a continental free
trade area by 2017.


title:
Member States develop national action
plans towards gender equality targets

Abstract:
SADC MEMBER States have
agreed on measures to accelerate
progress towards the target
of equal representation for
women and men in political
and other decision-making
structures by 2015, including
the development of national
action plans.

body:
SADC MEMBER States have
agreed on measures to accelerate
progress towards the target
of equal representation for
women and men in political
and other decision-making
structures by 2015, including
the development of national
action plans.

During a two-day workshop
organized by the SADC Gender
Unit in Johannesburg,
South Africa with the theme of
“Balancing the Scale towards
50:50 by 2015”, the delegates
deliberated on how SADC
Member States can better
address the issues of gender inequality
national decision-making.


The gender parity goal of
equal representation by 2015 is
provided for in the SADC Protocol
on Gender and Development
and, although the
protocol is yet to enter into
force, this is aligned with targets
set by the African Union
Summit of Heads of State and
Government in 2004 and the
SADC Summit of Heads of
State and Government in 2005.


The workshop aimed to facilitate
the sharing of experiences
by Member States on
measures that have been put in
place to accelerate the achievement
of gender parity by 2015,
while providing a platform for
the Member States to develop
their National Roadmaps with
concrete actions to be taken to
implement the 50:50 Framework
by 2015.


Delegates were drawn from
14 SADC Member States excluding
Madagascar which
is currently suspended. The
SADC Gender Unit’s development
partners were also represented.


The meeting resolved to
initiate consultations at Member
State level to galvanise national
efforts through domestication
of various regional
and international commitments
made by countries with
regard to gender equality and
the empowerment of women.


Member States also resolved
to finalise the process of developing
national roadmaps that
outline activities and programmes
they plan to embark
on as they move towards meeting
the 2015 deadline.


The process towards developing
the national roadmaps
commenced during the workshop
when the stakeholders
from Member States developed
drafts that were discussed there.


Member States agreed to
further develop the draft
roadmaps through a process
of national consultations to ensure
input is sought from all
stakeholders and key partners.


Most countries identified lobby
and advocacy as the main activity
they would embark on
during the next three years to
ensure there is national consensus
on the need for equal representation
and participation of
women and men in decisionmaking
structures.


They also agreed to
strengthen capacity-building
programmes for women and
gender training for key national
structures and institutions,
as well as engage all
political parties to adopt gender
parity strategies, actively
share best practices, and ensure
tracking of results.


The SADC Secretariat and
its cooperating partners such as
the Southern African Research
and Documentation Centre
(SARDC) and SADC Parliamentary
Forum were encouraged
to strengthen research to
address impediments to the full
and equal participation of
women in decision-making; ensure
systematic collection, collation,
analysis and presentation
of data on women in
political and decision-making
positions; intensify efforts to
share good practices and
experiences; and strengthen
advocacy and lobbying programmes
through parliaments
in the region.


Abstract:
MONIQUE OHSAN-
Bellepeau, GoSK, was
appointed acting President
of Mauritius on 31
March 2012 following
the resignation of former
Pres ident Anerood
Jugnauth, becoming
SADC’s first woman
Head of State.

body:
MONIQUE OHSAN-
Bellepeau, GoSK, was
appointed acting President
of Mauritius on 31
March 2012 following
the resignation of former
Pres ident Anerood
Jugnauth, becoming
SADC’s first woman
Head of State.

The second is H.E. Joyce
Banda, the new President of
Malawi, who was sworn into
office just one week later, on
7 April, and was profiled in a
previous edition of Southern
Africa Today.


Madame Bellepeau is a
former journalist, born in
Mauritius in 1942, and was
the first newsreader and reporter
of the national television,
from 1965-67, returning
to that post from 1987-93.


During a 30-year career in
the public and private sector,
she worked for various agencies
and organizations including
the Mauritius Chamber of
Commerce, and was a company
director until her appointment
as Vice President
on 13 November 2010.


She became the country’s
first woman vice-president
when she was elected unanimember mously by all members of the
National Assembly following
the death of Vice President
Angidi Chettiar.
She joined the Mauritian
Labour Party in 1990 and became
a member of the Central
Executive Committee.
She was a Member of Parliament
1995-2000, and Principal
Parliamentary Secretary
1997-2000. She was President
of the Labour party from
2007-2010.


Mrs Bellepeau was educated
in Quatres Bornes, Mauritius,
and is the daughter of
Bartholomée ohsan, who was
a founding member of the
party.


She was married to Mr.
Joseph yves Bellepeau and
has two sons.


In 1997, she was awarded
the insignia of Grand officer
of the order of the Star and
Key of the Indian ocean
(G.o.S.K.).


title:
SADC to review Windhoek Declaration on a
new SADc-ICP Partnership

Abstract:
SADC HAS revealed plans to
review its 2006 agreement with
International Cooperation
Partners (ICPs) as part of efforts
to strengthen SADC-ICP
cooperation and facilitate more
effective functioning of the
partnership structures.

body:
SADC HAS revealed plans to
review its 2006 agreement with
International Cooperation
Partners (ICPs) as part of efforts
to strengthen SADC-ICP
cooperation and facilitate more
effective functioning of the
partnership structures.

The review of the Windhoek
Declaration on a New SADCICP
Partnership, announced by
SADC Executive Secretary
Tomaz Augusto Salomão during
a midterm review workshop
of the SADC-European Development
Fund regional strategy
held in Botswana, aims to bring
non-state actors into the mainstream
of regional integration.


“We will accelerate efforts
towards a comprehensive review
of the Windhoek Declaration
with a view to
strengthening SADC-ICP cooperation
and to facilitating
the effective functioning of the
partnership structures. A
greater level of conversations
would be required to place the
Non State Actors into the
mainstream of regional integration,”
Salomão said.


He, however, did not disclose
when the planned review
would start and how long it is
expected to take.


The Windhoek Declaration
on a New SADC-ICP Partnership
was adopted at a SADC
Consultative Conference in
Namibia in 2006 and has
guided cooperation between
SADC and the ICPs by establishing
an institutional structure
for dialogue on political,
policy and technical issues,
thus improving coordination
between the parties to ensure
more effective development
cooperation.


This has also ensured alignment,
harmonisation and
streamlining of operational procedures,
rules and other prac-
tices in the delivery of development
assistance to SADC, as
well as synergies and complementarity
of support provided
at national and regional levels.


The partnership framework
was necessitated by a shift in
the European Union’s development
policy. The EU has since
2005 had a new development
policy, the European Consensus
on Development, that defines
the values, objectives,
principles and modalities of EU
development aid.


Under the new development
policy, EU member states
resolved to increase national
aid budgets to at least 0.7 percent
of Gross National Incomes
of the respective donor countries
by 2015, a target that was
not realized previously and
may now be out of reach due to
the financial crisis in Europe.


SADC and the ICPs have
made various commitments in
terms of implementation of
SADC’s Regional Indicative
Strategic Development Plan
(RISDP) and the Strategic Indicative
Plan for the organ on
Politics, Defence and Security
Cooperation (SIPo).


The RISDP and SIPo are
SADC’s 15-year development
blueprints outlining regional
priorities in the area of trade
and economic liberalisation;
infrastructure development;
food security; human and social
development; conflict prevention;
and stability, peace
and security.


Abstract:
SADC HAS signed a Memorandum
of Cooperation with
the Government of Japan that
provides a framework for
deeper ties and closer cooperation.

“The scope of cooperation
under this memorandum will
cover various areas that include
infrastructure, trade, investment,
tourism, energy,
information communication
technology, agriculture, environmental
issues and political
dialogue, among others,”
SADC said in a statement after
the agreement was signed in
Gaborone in April.

body:
SADC HAS signed a Memorandum
of Cooperation with
the Government of Japan that
provides a framework for
deeper ties and closer cooperation.

“The scope of cooperation
under this memorandum will
cover various areas that include
infrastructure, trade, investment,
tourism, energy,
information communication
technology, agriculture, environmental
issues and political
dialogue, among others,”
SADC said in a statement after
the agreement was signed in
Gaborone in April.


Japan is already actively involved
in SADC’s water and
sanitation programme as well
as in science and technology,
and infrastructure development.


The memorandum follows
the Japan-SADC Infrastructure
Investment Seminar held in
Tokyo in March during which
the two parties
agreed to set up a
project identification
and follow-up mechanism
as part of
measures to strengthen the implementation
of infrastructure
projects in southern Africa.


It was agreed, among other
issues, that the project identification
and follow-up mechanism
would consist of
representatives from the
Group of SADC Group of Ambassadors
based in Tokyo (assisted
by the SADC
Secretariat) and the Japanese
government (assisted by the
Japanese business community).


The follow-up mechanism
should be developed and incorporated
into the annual planning
cycle of the SADC
Secretariat in order to ensure
continuity of projects.


The Japanese government
reaffirmed its support for
SADC infrastructure
within the framework
of the Tokyo
International Conference
on African Development
(TICAD) IV and the
yokohama Declaration and Action
Plan of 2008.


The projects were to be presented
to the TICAD Ministerial
Follow-up Meeting held in
May in Senegal as well as to
the next SADC Council of
Ministers meeting scheduled
for Mozambique in August.


The long-awaited launch of
the SADC Regional Infrastructure
Master Plan later this year
is expected to guide development
of key infrastructure
such as road, rail and ports.


The master plan would
allow the region to develop an
efficient, seamless and cost effective
trans-boundary
infrastructure network that
promotes socio-economic
growth in Member States


title:
SADC making progress to liberalise air transport

Abstract:
SOUTHERN AFRICA  is making
significant progress towards
the full implementation
of the Yamaoussoukro Decision
(YD) on Air Transport Liberalisation,
according to SADC
tourism ministers meeting in
Grand Baie, Mauritius.
The ministers noted that
enactment of policies that endorse
the YD implementation
is necessary to boost tourism in
the region, as well as appropriate
legal and institutional reforms
that facilitate the
liberalisation of the skies.

body:
SOUTHERN AFRICA  is making
significant progress towards
the full implementation
of the Yamaoussoukro Decision
(YD) on Air Transport Liberalisation,
according to SADC
tourism ministers meeting in
Grand Baie, Mauritius.
The ministers noted that
enactment of policies that endorse
the YD implementation
is necessary to boost tourism in
the region, as well as appropriate
legal and institutional reforms
that facilitate the
liberalisation of the skies. 
“Member States have
made substantial progress
with reforms leading to the
enacting of policies that
endorse YD implementation,
appropriate legal and
institutional reforms to facilitate
the liberalisation
process, and that further
liberalisation of the skies
was necessary if efficient and
cost effective access to tourism
destinations is to be realised,”
the ministers said in a statement
after their meeting.
  
Adopted some few years
back, the YD encourages countries
to deregulate their air
services and promote regional
air markets open to transnational
competition.
However, there have been
some fears that this liberalisation
of the skies could expose
non-competitive national carriers
to operational standards
that they are unlikely to meet,
hence push them out of business.
In spite of this, SADC countries
have continued to implement
the YD to improve air
safety and promote economic
growth.
  
With regard to arrivals, the
YD has the capacity to boost
tourist arrivals as an openskies
policy would ensure that
visitors from other source
markets do not encounter any
travel challenges caused by
fewer airlines servicing a particular
route because a country
is not open to foreign
airlines.
  
The ministers urged
Member States to continue
implementing other infrastructure
development and
border facilitation projects
along SADC corridors to
boost tourism in the region.


title:
Opposition alliance forms new government after inconclusive Lesotho elections

Abstract:
THE DEMOCRATIC CONGRESS
(DC)  of former Prime
Minister Pakalitha Mosisili
swept to victory in national
elections held on 26 May in
Lesotho but failed to secure a
wide enough margin to form a
government. 
The DC won 41 of the 80
contested constituencies against
about 26 seats for the main opposition
All-Basotho Convention
(ABC) led by former
Foreign Minister Thomas Thabane,
according to final results
published by the Independent
Electoral Commission (IEC) of
Lesotho.

body:
THE DEMOCRATIC CONGRESS
(DC)  of former Prime
Minister Pakalitha Mosisili
swept to victory in national
elections held on 26 May in
Lesotho but failed to secure a
wide enough margin to form a
government. 
The DC won 41 of the 80
contested constituencies against
about 26 seats for the main opposition
All-Basotho Convention
(ABC) led by former
Foreign Minister Thomas Thabane,
according to final results
published by the Independent
Electoral Commission (IEC) of
Lesotho.
  
The former ruling party,
Lesotho Congress for Democracy
(LCD) could only manage
12 seats while the Popular
Front For Democracy (PFD) led
by Lekhetho Rakuoan got one
seat.
However, due to Lesotho’s
complicated electoral system,
the DC failed to win enough
votes to form a new government.
Lesotho has a "mixed member
proportional representation"
electoral system under which
most Members of Parliament
are chosen in constituencies, but
the remainder are allocated according
to party lists.
  
Under this system, 80 parliamentarians
in single-member
constituencies are chosen
using the first-past-the-post
system while the remaining 40
are elected from one national
constituency using party-list
proportional representation.
The latter is used to determine
the number of seats each
party would receive if the system
was fully proportional.
The total number of votes cast
on the party ballot is divided
by the 120 seats at stake in the
National Assembly to determine
how many seats each
party deserves to receive.
  
Using this system, the DC
got an additional seven seats to
bring its total to 48 or just 40
percent of the 120 parliamentary
seats. This fell short of the
61 needed to form a government.
Mosisili resigned after the
leaders of ABC, LCD and Basotho
National Party (BNP)
agreed to form an alliance that
gave them an absolute majority
in parliament and the right to
form a coalition government.
  
The agreement saw ABC
leader Thomas Thabane becoming
prime minister while
LCD president Mothetjoa
Metsing became deputy prime
minister. BNP leader Thesele
Maseribane, whose party got
five seats, was appointed Minister
of youth, Sports and
Recreation in a 19-member
cabinet announced on 15 June.
The 67-year-old Mosisili
has been the Prime Minister of
Lesotho since May 1998.
  
More than 900 candidates,
comprising of 942 who were
nominated by 18 parties and
21 independents, took part in
the elections.
The elections were described
as credible, free and
fair by the SADC Election observer
Mission (SEOM).
  
“It is SEoM’s overall
view that the elections were
conducted in an open and
transparent manner. SEoM
was impressed by the
patience of voters who were
able to express their franchise
peacefully, freely and unhindered
in all polling stations,”
the head of the
mission and South African
Deputy Minister of International
Relations and Cooperation,
Ebrahim Ismail
Ebrahim, said
Some of the concerns
raised by Lesotho stakeholders
on the electoral
process included allegations
of discrepancies regarding
party acronyms
and candidate names on
ballot papers, problems with
the voters’ roll, intimidation
during the electoral process
and media polarisation.
  
The SEOM was officially
launched on 12 May 2012, by
Ebrahim in the presence of
SADC Executive Secretary,
Tomaz Augusto Salomão and
other stakeholders in Lesotho.
More than 70 observers
from the SADC Secretariat, Angola,
Mozambique, Namibia,
South Africa, Tanzania and
Zimbabwe were deployed in
all the districts of Lesotho.
The SEoM launch was at
the invitation of the IEC and
was consistent with provisions
of the SADC Principles
and Guidelines Governing
Democratic Elections.


Abstract:
ANGOLAN PALIAMENTARY  
elections are set for 31
August, according to a decree
by President Eduardo dos
Santos.

body:
ANGOLAN PALIAMENTARY  
elections are set for 31
August, according to a decree
by President Eduardo dos
Santos. 
Dos Santos also announced
the appointment of Edeltrudes
Costa as interim president of
the National Electoral Commission
(CNE). The former
CNE president had to step
down after opposition parties
challenged her appointment
since she was not a judge. Angolan
law requires that a judge
leads the commission.
Nomination of candidates
was expected to run from 31
May to 19 June, according to
the country’s Constitutional
Court. 
 


Angola’s National Assembly
has 220 members, elected
for a four year term, 130 members
by proportional representation
and 90 members in
provincial districts.
A new Constitution
adopted in 2010 stipulates
that the president is no longer
elected directly, but by the
National Assembly, and that
he or she is always the president
of the party that obtained
the highest number of
votes in the parliamentary
elections.
 
The last parliamentary
elections held in September
2008 were won by dos Santos’
Popular Movement for the Liberation
of Angola (MPLA).


title:
Mozambique independence 50 years since formation of FRELIMO in 1962

Abstract:
THE FRONT  for the Liberation of Mozambique (FRELIMO) was
founded in Dar es Salaam in then Tanganyika in June 1962 when
three nationalist organisations merged into one broad-based
liberation movement under the leadership of Eduardo Chivambo
Mondlane.

body:
THE FRONT  for the Liberation of Mozambique (FRELIMO) was
founded in Dar es Salaam in then Tanganyika in June 1962 when
three nationalist organisations merged into one broad-based
liberation movement under the leadership of Eduardo Chivambo
Mondlane.
FRELIMO launched the armed struggle for independence from
Portugal two years later, on 25 September 1964, when cadres trained
in Algeria went into action for the first time in the northern province
of Cabo Delgado after infiltrating across the border from
Tanganyika (which had merged with Zanzibar a few months earlier
to form the United Republic of Tanzania).  

By 1965, the military action against the Portuguese colonial army
had been extended to neighbouring Niassa province, and FRELIMO
was able to open fronts in the Tete region two years later.
In response, Portugal committed more and more troops, military
supplies, and military aid funds to the territory.
Mondlane was assassinated on 3 February 1969 with a parcel
bomb sent to him in Dar es Salaam by the Portuguese security
police, the PIDE. Samora Machel became president of FRELIMO in
1970 and directed the liberation struggle to its completion,
negotiations, transition and independence on 25 June 1975,
becoming the first President of Mozambique. 

He affirmed Mozambique's support for the liberation
movements in Angola, South Africa, Namibia and Zimbabwe, and
his FRELIMO government provided a rear base and other facilities,
especially for neighbouring Zimbabwe and South Africa.
His unrelenting support for liberation of neighbouring countries
caused him to be a target of apartheid South Africa, and he was
killed when his plane crashed just across the South African border
on 19 October 1986, believed to have been drawn off course by a
false beacon. 

FRELIMO and the other liberation movements received support
from the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) Liberation
Committee based in Tanzania, which coordinated international
financial and material support.
A turning point in the struggle for Mozambique’s independence
was the coup d’etat in Portugal on 25 April 1974 when the
Portuguese Movement of the Armed Forces overthrew the military
regime in Lisbon. 

This was caused in part by the discontent of conscripts sent to
fight in Portugal’s “overseas territories” in Africa, particularly
because they were losing the war against FRELIMO in
Mozambique.
Negotiations between Portuguese and FRELIMO representatives
led to the conclusion of an independence agreement signed in
Zambia on 7 September 1974, now commemorated as Victory Day,
marking the start of a transition headed by Prime Minister Joaquim
Chissano, who was later President from 1986 to 2005.
H.E. Armando Emilio Guebuza, now President of
Mozambique, joined FRELIMO at age 20 and rose quickly to
become a member of the top leadership, the Politburo, and a top
commander in the war. Guebuza was elected President in 2004
and re-elected in 2009.


Abstract:
SIR SERETSE  Khama Day is a national holiday
to honour the founding President of Botswana,
Seretse Khama, who was born on 1 July 1921 at
Serowe, the son of Sekgoma Khama and grandson
of Kgosi (Chief) Khama III of the Bangwato people. He became the
Chief after their deaths, at the age of four, with his Uncle Tshekedi
Khama acting as regent.

body:
SIR SERETSE  Khama Day is a national holiday
to honour the founding President of Botswana,
Seretse Khama, who was born on 1 July 1921 at
Serowe, the son of Sekgoma Khama and grandson
of Kgosi (Chief) Khama III of the Bangwato people. He became the
Chief after their deaths, at the age of four, with his Uncle Tshekedi
Khama acting as regent.
He led his country to independence on 30 September 1966, ending
its status as a British “protectorate” and becoming Botswana’s first
President. He was active in the Frontline States grouping of southern
African leaders who opposed apartheid in neighbouring South Africa
and supported the liberation movements in the region. He was a leading
advocate of regional integration and the SADC headquarters is located
in Gaborone, Botswana.
 
Khama died on 13 July 1980, soon after participating in the formation
of SADC’s precursor, the Southern Africa Development Coordination
Conference (SADCC) on 1 April that year. He was survived by his
wife, Ruth, and four children, one of whom, his eldest son Chief Seretse
Khama Ian Khama, became President of Botswana in 2008.


title:
PUBLIC HOLIDAYS IN SADC June - August 2012

Abstract:
PUBLIC HOLIDAYS IN SADC June - August 2012

body:
5 June Liberation Day Seychelles 

16 June Youth Day South Africa

18 June National Day Seychelles

23 June Corpus Christi Seychelles

25 June Independence Day Mozambique

26 June Independence Day Madagascar 

29 June Independence Day Seychelles 

30 June Independence Day DRC

1 July Sir Seretse Khama Day Botswana

2 July Public Holiday Botswana

Heroes Day Zambia

3 July Unity Day Zambia

6 July Independence Day Malawi

7 July Saba Saba Industry Day Tanzania

16 July President’s Day Botswana

17 July Public Holiday Botswana

King’s Birthday Lesotho

22 July Birthday of late King Sobhuza Swaziland

6 August Farmers Day Zambia

8 August Nane Nane Peasant Day Tanzania

9 August National Women’s Day South Africa

13 August Heroes Day Zimbabwe

14 August Defence Forces Day Zimbabwe

15 August Assumption Day Madagascar, Mauritius,
Seychelles

17 August SADC Day* All 

19 August Eid-Ul-Fitr** Mauritius, Tanzania

26 August Heroes Day Namibia

27 August Public Holiday Namibia

* SADC Day is not a public holiday but a commemoration of signing the SADC 

Treaty on 17 August 1992 

**Exact date depends on sighting of the new moon


body:
June 7,

 Ethiopia Launch of 5th Global Environment Outlook (GEO 5)
GEO 5, published by the UN Environment Programme
(UNEP), provides an analysis of the state of and trends in
the global environment, and the world’s performance in
meeting key internationally agreed goals to promote the environment.
The analysis for the SADC region was produced
by Southern African Research and Documentation Centre
(SARDC), UNEP’s Collaborating Centre for Southern Africa.

 
June 13-22, 
 Brazil UN Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20)
The conference in Rio de Janeiro offers an opportunity for
the global community to renew its commitments to promoting
sustainable development and address new and emerging
challenges such as climate change. The conference will
review progress since the first Earth Summit held in Rio de
Janeiro in 1992 and the World Summit on Sustainable Development
in Johannesburg, South Africa, in 2002.
26-28, Germany Africa Energy Forum
Energy experts will explore ways that Africa, as one of the
fastest emerging markets in the world, can meet increased
demand for energy to ensure sustainable development.
 
July
2-5, 
 South Africa Bridges Africa
The conference will discuss the opportunities and challenges
in the development and maintenance of bridges
and road networks in Africa.
 
July 6-13, Seychelles 49th RETOSA Board Meeting
The Regional Tourism Organization of Southern Africa
(RETOSA) will meet to discuss strategy for promoting
tourism in southern Africa. Delegates from 14 RETOSA
member states will discuss issues relating to regional
tourism growth and strategy, including regional tourism
infrastructure and a tourism master plan for the region.
 
July 11,
 Namibia ZIZABONA conference
The conference seeks to attract investors to the ZIZABONA
project. The transmission lines link four SADC
countries – Zimbabwe, Zambia, Botswana and Namibia
– and seek to reduce congestion on the central corridor.
July 15-16, 
 Ethiopia 19th African Union Summit
African Heads of State and Government will meet for the
19th Ordinary Session of the African Union, preceded by
conferences on “Boosting Intra-African Trade” and “2012
Year of Shared Values”.
 
July 16-19,
 South Africa Mining Congress
Africa The congress will focus on mining projects and accessing
funding and finance in Africa and ensuring effective production
and implementing best practice in mining.
 
July 19-20,
 China 5th FOCAC Meeting
The 5th Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation
(FOCAC) is expected to adopt a series of new measures
and targets for China-Africa development
cooperation for the period 2013-2016 and a stronger
focus on regional development and youth development.
August
TBA, Mozambique SADC Summit
SADC leaders meet annually in August/September to discuss
issues aimed at promoting regional integration and
development. The Summit is preceded by meetings of senior
officials and Council of Ministers. 
 
July 27-30, 
 South Solar Africa
Africa Energy experts will converge and discuss on how to
increase the uptake of solar energy.


title:
Infrastructure Development
Regional Master Plan

Abstract:
INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT  has
been placed at the core of the region's community-
building agenda and concerted efforts are
being made to ensure the availability of an integrated,
efficient and cost-effective system to
sustain regional economic development and
trade.

body:
INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT  has
been placed at the core of the region's community-
building agenda and concerted efforts are
being made to ensure the availability of an integrated,
efficient and cost-effective system to
sustain regional economic development and
trade.  
The 32nd Summit of SADC Heads of State
and Government set for 17-18 August in
Mozambique is expected to speed up the provision
of regional infrastructure, seen as a critical
foundation for the realisation of regional
integration objectives. 
 
A number of key developments have taken
place since the last summit in Angola in 2011,
including finalisation of the regional infrastructure
development master plan.
 
Ministers responsible for infrastructure
agreed on the draft SADC Regional Infrastructure
Development Master Plan at a meeting in
Luanda, Angola in late June, paving the way for
the document’s final approval by the leaders
during the forthcoming Summit set for Maputo.
 
The SADC master plan will guide implementation
of coordinated, integrated, efficient, transboundary
infrastructure networks in the six
priority sectors of energy, transport, tourism, information
technology, meteorology and water.
 
Identified priority infrastructure projects will
be implemented in three phases over 15 years
stretching from 2012 to 2027 at a cost of about
US$500 billion, with transport, energy and
water taking up the major share of the funding
requirements.
 
The region is projected to commission
power generation projects that will supply
17,000 megawatts (MW) in the next three years
to 2015, while the region could attain self sufficiency
in power by 2014.
 
An investment conference is planned between
January and March 2013 to lure potential
investors for the identified regional infrastructure
projects while road shows are also planned
in Asia, Europe and the United States for the
same purpose.
 
The leaders are also expected to consider reports
from the Ministerial Task Force on Regional
Economic Integration, which was tasked
during the 2011 Summit held in Angola with
finding ways of consolidating the SADC Free
Trade Area (FTA); establishment of the SADC
Customs Union and the Tripartite FTA involving
SADC, the Common Market for Eastern
and Southern Africa (COMESA) and the East
African Community (EAC).
 

The task force adopted a
work programme for consolidation
of the SADC FTA in
August 2010, which included
measures to facilitate accession
of Member States that are
not yet participating in the
SADC FTA; full implementation
of the FTA; and trade
facilitation, including infrastructure
development.
 

The work programme also
includes measures to address
non-tariff barriers (NTBs),
simplify rules of origin as well
as harmonisation and effective
implementation of customs
documentation and procedures.
 

SADC Executive Secretary,
Tomaz Augusto Salomão has
during the past two years led
high level missions to Seychelles
and Angola, and is
consulting with the Democratic
Republic of Congo
(DRC) regarding accession to
the SADC Protocol on Trade
and participation in the FTA.
 

Seychelles has made a decision
to accede to the Protocol
and, in accordance with accession
procedures, submitted a
letter of intent and a market
access offer to the Secretariat.
The Secretariat is providing
the necessary support to Seychelles.
 

Following high level consultations
between Salomão
and the political leadership in
Angola in 2011, a technical
team from the Secretariat visited
Angola this year to assess
ongoing efforts by government
towards industrial rehabilitation
as well as economic
and infrastructure development.
 

The mission has also assisted
Angola in preparing a
roadmap towards accession.
The work programme on
consolidation of the FTA foresees
a further review of the
rules of origin to further simplify
them and to ensure that
they are supportive to intra-regional trade. Such a review
should include reforms on the
administrative aspects of the
rules such as e-certification.
 

An expert group on rules
of origin for textiles and clothing
has been established to
prepare specific recommendations
for the reform of the
rules for the sector which were
not addressed during the first
comprehensive review of rules
of origin.
 

The 2011 Summit urged
the Ministerial Task Force on
Regional Economic Integration
to expedite the necessary
work leading to agreement
and common understanding
on parameters of the proposed
SADC Customs Union as well
as benchmarks or milestones
required for the establishment
of the Customs Union.
 

The task force was also
mandated to develop a model
Customs Union, and the
modalities that should be followed
for implementation of
the union.
 

The Tripartite Trade Negotiation
Forum (TTNF) involving
COMESA-SADC-EAC has
agreed to the timetable and
format of negotiations to establish
an integrated market
covering 27 countries in east
and southern Africa.
 

This was adopted at the
first round of negotiations
held in December last year following
the historic launch of
negotiations by the leaders of
the three regional economic
communities in June the same
year.
 

The TTNF agreed to meet at
least four times per year during
the first phase of negotiations.
The first phase of negotiations
is set to complete within 36
months (until the end of 2014),
and will address issues such as
tariff liberalisation, rules of origin,
customs cooperation and
customs-related matters, nontariff
barriers, sanitary and
phytosanitary measures, technical
barriers to trade, trade
remedies and dispute settlement.
 

The second phase of negotiations
will focus on negotiating
trade in services and trade
related issues, including intellectual
property rights, competition
policy and trade
President Armando Guebuza
The TTNF agreed to meet at
least four times per year during
the first phase of negotiations.
The first phase of negotiations
is set to complete within 36
months (until the end of 2014),
and will address issues such as
tariff liberalisation, rules of origin,
customs cooperation and
customs-related matters, nontariff
barriers, sanitary and
phytosanitary measures, technical
barriers to trade, trade
remedies and dispute settlement.
 

The second phase of negotiations
will focus on negotiating
trade in services and trade
related issues, including intellectual
property rights, competition
policy and traderedevelopment
and competitiveness.
Facilitating movement of
business persons within the region
will be negotiated in parallel
with the first phase.
 

The SADC Protocol on
Gender and Development is
set to enter into force very
soon. Only one more deposit
of the instruments of ratification
is required.
 

As of the last Summit, 13
Member States had signed the
Protocol, with the exception of
Botswana and Mauritius, while
eight had ratified the instrument,
namely Angola, Lesotho,
Mozambique, Namibia, Seychelles,
South Africa, United
Republic of Tanzania and Zimbabwe.
DRC, Madagascar,
Malawi, Swaziland, and Zambia
– had not yet ratified the
Protocol at the time of the 2011
Summit. Zambia reported that
it was at advanced stages of
getting the Protocol ratified by
its statutory bodies.


Abstract:
SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS 
has been made in terms of political
stability in the region
during the past year, including
political dialogues in Lesotho,
Madagascar and Zimbabwe.
Lesotho held long-awaited
general elections in May following
the two-year, SADC mediated
dialogue aimed at
finding a lasting solution to the
country’s political 

polarisation.

body:
SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS 
has been made in terms of political
stability in the region
during the past year, including
political dialogues in Lesotho,
Madagascar and Zimbabwe.
Lesotho held long-awaited
general elections in May following
the two-year, SADC mediated
dialogue aimed at
finding a lasting solution to the
country’s political 

polarisation.
Political parties in Madagascar
signed an agreement in September
2011 that allows the
return of exiled leader Marc
Ravalomanana and paves the
way for elections to be held
within one year to re-establish
democracy on the Indian
Ocean island.
 

Madagascar was suspended
from SADC and the African
Union following a 2009 coup
that replaced Ravalomanana
with the then mayor of Antananarivo,
Andre Rajoelina.
 
The SADC-mediated agreement
allows for the unconditional
return from exile of
Ravalomanana and for the 

establishment
of transitional institutions
ahead of elections.
 
However, Ravalomanana has
not yet been allowed to return.
SADC is also facilitating the
political dialogue in Zimbabwe
where President Jacob Zuma of
South Africa is working with
members of the inclusive government
to develop a roadmap
towards elections.


Abstract:
THE SADC  Secretariat has commissioned an audit on implementation of the SADC Protocol on Trade. 
Signed in 1996, and coming into force in 2000 following a ratification process, the SADC Protocol on Trade aims to boost trade among Member States through the elimination of customs tariffs and non-tar­iff barriers.

body:
THE SADC  Secretariat has commissioned an audit on implementation of the SADC Protocol on Trade. 
Signed in 1996, and coming into force in 2000 following a ratification process, the SADC Protocol on Trade aims to boost trade among Member States through the elimination of customs tariffs and non-tar­iff barriers. 
A total of 12 SADC Member States signed the Protocol and are thus part of the Free Trade Area (FTA), with the exception of Angola and the Democratic Republic of Congo which have asked for more time before join­ing the FTA. Madagascar is sus­pended from SADC activities. 
 
Implementation of the trade protocol has been a protracted regional process that has continued even beyond the formal launch of the FTA in August 2008, and this year marks the final year of tariff phase-downs and final assessment. 
 
To review the implementation process, SADC has tasked the Southern Africa Trade Hub to conduct an audit of all signa­tories to the SADC Protocol on Trade. 
The audit – the sixth of its kind since the Protocol came into force will involve country visits to all SADC Member States that are signatories. 
 
The country visits are aimed at collecting information for the audit report and, in particular, to gather views from a wide range of stakeholders concern­ing their experiences of how the SADC Protocol on Trade has been implemented. 
 
So far, audit visits have been carried out in Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Zambia and Zimbabwe. 
 
According to the Southern Africa Trade Hub, the outcome of the assessment will be an audit report which will be re­viewed by the SADC Trade Ne­gotiating Forum, senior officials and the Committee of Ministers of Trade in Gaborone, Botswana. 
 
The last audit done in 2011 showed that the general com­pliance of the 2011 tariff phase-downs was high. The table below provides a summary of the implementation status for individual Member States. 
 
While compliance is gener­ally good, discrepancies continue to arise for individual tariff lines. However, these tariff line discrepancies will become increasingly irrelevant as Mem­ber States complete the tariff phase-downs in 2012. 
The 2011 audit report also indicates that significant progress has been made in ad­dressing not only FTA issues but the SADC broader vision of regional integration as well. 
 

For example, intra-SADC trade has recovered signifi­cantly since the 2008 global economic crisis and shows substantial expansion during the period of implementation of the SADC FTA. 
Rules of Origin continue to be discussed in the SADC con­text, specifically in the Experts Working Group on Textiles and Clothing. 
 
There has been substantial progress in the development and implementation of the monitoring mechanism for Non-Tariff Barriers (NTBs) as well as on the strengthening of trade facilitation initiatives within SADC. 
 
Member States are also more aware of the impact of NTBs and are moving towards a more systematic approach to address these measures. While more needs to be done, the online NTB monitoring system has progressed significantly during the course of the past year, moving from almost no resolved complaints to nearly 70 percent resolved. 
 
On SADC broader integra­tion agenda, Member States are preparing to actively negotiate under the Tripartite FTA. The Tripartite FTA, commonly known as the “Grand” FTA in­volves two other regional eco­nomic communities: the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) and the East African Community (EAC). 
 
The COMESA-EAC­SADC aims to launch an enlarged Tripartite FTA covering 27 countries in east­ern and southern Africa, and when fully operational the free market is expected to increase trade and deepen integration among Member States.


title:
Zambia, Tanzania review Tazara operations

Abstract:
THE UNITED REPUBLIC  of
Tanzania and Zambia have
agreed to set up a committee
of experts to review the Tanzania-
Zambia Railway Act in a
move aimed at improving operations
of the jointly owned
railway line.

body:
THE UNITED REPUBLIC  of
Tanzania and Zambia have
agreed to set up a committee
of experts to review the Tanzania-
Zambia Railway Act in a
move aimed at improving operations
of the jointly owned
railway line.  
The Council of Ministers of
the two countries agreed during
a meeting in June that the
review should result in structural
changes in Tanzania-
Zambia Railway Authority
(Tazara) management.
 
Presently, the 1975 Tazara
Act, which was reviewed in
1995, states that the position of
managing director would be
occupied by somebody from
Zambia while that of deputy
managing director is reserved
for a Tanzanian.
 
Among other changes, the
review may lead to a situation
where the holders of the two
positions would be appointed
on merit as opposed to the
current system.
 
Zambian Transport Minister,
Yamfwa Mukanga said his
country was committed to injecting
US$10 million for recapitalisation
of the railway firm
but initially it would invest $5
million to increase the volume
of cargo and passengers.
 
“Among problems facing
Tazara is capitalisation. We
made a provision for the
funds during the current financial
year to enable the railway
to increase passengers
and cargo," said Mukanga,
who is chairperson of the
Tazara Council of Ministers.
 
Tazara is a key transporter
of cargo, mostly copper and
other minerals from the Zambia
mines to Dar es Salaam for
export to overseas markets. It
also transports passengers.
 
Tazara is the gateway to
eastern and southern African
business markets covering
both SADC and the Common
Market for Eastern and Southern
Africa (COMESA).
 
The 1,860-kilometre Tazara
railway line, stretching from
Dar es Salaam in Tanzania to
Kapiri Mposhi in Zambia, was
constructed between 1970 and
1973 when the Chinese government
extended a US$500
million loan for its construction
and supervised the work
that was completed ahead of
schedule.
 

According to Tazara Managing
Director Akashambatwa
Lewanika, the firm’s performance
has improved since
2008/09 when 383,055 metric
tonnes of cargo were transported,
to 533,964 metric
tonnes in the 2010/2011 financial
year.
 
The target is to increase
freight traffic to one million
metric tonnes a year over the
next few years.


title:
ACP calls for flexibility in EPA negotiations

Abstract:
THE AFRICAN, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Group of
States has called for flexibility
in negotiations with Europe
on the Economic Partnership
Agreements (EPAs).

body:
THE AFRICAN, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Group of
States has called for flexibility
in negotiations with Europe
on the Economic Partnership
Agreements (EPAs).
The ACP Council of Ministers,
which met in Port Vila,
Vanuatu, in June, adopted resolutions
on several matters including
measures to improve
trade in sugar, tobacco and
cotton with the EU.
 
The ACP ministers said
they are committed to concluding
negotiations with Europe
on the EPAs.
 
“Despite the challenges, we
remain committed to concluding
the negotiations, but we
cannot stress enough the
need to place development
firmly at
the heart of
our agenda,” said Alva Baptiste,
Foreign Minister of St
Lucia, the incoming chairperson
of the ACP Council of
Ministers.
 
He said that until the contentious
issues are addressed
“it is difficult for our regions
to sign EPAs and we continue
our call for flexibility on the
part of our European Union
partners in attaining mutually
agreed and mutually beneficial
agreements.
 
“We reiterate our appeal to
the EU Commission to withdraw
its proposal to amend
Market Access Regulation
1528, which imposes a unilateral
deadline by which to conclude
trade agreements,” he
said, noting that the measure
was “putting undue pressure
on our countries to sign EPAs
without properly addressing
areas that may threaten the
stability and growth of their
countries.”
 
He said the ACP believed
that through the
power of dialogue
and was confident
that “in the spirit of the partnership
enshrined in the Cotonou
Agreement, we can find a
way out of this impasse”.
 
The Cotonou Agreement
signed in 2000 put in place a
trade cooperation framework
aimed at liberalising trade between
the ACP and EU and
also specified that a new World
Trade Organization-compatible
regime or an EPA must be
agreed by the end of 2007.
 
ACP is also intensifying efforts
to lobby against new
guidelines that will further restrict
production and consumption
of tobacco under a
World Health Organisation
(WHO)-led global treaty.
 
The ministers resolved to
oppose approval of draft
guidelines to sections of the
WHO Framework Convention
on Tobacco Control (WHOFCTC)
that deal with measures
to control tobacco
demand such as taxes and regulation
of the contents and
emissions of tobacco products.
 
The WHO-FCTC is the
world’s first global public
health treaty, which entered
into force in February 2005. It
was signed by 168 of the 192
WHO member states and
more than 170 WHO member
states have become parties to
the convention.


title:
AU targets improved intra-regional trade

Abstract:
THE AFRICAN  Union has
agreed to strengthen intra-regional
trade by removing barriers
that presently hinder
commercial transactions
among member states.

body:
THE AFRICAN  Union has
agreed to strengthen intra-regional
trade by removing barriers
that presently hinder
commercial transactions
among member states. 
Outgoing chairperson of
the AU Commission, Jean
Ping, said intra-African trade
presently stands at about 10
percent of the continent’s total
transactions with the rest of
the world, a worrying situation.
The AU Heads of State and
Government exchanged views
on the development agenda
for the continent under the
theme “Boosting Intra-African
Trade”.
 
The recently elected Prime
Minister of Lesotho, Thomas
Thabane, expressed the urgent
need for Africa to address the issue of poverty and underdevelopment
on the continent
while promoting intra-African
trade as a consolidation factor
of peace.
 
“There is no doubt that
trade amongst our countries is
key to the attainment of sustainable
economic development,
creation of jobs,
particularly for the youth and
to the effective integration of
Africa into the global economy,”
Thabane said.
 
The highlight of the summit
for SADC was the election
of the SADC candidate,
Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma,
currently the South African
Minister of Home Affairs, as
the new Chairperson of the
AU Commission, and of Erastus
Mwencha from Kenya as
deputy chairperson.


Abstract:
THE SADC  -sponsored candidate, Nkosazana
Dlamini-Zuma of South Africa, has etched her
name in history books after becoming the first
southern African to head the African Union
Commission.

body:
THE SADC  -sponsored candidate, Nkosazana
Dlamini-Zuma of South Africa, has etched her
name in history books after becoming the first
southern African to head the African Union
Commission.
Dlamini-Zuma, 63, defeated the incumbent,
Jean Ping, in elections held at the AU Summit in
July to choose the chairperson of the AU Commission,
which is the secretariat of the 54-nation
African Union. 
 
Dlamini-Zuma’s victory followed intense lobbying
by SADC Member States, who argued that it was
time for Southern Africa to lead the AU Commission since
other regions in Africa have had the opportunity to occupy
the top post.
 
West and Central Africa have already had their candidates
occupying the top AU post, with Omar Alpha Konare of Mali
and Ping, from Gabon.
 
A skilled administrator and diplomat with a pan-African
vision, Dlamini-Zuma was quick to put aside partisan politics
as she called for African unity following her victory.
 
“I am not an Anglophone, I’m a Zulu,” she said in her first
few remarks after winning the election.
She made it clear that she would be “implementing programmes...
agreed upon by everybody” rather than “consulting
the Anglophone and the Francophone.”
Dlamini-Zuma has held key ministerial positions in every
South African government since Nelson Mandela became
president following the first democratic elections in 1994.
 
A medical doctor by training, Dlamini-Zuma was South
Africa’s first black Minister of Health between 1994 and1999
when she showed exemplary initiative in transforming the
country's health system by introducing legislation that provided
the poor with access to free basic healthcare.
She scored another first in 1999 when she was appointed
by then President Thabo Mbeki as the first woman foreign
minister in a democratic South Africa, and she served in this
post for 10 years.
 

She became Minister of Home Affairs on 10
May 2009, the third deployment in the Executive
by three successive presidents.
 
Her new responsibilities are a continuation
of decades of life of struggle and sacrifice that
started in the 1970s when she was an activist in
KwaZulu Natal, where she rose through the
ranks to become vice-president of the then
South African Students Organisation (SASO) led
by the late Steve Biko.
 
Her activism did not escape the attention of the
apartheid security apparatus, which, through a sustained
campaign of harassment, ultimately forced her into exile in the
1970s to join the African National Congress (ANC).
 
Armed with a Bachelor of Science degree majoring in Zoology
and Botany, she continued her studies at the University of
Bristol while simultaneously serving as the chairperson of the
ANC Youth League in Great Britain during 1977 and 1978.
 
Upon graduation in 1978, she worked at Frenchay Hospital
in Bristol for two years, followed by another two-year stint at
the Canadian Red Cross Memorial Hospital in Berkshire.
 
Between 1980 and 1985, Dlamini-Zuma was deployed by
the ANC to Mbabane Government Hospital in Swaziland
where she was responsible for the medical needs of ANC
cadres in that country.
 
She was deployed to the ANC’s health department in Zambia
during 1989 and 1990, where she played a leading role in
the healthcare of the community in exile and made a major contribution
to the drafting of a post-apartheid health policy.
 
When the ANC was unbanned in 1990, Dlamini-Zuma returned
with other ANC members from exile to help to reorganise
the ANC legally inside the country and to prepare for
negotiations between the ANC and the apartheid government.
 
Dlamini-Zuma brings this accumulation of experience
over the past 40 years to the management of the African
Union, and faces vast expectations from Africa, and particularly
southern Africa. She is the first woman to hold the
post of Commision chair.


title:
Upgrade of Zambian transmission
infrastructure to boost SADC energy security

Abstract:
REGIONAL POWER   trading
in southern Africa is set to improve
following plans by Zambia
to refurbish key
transmission infrastructure
that connects the country to
neighbouring Namibia and the
rest of the Southern African
Power Pool (SAPP).

body:
REGIONAL POWER   trading
in southern Africa is set to improve
following plans by Zambia
to refurbish key
transmission infrastructure
that connects the country to
neighbouring Namibia and the
rest of the Southern African
Power Pool (SAPP).
Zambia is set to upgrade
the 341km electricity transmission
line between Kafue, just
outside Lusaka, and Livingstone
in the southern part of
the country.
 
The upgrade is expected to
increase the capacity of the line
to 330kiloVolts (kV) from its
current 220kV capacity. This
will increase reliability and
quality of domestic power
transmission as well as facilitate
regional power trade with
countries in the 12-member
SAPP.
 
The project will improve regional
energy distribution and
treble electricity transmission
capacity between the Victoria
Falls hydropower station and
Lusaka and is a priority initiative
for the Zambia Electricity
Supply Corporation (ZESCO).
 
The upgrade is vital for enhanced
supply within Zambia
and to relieve congestion on the
SAPP grid to ensure that supply
of energy keeps pace with economic
growth in the region. It
will enhance the energy link between
Zambia and Namibia
and enable the possible trading
of electricity through the
Caprivi interconnector.
 
The project will include
construction of new substations
and replacement of the
50-year-old energy infrastructure.
Overall transmission capacity
will be increased from
120 MW to 360 MW.
 
Upgrade of the transmission
line will also increase the
region's access to hydropower
and reduce the
country's dependency on oil
and coal generated power
and will reduce the electric
blackouts.
 
“Upgrading of the Kafue -
Livingstone transmission line
project will provide extra
power to the southern and
western provinces of Zambia
and other countries in the
Southern Africa Power Pool,”
said ZESCO managing director,
Cyprian Chitundu.
 
The project is expected to
cost US$100 million, with the
European Investment Bank
(EIB) meeting about a third of
the cost. Zambia signed a
US$30 million agreement with
EIB in May to fund the upgrade
of the Kafue-Livingstone
transmission.
 
The funding agreement was
signed in Lusaka by Zambian
Minister of Finance, Alexander
Chikwanda and senior EIB officials.
The World Bank, EUAfrica
Infrastructure Trust
Fund and ZESCO will be co-financiers
for the project, which
is expected to be completed by
the end of 2014.
 
“Access to electricity is essential
to achieve the Millennium
Development Goals and
promote sustainable development.
The European Investment
Bank is committed to
supporting the Zambian energy
sector and contributing to
global goals highlighted by the
2012 International Year of Sustainable
Energy for All,” said
Plutarchos Sakellaris, European
Investment Bank Vice
President.
 
The original line was built
in the 1970s to allow easy and
cost-efficient upgrading when
necessary. The upgrading
scheme will use existing infrastructure
and proven technology,
resulting in low
environmental impact and reduced
investment costs.
 
The EU-Africa Infrastructure
Trust Fund has agreed to
provide a €5.55 million (about
US$7 million) grant, split in
two components.
 
The first is a €5.2 million
(US$6.9 million) interest rate
subsidy while €350,000 (about
US$439,000) will be a technical
assistance grant to support
procurement and monitoring.

 sardc.net


title:
SADC lures investors for ZiZaBoNa project

Abstract:
SOUTHERN AFRICA  has intensified efforts
to lure investors to develop an electricity
transmission interconnector linking Zimbabwe,
Zambia, Botswana and Namibia.

body:
SOUTHERN AFRICA  has intensified efforts
to lure investors to develop an electricity
transmission interconnector linking Zimbabwe,
Zambia, Botswana and Namibia. 
Commonly known as ZiZaBoNa, the transmission
interconnector project has the capacity
to increase power trading among the participating
utilities, as well as provide an alternative
power transmission route and help decongest
the existing central transmission corridor. 
  
The Southern African Power Pool (SAPP),
which coordinates the planning, generation,
transmission and marketing of electricity on behalf
of Member State utilities in SADC, said an
investor’s roundtable was held in July to lure
potential financiers for the project.
  
The roundtable held in Swakopmund,
Namibia, in July targeted funding amounting
to US$223 million for the project.
  
The four countries’ respective utility companies
– the Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority
(ZESA), Zambia Electricity Supply
Company (ZESCO), Botswana Power Corporation
(BPC) and Namibia Power Company
(NamPower) – are expected to finance parts
of the project that fall within their national
boundaries.
  
The project is to be implemented in two
phases. The first phase will cover the construction
of a 120-kilometre 330 kiloVolt line
from Hwange Power Station to Victoria Falls
where a switching station will be built on the
Zimbabwe side. The line will extend to a substation
at Livingstone in Zambia.
  
The second phase, which will be financed
under a special company to be called ZiZaBoNa
Private Limited, will involve the construction
of a 300-km 330kV line from
Livingstone to Katima Mulilo in Namibia,
through Pandamatenga in Botswana.
  
The Zimbabwe-Zambia interconnector will
be built as a high voltage line with a transmission
capacity of 430kV. However, it will operate
as a 330kV line during the first phase.


title:
SADC infrastructure plan ready for approval

Abstract:
SOUTHERN AFRICA’S  longawaited
Regional Infrastructure
Development Master Plan
is now ready for approval by
the SADC Heads of State and
Government Summit set for
Maputo, Mozambique in August.

body:
SOUTHERN AFRICA’S  long awaited
Regional Infrastructure
Development Master Plan
is now ready for approval by
the SADC Heads of State and
Government Summit set for
Maputo, Mozambique in August.  
This follows the finalisation
of the master plan by ministers
responsible for infrastructure
in the Southern African Development
Community (SADC),
who met in Luanda, Angola in
late June.
 
If endorsed by the southern
African leaders, the master
plan would guide development
in key infrastructure
such as road, rail and ports,
and would also act as a framework
for planning and cooperation
with development
partners and the private sector.
 
Speaking at the meeting of
SADC ministers responsible
for infrastructure, the SADC
Deputy Executive Secretary responsible
for regional integration,
João Caholo said the
master plan is a product of
“deep” stakeholder consultation
and, therefore, its success
will also depend on collective
implementation by all member
states.
 
He said as soon as the plan
is approved, the SADC Secretariat
would “facilitate and coordinate
the convening of a
SADC Infrastructure Invest-
ment Conference between
January and
March 2013” to lure
potential investors.
 
Road shows are also
planned in Asia, Europe
and the United
States for the same
purpose.
 
The master plan
will be implemented
over three five-year
intervals – short
term (2012-2017),
medium term (2017-
2022) and long term (2022-
2027).
 
This is in line with the
SADC Vision 2027, a 15-year
implementation horizon for
forecasting infrastructure requirements
in the region.
 
It is also in line with the
African Union’s Programme
for Infrastructure Development
of Africa (PIDA) and will
constitute a key input into the
proposed tripartite Free Trade
Area made up of SADC, the
Common Market for Eastern
and Southern Africa
(COMESA) and the East
African Community (EAC)
The SADC master plan will
guide implementation of coordinated,
integrated, efficient,
trans-boundary infrastructure
networks in the six priority
sectors of energy, transport,
tourism, information technology,
meteorology and water.
 

In the energy sector, it is anticipated
that the plan will address
four key areas of energy
security, improving access to
modern energy services, tapping
the abundant energy resources
and increasing financial
investment whilst enhancing
environmental sustainability.
 
Regarding the sub-sectors
of road, rail, ports, inland waterways
and air transport networks,
the Transport Sector
Plan will address four key
areas, namely improving access
to the seamless transport
corridors value chain; reducing
the cost of transportation;
enhancing competitiveness
and providing safe and secure
transport services.
 
The Information Communication
Technology (ICT) Sector
Plan is designed to address four
key areas: ensuring accessibility,
including universal access to
broadband ICT technologies;
integration through
broadband interconnectivity
within and
among SADC member
states; reducing
the cost of doing business;
and improving
reliability and security
of ICT infrastructure.
 
The Water Sector
Plan prioritises five
goals, which include
increasing the overall
water storage in the region; irrigated
land for food security;
hydropower generation for energy
security; increasing access
to safe drinking water; and enhancing
sanitation services for
SADC citizens.
 
The Tourism Sector Plan is
geared towards achieving enhanced
socio-economic development;
facilitating joint
marketing of SADC as a single
destination; increasing tourism
arrivals and tourism receipts
from source markets; and developing
the tourism sector in
an environmentally sustainable
manner.
 
Emphasis for the Meteorology
Sector Plan is put on the
need to ensure the availability
of timely early warning information
relating to adverse
weather and climate variability
impacts. Another highlight
of the Meteorology Sector Plan
will be the development of a
framework for harmonized indicators
for the provision of
relevant climate forecasting information
to facilitate preparations
of mitigation measures
against droughts, floods and
cyclones.
 
The identified priority infrastructure
projects will be
implemented at a cost of about
US$500 billion, with transport,
energy and water taking up
the major share of the funding
requirements.  sardc.net


title:
World’s largest solar park planned for South Africa

Abstract:
SOUTH AFRICA  is set to become
a leader in the green energy
revolution with a giant
solar park planned which will
be the largest in the world.

body:
SOUTH AFRICA  is set to become
a leader in the green energy
revolution with a giant
solar park planned which will
be the largest in the world.
The R150-billion rand park
– planned for the hot, dry
Northern Cape province – will
be built over thousands of
hectares and provide 5,000
megawatts of electricity,
which will be fed into the national
grid. 
 
The park will be built in
stages over nine years, but the
first sections will be operational
as early as this year.
A solar park is a concentrated
zone of solar plants that
are built in clusters, sharing
common transmission and
other infrastructure.
 
The project is a partnership
between the South
African government, state
power utility Eskom and the
Clinton Climate Change Initiative.
An investors conference, to
run from 28 to 29 October, is
expected to attract additional
stakeholders from the private
sector.  BuaNews


title:
Rio + 20 outcomes:
Half full or half empty glass?

Abstract:
THE QUESTION  of whether the Rio+20 Summit held in Brazil in
June succeeded in producing a satisfactory outcome can be a matter
of conjecture.
However, what is in no doubt is the fact that the conference produced
a 49-page outcome document, titled “The Future We Want”.

body:
THE QUESTION  of whether the Rio+20 Summit held in Brazil in
June succeeded in producing a satisfactory outcome can be a matter
of conjecture.
However, what is in no doubt is the fact that the conference produced
a 49-page outcome document, titled “The Future We Want”. 
  
The outcome document contains what critics have called weak, nonbinding
commitments, confirmed by what China and the G77 – including
most of Africa – saw as a constant watering down of the text.
 
Another major concern was that the declaration has no mechanism
for implementation, or the means of financing it. For example,
while acknowledging the need to mobilise resources, there were no
specific figures committed.
 
Others have hailed the conference for at least reaffirming past actionable
plans such as Agenda 21, a comprehensive blueprint of action
agreed at the 1992 Rio Summit, to be taken globally, nationally, and locally
by organizations of the UN, governments, and other stakeholders
in every area in which humans directly affect the environment.
 
Rio+20 has further been criticized, like so many past global negotiations
– the most recent being the 17th Conference of Parties
(COP 17) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate
Change held in Durban, South Africa – for failing to reach international
agreement or failing to reach outcomes that are binding, with
clear action towards sustainable development.
 
But was the Rio declaration a glass half full or half empty?
Put simply, the task before world leaders, heads of international
organizations and civil society at Rio+20 was to make decisions, announce
commitments and galvanize action on how humanity can
reduce poverty and inequality and ensure environmental protection
on an ever more crowded planet.
Yet global consensus on the many challenges that face humanity
today has never been easy.
 
Moreso in a world where the UN member states have, willingly or
unwillingly, embraced globalization, but are now failing to govern it.
Global population has increased to seven billion – projected to hit
eight billion by 2030 – and so has the pressure on the earth’s natural
resources. And the gap between the rich and the poor has widened.
 
UN member states
cannot be unaware of the
common responsibility before
them, that is ridding the world of its current interrelated
crises of an environmental, economic and equality
nature.
 
And the previous UN conferences did well to put
sustainable development discourse on the global agenda, notably
from the 1972 Stockholm Conference on the Human Environment,
credited for giving global impetus to the debate on balancing economic
growth and development with ecology.
 
The 1972 Stockholm conference culminated in the Brundtland
Commission, appointed in 1983 by the UN Secretary General Javier
Perez de Cuellar and named after its chair, Gro Harlem Brundtland,
former prime minister of Norway.
 
The Brundtland Commission report crafted what has now become
widely accepted as the definition of “sustainable development”,
casting it as “development that meets the needs of the
present without compromising the ability of future generations to
meet their own needs”.
 
The ensuing debate on the correlation between environment and
development was taken up at a much higher level at the 1992 United
Nations Conference on Environment and Development in Rio de
Janeiro, also known as the Earth Summit and hailed then as the
biggest-ever political gathering with 172 governments represented,
108 of them sending their heads of state or government.
 
The 1992 Earth Summit arguably ended what was increasingly
then seen as a false dichotomy between environment and development.
Among other achievements, Rio 1992 was credited for two
binding agreements, namely the Convention on Biological Biodiversity
and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC),
the latter of which in turn led to the Kyoto Protocol of 1997,
aimed at fighting global warming.
 
Ten years later came the World Summit on Sustainable Development
in 2002 in South Africa, which produced the Johannesburg
Declaration, building on earlier declarations made at Stockholm in
1972 and Rio in 1992.
 
Unlike Rio 1992, the Johannesburg summit was organized around
partnerships designed to give impetus to the Millennium Development
Goals (MDGs), rather than producing new agreements.
 
Critics, however, have pointed out that many of the commitments
made at most of the UN conferences on sustainable development
preceding Rio+20 have not been realized, particularly regarding

such fundamental issues as poverty
reduction and cleaning up or protection
of the environment.
 
They cite the example of the
Kyoto Protocol, the only legally
binding treaty to combat climate change the world presently has,
yet some major polluters have either not acceded to, notably the
United States, or pulled out, in the case of Canada.
 
Poverty has either become more acute or has remained largely
unchanged.
From an African perspective, nowhere in the world is poverty more
serious than on the continent. Further, recent studies have shown that
Africa’s climate is warming faster than the global average.
 
And sustainable development issues and priorities vary from
continent to continent, and from nation to nation.
So 20 years on since the last Earth Summit in Rio, the expectations
for 2012 were as diverse as the stakeholders participating either as
governments, international organizations or various other groups
known in UN lingo as “major groups”.
 
There was no doubt how much of a herculean task was before the
negotiators going into the conference as they faced the difficult task
of balancing the enormously diverse views in more than 6,000 pages
of contributions from the governments, international organizations
and the major groups.
 
The negotiations could not have been made any easier with as
many as 50,000 participants at the official conference and an estimated
equal number at the parallel People’s Summit (for civil society
groups and business).
 
If the diversity of views – whether on basis of circumstances of
country development levels or group interests of stakeholders –
made the negotiations a charged affair, the location
of the official summit and the people’s
summit was always going to cause the final
outcome to be viewed with suspicion from a
civil society perspective, with the two events
pitched 40km apart.
 
For some, the text of the Rio declaration was
rejected well before the negotiators had even
landed in Rio de Janeiro – on the grounds of
what was deemed a flawed process, including
the selection of the conference themes.
 
The conference had two themes agreed upon by the UN member
states:
• Green economy within the context of sustainable development
and poverty eradication; and
• Institutional framework for sustainable development.
While Africa has grudgingly embraced the green economy concept,
concerns have been perceptible, particularly on the potential
abuse of it by rich nations to impose indirect trade barriers on the
pretext of compliance with new requirements during the global transition
to “green products”.
Debate on the green economy and climate change has pitted developing
countries against developed nations and has been more
manifest on the principle of “common but differentiated responsibilities”.
 
The notion of “common but differentiated responsibilities”, arising
out of the 1992 UNFCCC, is a key principle of the Kyoto Protocol,
where parties recognize the direct responsibility of developed
countries in global climate change as well as the special needs and
circumstances of developing countries.
 
However, its interpretation has been a subject of immense debate
in global negotiations on sustainable development with developed
countries accused of using every trick in the book to renege on their
past promises.
 
Amidst recrimination and charges of strong arm tactics – that has
become the hallmark of global negotiations – a developing countries-
backed proposal for a US$30 billion global fund for sustainable
development was shot down by the EU before its merits could even
be discussed.
With no financial means for implementation, it left many participants,
particularly from Africa, wondering whether the lofty aspirations
expressed in the 49-page outcome
document will not remain a chimera.
However, Secretary-General of the Rio +
20 Summit, Sha Zukang, remained optimistic
of the outcome.
“We think the text contains a lot of action
… and if follow-up measures are
taken, it will indeed make a tremendous
difference in generating positive global
change,” he said in defense of the agreement.


title:
COMESA, EAC, SADC in joint climate change strategy

Abstract:
EASTERN AND  African countries have
established a joint climate
change programme to
harmonise response
programmes in the regions
represented by three regional
bodies.

body:
EASTERN AND  African countries have
established a joint climate
change programme to
harmonise response
programmes in the regions
represented by three regional
bodies.
The launch of the joint five-year
programme on Climate
Change Adaptation and Mitigation
by the Common Market
for Eastern and Southern
Africa (COMESA), East
African Community (EAC)
and SADC is expected to help
address the impacts of climate
change through common
adaptation and mitigation actions
that enhance socio-economic
resilience.
 
So far, a total of about US$90
million has been raised to fund
various climate change adaptation
and mitigation programmes
in the two regions.
Speaking soon after signing
the Tripartite Agreement for
the Implementation of the Programme
on Climate Change
Adaptation and Mitigation in
eastern and southern Africa,
SADC Executive Secretary,
Tomáz Augusto Salomão said
the joint plan has the capacity
to address climate change in
the region.
 
“The overall objective of
the programme is to address
the impacts of climate change
through successful adaptation
and mitigation actions aimed
at building socio-economic resilience
of communities
through Climate-Smart Agriculture
(CSA),” Salomão, who
is also the chairperson of the
COMESA-EAC-SADC tripartite,
said in a statement.
 
The scale and gravity of the
impacts of climate change at
the global level, particularly in
developing countries, is a serious
challenge to sustainable
development in the 21st century.
Therefore, the COMESA-EAC-
SADC region, which is
heavily dependent on rainfed
agriculture for food security,
has embarked to this
initiative to strengthen efforts
to address climate change
which is increasingly affecting
socio-economic development.
 
The joint climate change
programme is expected to increase
investments in climate-resilient
and carbon-efficient
agricultural practices and
strengthen linkages between
agriculture, forestry and other
land uses in eastern and
southern Africa.
 
The signing of the tripartite
agreement after the Rio+20
summit held under the auspices
of the United Nations
Conference on Sustainable Development
(UNCSD) in June
in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil,
demonstrates the three regional
communities’ commit-ment to address climate
change in the region.
 
The Rio+20 summit acknowledged
climate change as
a cross-cutting and persistent
crisis while resolving to increase
agricultural production.
The signing of the agreement
also provides an opportunity
for the inclusion of climate
change as one of the areas of
cooperation under the
COMESA-EAC-SADC tripartite
framework.


Abstract:
DEVELOPMENT EXPERTS 
have said the Rio+20 summit
compromise deal presented as
“The Future We Want” falls
short of meeting expectations
of developing countries.

body:
DEVELOPMENT EXPERTS 
have said the Rio+20 summit
compromise deal presented as
“The Future We Want” falls
short of meeting expectations
of developing countries. 
Instead of reaching consensus
on how to rescue the
planet during the United Nations
Conference on Sustainable
Development held in Rio
de Janeiro, Brazil, in June,
deep divisions remained on
the way forward towards a
common goal.
 
The Africa Progress Panel
(APP) has expressed disappointment
at the failure of the
Rio +20 summit to deliver
meaningful and measurable
commitments to combat climate
change and its effects
across Africa and other developing
regions.
 
“The lack of commitment
to defined and measurable
sustainable development
goals at the Rio +20 Summit is
a profoundly disturbing outcome,”
said APP chairperson
and former UN Secretary-
General, Kofi Annan.
 
“We all have an obligation
to the world’s poorest and
most vulnerable people, who
bear the brunt of the global
ecological crisis – and to future
generations, to do better.”
 
Executive director of
Greenpeace, Kumi Naidoo
agreed, saying that Rio+20
had taken a step back instead
of moving the sustainable development
agenda forward.
 
“The future we want has
gotten a little further away
today. Rio+20 has turned into
an epic failure. It has failed on
equity, failed on ecology and
failed on economy,” he said.
 
“This is not a foundation
on which to grow economiesor pull people out of poverty,
it’s the last will and testament
of a destructive twentieth
century development
model.”
 
The Rio+20 summit was
held under two themes.
These were “Green Economy
in the Context of Sustainable
Development and Poverty
Eradication” and “Institutional
Framework for Sustainable
Development”.
 
A total of seven key areas
were identified for discussion
– energy, water, food security,
jobs, cities, oceans and disasters.
 
These areas considered
critical towards poverty reduction
and sustainable development.
“This is an outcome that
makes nobody happy,”
Rio+20 Secretary-General, Sha
Zukang, said at the conclusion
of the summit.


Abstract:
GLOBAL LEADERS  have acknowledged
the vital role
played by women in achieving
sustainable development and
resolved to prioritise measures
to promote gender equality and
women’s empowerment.

body:
GLOBAL LEADERS  have acknowledged
the vital role
played by women in achieving
sustainable development and
resolved to prioritise measures
to promote gender equality and
women’s empowerment. 
The United Nations Conference
on Sustainable Development
held in Rio de Janeiro,
Brazil, in June noted that, although
there has been some
progress on gender equality,
the potential of women to engage
in, contribute to and benefit
sustainable development as
leaders, participants and agents
of change has not been fully realised
due to persistent social
and economic inequalities.
 
The 193 leaders who attended
the conference resolved
to accelerate the
implementation of their respective
commitments contained
in the Convention on
the Elimination of all forms
of Discrimination against
Women, as well as Agenda 21,
the Beijing Declaration and
Platform for Action, and the
UN Millennium Declaration.
 
“We support prioritising
measures to promote gender
equality empowerment of
women in all spheres of our
societies, including the removal
of barriers to their full
and equal participation in decision-
making and management
at all levels,” the leaders
said in a communiqué at the
end of the conference.
 
They resolved to unlock the
potential of women as drivers
of sustainable development,
including through the repeal
of discriminatory laws, ensuring
equal access to justice and
legal support, reform of institutions
to ensure competence
and capacity for gender mainstreaming
as well as the development
and adoption of
innovative measures to address
informal, harmful practices
that act as barriers to gender
equality.
 
“In this regard, we commit
to creating an enabling environment
for improving the situation
of women and girls
everywhere, particularly in
rural areas and local communities
and among indigenous
peoples and ethnic minorities,”
the leaders said.
 
They undertook to institute
legislative and administrative
reforms to give women equal
rights with men with regard to
economic resources, including
access to ownership and control
over land and other forms
of property, credit, inheritance,
natural resources and appropriate
new technology.
 
Other measures include
promotion of equal access of
women and girls to education,
basic services, economic opportunities
and health-care
services, including addressing
women’s sexual and reproductive
health, and ensuring
universal access to safe, effective,
affordable and acceptable
modern methods of family
planning.
 
Southern Africa is one of
the regions that have recorded
progress in mainstreaming
gender in policies and developmental
processes.
 
There has been some
progress towards gender
mainstreaming in politics and
an increase in the number of
women in political decisionmaking
positions in most
SADC Member States since
the adoption of the SADC
Declaration on Gender and
Development by SADC leaders
in 1997 following the UN
Fourth World Women Conference
in Beijing, China in 1995.
 
The highest positions in
government reached by
women to date have been the
Presidency in Malawi and
Mauritius, Vice Presidency in
South Africa and Zimbabwe,
Prime Minister in Mozambique
and Deputy Prime Minister
in Namibia.
 
A Tanzanian woman has
been deputy secretary-general
of the United Nations for the
past five years, and a South
African woman has just been
elected to head the African
Union Commission.
 
There are five women
Speakers of Parliament or Senate
Presidents in the region, in
Botswana, Lesotho, Mozambique,
Tanzania and Zimbabwe.
 
Southern Africa had by
2009 reached the third highest
percentage of women in politics
at the parliamentary level,
with 20 percent, a figure surpassed
only by the Nordic
countries with 40.8 percent
and the Americas at 21.4 percent.
 
The region’s average percentage
of women in Parliament
is higher than the world
average of 18.5 percent, the
Sub-Saharan average of 18.6
percent, Asia at 18.4 percent,
the Pacific at 15.2 percent, and
the Arab States (9.1 percent)
which is the lowest.
 
However, more vigorous
measures are needed if southern
Africa is to attain the 50-
percent target for
representation of women in
political and decision-making
positions at all levels by 2015
in line with regional and continental
targets.


title:
Migiro appointed Special Envoy for
HIV and AIDS in Africa

Abstract:
ASHA-ROSE MIGIRO   from
the United Republic of Tanzania
has been appointed as the
UN Secretary-General’s Special
Envoy for HIV and AIDS
in Africa.

body:
ASHA-ROSE MIGIRO   from
the United Republic of Tanzania
has been appointed as the
UN Secretary-General’s Special
Envoy for HIV and AIDS
in Africa.  
Secretary-General Ban Ki-
Moon said Migiro is uniquely
qualified for this job due to her
“experience in responding to
AIDS as UN Deputy Secretary-
General, combined with
her many years as an advocate
for health and social justice in
Africa.”  
 
Migiro served as the United
Nations Deputy Secretary-General from 2007 to 2012, and was
actively involved in promoting
the UN response to AIDS, with
special emphasis on reducing
the vulnerability of women and
girls and ensuring the rights of
people living with HIV.
 
“I am honoured to accept
this appointment at this crucial
moment in the African
AIDS response,” she said.
“Now is the time to take our
efforts to a new level.”
 
Migiro served as Tanzania’s
Minister of Foreign Affairs
and International Cooperation
from 2006 to 2007—the first
woman to hold that position
since independence in 1961.
 
She was previously the Minister
for Community Development,
Gender and Children
for five years. Prior to Government
service, she pursued a
career in academia, and
served as a member of the UN
Committee on the Elimination
of Discrimination against
Women in 2000.


title:
SADC establishes committee to drive higher education development

Abstract:
SADC HAS  established a
technical committee to spearhead
the revival of higher education
development and
training in southern Africa.

body:
SADC HAS  established a
technical committee to spearhead
the revival of higher education
development and
training in southern Africa.  
The committee, to be made
up of senior education officers
from across the region, was set
up by ministers responsible
for higher education in SADC
Member States who met in Johannesburg,
South Africa in
June. 
 
The ministerial meeting
tasked the SADC Technical
Committee on Higher Education
and Training and Research
and Development to develop a
regional strategic plan on
higher education and training,
research development.
 
The committee is expected
to, among other things, review
access to higher education and
participation rates in southern
Africa, as well as funding and
capacity-building of higher
education to guide proper investments
for the next 10-15
years. “This plan will outline
key priorities for both the
short and long term,” South
African Deputy Minister of
Higher Education and Training,
Hlengiwe Mkhize, said.
 
“If all the plans made by
the technical committee are effectively
and successfully implemented,
we would see a
positive impact on the higher
education and training sector
within the SADC region.”
 
The ministers noted that,
due to various factors such as
limited financial resources, the
region is experiencing very
low levels of enrolment and
participation in higher education
when compared to other
regions in Africa and globally.
 
The quality of the education is
also deteriorating while the
number of academic staff had
declined.
  

“The leadership and management
of higher education
institutions are in many cases
weak, while the quality of
teachers and the education that
is available does not always


Abstract:
SADC MEMBER  States agreed in September
2007 to cooperate in education and training
under this Protocol for purposes of achieving
the following objectives:

body:
B> SADC MEMBER  States agreed in September
2007 to cooperate in education and training
under this Protocol for purposes of achieving
the following objectives:  
• To develop and implement a common system 
of regular collection and reporting of
information by Member States about the
current status and future demand and supply,
and the priority areas for provision of
education and training in the region;
 
• To establish mechanisms and institutional
arrangements that enables Member States
to pool their resources to effectively and
efficiently produce the required professional,
technical, research and managerial
personnel to plan and manage the development
process in general and across all
sectors in the region;
 
• To promote and coordinate the formulation
and implementation of comparable
and appropriate policies, strategies and
systems of education and training in
Member States;
 
• To promote and coordinate
the formulation and implementation
of policies, strategies and
programmes for the promotion and application
of science and technology, including
modern information technology and
research and development in the region;
 
• To work towards the reduction and eventual
elimination of constraints to better
and freer access, by citizens of Member
States, to good quality education and
training opportunities within the region;
 
• To work towards the relaxation and eventual
elimination of immigration formalities
in order to facilitate freer movement
of students and staff within the region for
the specific purposes of study, teaching,
research and any other pursuits relating to
education and training; and
 
• To progressively achieve the equivalence,
harmonisation and standardisation of the
education and training systems in the region.


title:
China, Africa target “new strategic partnership”

Abstract:
CHINA AND  Africa have
agreed on a new plan of action
for the three years to 2015 as
the two sides strive to achieve
a “new type of strategic partnership”.

body:
CHINA AND  Africa have
agreed on a new plan of action
for the three years to 2015 as
the two sides strive to achieve
a “new type of strategic partnership”. 
Ministers in charge of foreign
affairs and economic cooperation
from China and 50
African countries resolved at
the 5th Ministerial Conference
of the Forum on China-Africa
Cooperation (FOCAC) held in
July in Beijing, China, to
deepen the strategic partnership
underpinned by the values of political equality, mutual
trust, economic win-win cooperation
and cultural exchanges. 
 
The Beijing Action Plan
(2013-2015), which was
adopted together with the Beijing
Declaration, will focus on
trade, investment, poverty reduction,
infrastructure, capacity-
building, food security,
and political cooperation,
among other sectors.
 
China pledged to implement
a “special plan on trade
with Africa,” under which it
will send investment and
trade promotion missions to
Africa, expand imports from
Africa and support the holding
of African products exhibitions
to help African countries
export their competitive goods
to China.
 
This will include technical
support for intensive processing
of African agro-produce
and industrial raw materials,
and increasing value addition
of Africa's primary products
through investment.
 
Chinese companies will be
encouraged to establish processing
and manufacturing
bases in Africa to help raise the
added value of African exports.
China pledged to further
open its market to African
products and phase in zerotariff
treatment to 97 percent
of the products from the least
developed African countries,
including the establishment of
“a consultation mechanism on
the place of origin for goods
enjoying zero-tariff treatment
and improving the cooperation
mechanism to implement
zero-tariff treatment,” the
ministers said.
 
The two sides announced
that they would “consider the
establishment of a China-
Africa energy forum under the
framework of FOCAC to promote
China-Africa energy exchanges
and cooperation”
while strengthening cooperation
in clean energy and renewable
resources projects.
 
“In view of the strong complementarity
and cooperation
potential between
China and Africa in energy
and resources, the
two sides will encourage
and support joint development
and proper use of
their energy and resources by
enterprises of the two sides,”
the ministers said.
 
In terms of cooperation in
international affairs, the two
sides agreed to uphold the
central role of the United Nations
in international affairs
and promote multilateralism
and democracy in international
relations.
 
They reaffirmed the need
for necessary reforms of the
UN, noting that priority
should be given to increasing
the representation of African
countries in the UN Security
Council and other institutions.
South Africa, which takes
over as co-chair of the FOCAC
for six years, said it would do
its utmost to carry out the objectives
of the Beijing Action
Plan (2013-2015), deepen
African countries' engagement
in the activities of the forum
and make the forum compatible
with the proposals of the
African Union. 
 
Chinese President Hu Jintao
proposed measures in five
priority areas, including financial
assistance to the AU’s
peacekeeping missions, to
boost China's relations with
the continent.
 
The new focus areas are the
expansion of investment and
financing to support sustainable
development in Africa,
increased assistance to Africa,
support for Africa’s integration
process and strengthening
of continental capacity in
executing overall development goals, enhancement of
people-to-people friendship,
and promotion of peace and
stability in Africa.
 
China will during the next
three years launch the “Initiative
on China-Africa Cooperative
Partnership for Peace and
Security” and deepen cooperation
with the AU and African
countries on peace and security,
Hu said.
 
China will provide financial
support for the AU peacekeeping
missions and the
development of the African
Standby Force, and train more
officials in peace and security
affairs and peacekeepers for
the AU.
China also said it will support
the African integration
process, and promote exchanges
between the people,
media and scholars of China
and Africa to “lay a solid foundation
of public support” to
the relations.
 
Beijing pledged to provide
a US$20 billion credit line to
African countries over the
next three years. The loans
will support infrastructure,
agriculture, manufacturing
and development of small and
medium-sized businesses.
 
FOCAC is a collective consultation
and dialogue mechanism
between China and
African countries launched in
2000. The 6th FOCAC ministerial
conference will be held in
Johannesburg, South Africa, in
2015.


Abstract:
THE PROPOSED BRICS  Development
Bank involving
five emerging economies –
Brazil, Russia, India, China
and South Africa – is expected
to be established next year in
South Africa.

body:
THE PROPOSED BRICS  Development
Bank involving
five emerging economies –
Brazil, Russia, India, China
and South Africa – is expected
to be established next year in
South Africa. 
The launch of the BRICS
Development Bank is expected
to provide developing
and emerging countries with
an alternative source of funding,
and considerable groundwork
for the bank launch was
covered during the 2012
BRICS Summit held in India
in April.
 
The proposed bank is expected
to finance infrastructure
and sustainable
development in developing
countries. This follows concerns
that existing multilateral
financial institutions are doing
little to promote development
in poorer countries.
 
Furthermore, existing international
financial institutions
are dominated by Western
powers and often impose stringent
conditions for accessing
loans or debt relief.


title:
Nine parties register for Angolan elections

Abstract:
NINE POLITICAL  parties
have been cleared to participate
in the Angolan parliamentary
elections scheduled
for 31 August while 18 others
were disqualified for failing to
comply with requirements of
the country’s Electoral Law. 
Constitutional Court chairperson,
Rui Ferreira said five
of the parties will stand separately
while the remainder are
coalitions made up of 20 small
parties that have expressed interest
to take part in the elections.
 
The five main parties include
the ruling Popular
Movement for the Liberation
of Angola (MPLA) and the
main opposition National
Union for the Total Independence
of Angola
(UNITA). Others are the National
Liberation Front of Angola
(FNLA), the Party for
Social Renovation (PRS) and
the Popular Party for Development
(PAPOD).
 
The coalitions include the
Convergence Angola Salvation
Wide-Electoral Coalition
(CASA-EC), which is an umbrella
for four small parties
and is the brainchild of former
senior UNITA official, Abel
Chivukuvuku.
 
Other coalitions are the Opposition
Political Consultative
Council (CPO), New Democracy
(ND) and United Front for
Change of Angola (FUMA).
The ND is a coalition of
seven parties while the CPO
and FUMA are umbrella
groups made up of four and
six small parties, respectively.
 
Ferreira said of the 27 applications
submitted to the
court, 18 were disqualified as
they did not meet the minimum
requirement of 14,000
signatures of supporters who
are registered as voters,
among other reasons.
 
Among those rejected are
the Democratic Block (BD), led
by former ruling party member
Justino Pinto de Andrade;
and Popular Party (PP), which
was formed by lawyer David
Mendes.
 
According to the National
Electoral Commission (CNE),
about nine million Angolans
are registered to vote in the
forthcoming elections.
CNE spokesperson Julia
Ferreira said more than 10,780
polling stations will be set up
around the country.
 
These will be the third elections
since Angola attained independence
from Portugal in
1975. The first post-independence
election was held in
1992, before the civil war was
re-ignited by UNITA led by
Jonas Savimbi, and the second
polls were held in 2008. The
conflict ended in 2002 with the
death of Savimbi.
 
The MPLA won by more
than 81 percent and has used
its commanding parliamentary
majority to pass a raft of
new laws including a new
constitution that has abolished
direct presidential elections
in favour of an electoral
college.
 
Under the new Electoral
Law, the President and Vice
President will be elected indirectly.
The head of state will
be chosen from the party
with the parliamentary majority.

body:
NINE POLITICAL  parties
have been cleared to participate
in the Angolan parliamentary
elections scheduled
for 31 August while 18 others
were disqualified for failing to
comply with requirements of
the country’s Electoral Law. 
Constitutional Court chairperson,
Rui Ferreira said five
of the parties will stand separately
while the remainder are
coalitions made up of 20 small
parties that have expressed interest
to take part in the elections.
 
The five main parties include
the ruling Popular
Movement for the Liberation
of Angola (MPLA) and the
main opposition National
Union for the Total Independence
of Angola
(UNITA). Others are the National
Liberation Front of Angola
(FNLA), the Party for
Social Renovation (PRS) and
the Popular Party for Development
(PAPOD).
 
The coalitions include the
Convergence Angola Salvation
Wide-Electoral Coalition
(CASA-EC), which is an umbrella
for four small parties
and is the brainchild of former
senior UNITA official, Abel
Chivukuvuku.
 
Other coalitions are the Opposition
Political Consultative
Council (CPO), New Democracy
(ND) and United Front for
Change of Angola (FUMA).
The ND is a coalition of
seven parties while the CPO
and FUMA are umbrella
groups made up of four and
six small parties, respectively.
 
Ferreira said of the 27 applications
submitted to the
court, 18 were disqualified as
they did not meet the minimum
requirement of 14,000
signatures of supporters who
are registered as voters,
among other reasons.
 
Among those rejected are
the Democratic Block (BD), led
by former ruling party member
Justino Pinto de Andrade;
and Popular Party (PP), which
was formed by lawyer David
Mendes.
 
According to the National
Electoral Commission (CNE),
about nine million Angolans
are registered to vote in the
forthcoming elections.
CNE spokesperson Julia
Ferreira said more than 10,780
polling stations will be set up
around the country.
 
These will be the third elections
since Angola attained independence
from Portugal in
1975. The first post-independence
election was held in
1992, before the civil war was
re-ignited by UNITA led by
Jonas Savimbi, and the second
polls were held in 2008. The
conflict ended in 2002 with the
death of Savimbi.
 
The MPLA won by more
than 81 percent and has used
its commanding parliamentary
majority to pass a raft of
new laws including a new
constitution that has abolished
direct presidential elections
in favour of an electoral
college.
 
Under the new Electoral
Law, the President and Vice
President will be elected indirectly.
The head of state will
be chosen from the party
with the parliamentary majority.


title:
SADC urges implementation of 

Madagascar roadmap

Abstract:
SADC HAS  mandated former
Mozambican President,
Joaquim Chissano, to facilitate
a meeting between Madagascar’s
interim leader Andry Rajoelina
and deposed president
Marc Ravalomanana with a
view to speeding up implementation
of a peace roadmap
that is key to the holding of
credible elections.

body:
SADC HAS  mandated former
Mozambican President,
Joaquim Chissano, to facilitate
a meeting between Madagascar’s
interim leader Andry Rajoelina
and deposed president
Marc Ravalomanana with a
view to speeding up implementation
of a peace roadmap
that is key to the holding of
credible elections.  
The Extraordinary Summit
of SADC Heads of State and
Government held in Luanda,
Angola in June resolved that
Chissano should urgently facilitate
dialogue and convene
a meeting between Rajoelina
and Ravalomanana to bring
back on track the implementation
of a roadmap signed by
Malagasy political parties in
September 2011.
 
Chissano is the SADC mediator
in the Madagascar political
conflict.

The peace road-map
seeks to return the
country to constitutional
normalcy
following a 2009
coup that saw Rajoelina
unconstitutionally
remove
R a v a l o m a n a n a
from power with the
support of the
army. Madagascar
is currently
suspended from SADC.
“Summit mandated the
SADC mediator and the
Troika of the Organ to facilitate
dialogue and convene a
meeting between H.E. Andry
Rajoelina, president of the
High Transition Authority
and H.E Marc Ravalomanana,
former President as a matter
of urgency in order to ensure
full implementation of the
roadmap and create an enabling 

environment for
holding credible, free
and fair elections,”
the SADC leaders
said in a communiqué.
The road-map
allows for the unconditional
return
from exile of Ravalomanana
and for
the establishment
of transitional institutions
ahead of elections.
The Extraordinary Summit
noted that a SADC Liaison
Office established in
November 2011 to support
the implementation process
was fully operational, with officers
from the Troika of the
Organ on Politics, Defence
and Security Cooperation and
representatives of the SADC
chair on the ground since January
2012.


title:
20 Years 

1992 - 2012


 
Roots of the Southern African
Development Community

Abstract:
THE TREATY  of the Southern
African Development Community
(SADC) was signed by
Heads of State and Government
in Windhoek, Namibia,
on 17 August 1992, soon after
Namibia’s independence, replacing
the Southern African
Development Coordination
Conference (SADCC) established
in April 1980 in Lusaka,
Zambia.

body:
THE TREATY  of the Southern
African Development Community
(SADC) was signed by
Heads of State and Government
in Windhoek, Namibia,
on 17 August 1992, soon after
Namibia’s independence, replacing
the Southern African
Development Coordination
Conference (SADCC) established
in April 1980 in Lusaka,
Zambia. 
This was based on the conclusion
by Heads of State and
Government that political independence
was almost complete
in the region, and their declaration,
“Southern Africa—Towards
Economic Liberation”. 
 
They pledged in the new
Treaty to “strengthen and consolidate
the longstanding historical,
social and cultural
affinities and links among the
people of the region.”
 
The Treaty states the SADC
principles as:  
• sovereign equality of all
Member States;
 
• solidarity, peace and security;
 
• human rights, democracy
and the rule of law;
 
• equity, balance and mutual
benefit; and,
 
• peaceful settlement of disputes.
SADC Common Agenda
 

The objectives of SADC are to
promote sustainable and equitable
economic growth and
socio-economic development,
enhance the standard and quality
of life of the people of
Southern Africa and support
the socially disadvantaged
through regional integration;
promote common political values,
systems and other shared
values through institutions that
are democratic, legitimate and
effective; and, consolidate, defend
and maintain democracy,
peace, security and stability.
 
Other objectives are to promote
self-sustaining development
on the basis of collective
self-reliance and the interdependence
of Member States;
align national and regional
strategies and programmes;
maximise productive employment;
achieve sustainable utilisation
of natural resources and
effective protection of the environment;
combat HIV and
AIDS and other communicable
diseases; address poverty eradication;
and mainstream gender
in the process of community
building.

The Treaty presents several
initiatives intended to achieve
these objectives, including harmonisation
of political and
socio-economic policies and
plans; and encouraging the
people of the region and their
institutions to take their own
initiatives to develop economic,
social and cultural ties across
the region, and to participate
fully in the implementation of
the programmes and projects of SADC


Abstract:
Five countries celebrate their heroes and
heritage in this period.

body:
Five countries celebrate their 

heroes and
heritage in this period.
 13-14 August.  Zimbabwe 

commemorates
National Heroes Day
and Armed Forces Day to honour those
who fought the war of national 

liberation, and
those killed by Rhodesian atrocities 

such as Freedom
Camp in Zambia and Nyadzonia in 

Mozambique where thousands
of unarmed civilians lost their 

lives.
 
 26 August. Namibia marks 

Heroes Day (Namibia Day)
when thousands of Namibians gather 

at different venues
each year to remember their heroes 

on the date of the official launch
of the long and bitter struggle for 

independence when the first bullet
was fired in 1966 at 

Omugulu-Gwombashe in the Omusati 

region.
 
Three days in Mozambique. 7 

September, 25 September,
 4 October. Mozambique 

commemorates three important
dates, starting 7 September, when 

the historic agreement was signed
with Portugal in 1974 in Lusaka, 

bringing a ceasefire and transition
to independence. Armed Forces Day on 

25 September marks the
start of the liberation war when the 

first shots were fired at in the
northern Cabo Delgado province in 

1964. Peace and Reconciliation
Day marks the peace agreement signed 

in Rome in 1992 following
16 years of conflict and two years 

of arduous negotiations led by
Armando Emilio Guebuza, now 

President of Mozambique and
forthcoming Chairperson of SADC.
 


 17 September.  Angola 

remembers Agostinho Neto, the
founding President and symbol of 

Angolan nationalism,
born on this date in 1922 and died 

in 1979 at the age of 56 after 

leading
the liberation war that brought 

independence from Portugal in
1975.
 
 24 September.  South Africa 

celebrates its cultural heritage
each year on this date to encourage 

all South Africans to
celebrate the diversity of their 

beliefs and traditions. The theme 

for
Heritage Month 2011 was “Celebrating 

the Heroes and Heroines of
the Liberation Struggle in South 

Africa”, to reconnect the nation
with its rich and diverse collective 

liberation heritage.


title:
PUBLIC HOLIDAYS IN SADC 

August - September 2012

body:
1 August Parents Day DRC 
 

6 August Farmers Day Zambia 
 

8 August Nane Nane Peasant Day Tanzania 
 

9 August National Women’s Day South Africa 
 

13 August Heroes Day Zimbabwe 
 

14 August Defence Forces Day Zimbabwe 
 

15 August Assumption Day Madagascar, Mauritius, Seychelles 
 

17 August SADC Day* All 
 
 
19 August Eid Ul Fitr** Malawi, Mauritius,
Tanzania 
 

20 August Public Holiday Malawi, Tanzania 
 

26 August Heroes Day Namibia 
 

27 August Public Holiday Namibia 
 
 
* SADC Day is not a public holiday but a commemoration of signing the
SADC Treaty on 17 August 1992

**Exact date depends on sighting of the new moon  
 

3 September Umhlanga Reed Dance Swaziland 
 

6 September Somhlolo Independence Day Swaziland 
 

7 September Lusaka Peace Agreement Day Mozambique 
 

17 September National Heroes Day Angola 
 

20 September Ganesh Chaturthi Mauritius 
 

24 September Heritage Day South Africa 
 

25 September Armed Forces Day Mozambique 
 

30 September Botswana Day Botswana


body:
August
1-3,  South Africa 
 Agrarian 

Transformation, Economic Development 

&
Land Reform Conference 
 
The event will bring together 

agricultural experts, researchers,
academics and parliamentarians from
African countries to discuss key 

issues on agriculture
and land reform, including access to 

improved seeds
and women’s land tenure rights.
 


 
August 12-18, Mozambique 
 SADC 

Summit of Heads of State and 

Government
 
 SADC leaders meet to discuss issues 

aimed at promoting
regional integration and 

development. The summit
is preceded by meetings of senior 

officials and Council
of Ministers.
 
 
August 13-24,Zimbabwe  
  

Southern African Region Climate 

Outlook Forum 
 
Scientists from the national 

meteorological services in
SADC member states meet to review 

the regional climate
outlook The SARCOF conference 13-21 

August
is followed by an annual forecasting 

process 22-14 August
when the experts use indicators of 

seasonal rainfall
to produce a regional forecast for 

the 2012-2013
rainfall season.
 
 
August 26-31, Sweden, 
  World 

Water Week 
 
World Water Week has been the annual 

focal point for
global water issues since 1991. 

Commemorated in
Stockholm, Sweden, each year World 

Water Week addresses
a particular theme to enable a 

deeper examination
of a specific water-related topic. 

This year’s
theme is “Water and Food Security”.

 
 
September 4-5,South Africa 
  

Solar Energy Africa
  
The conference will provide 

information on the financial
mechanisms necessary for solar 

energy to offer an
extensive solution to current energy 

shortages in Africa
and the infrastructure developments 

needed to support
an effective supply chain between 

independent
providers and the grid. It will also 

showcase the latest
solar energy technologies 

available.
 
 
September 10-14,Tanzania 
  

African Ministerial Conference on 

the Environment
14th Regular Session (AMCEN-14) will 

provide a platform
for environment ministers from 

African countries
to debate the key results of the UN 

Conference on Sustainable
Development (Rio+20), and address 

other
emerging issues related to 

sustainable development
and the environment in Africa.
 


 
September 12-14, South Africa  
  

Meeting of the Committee of Central 

Bank Officials
The Committee of Central Bank 

Officials and the Committee
of Central Bank Governors is a SADC 

regional
structure that deals with the 

development of financial
institutions and markets, 

co-operation regarding international
and regional financial relations, 

and monetary,
investment and foreign exchange 

policies.

  
October 8-12, Ethiopia 
  5th AU 

Ministerial Conference on Drug 

Control
 
 
The conference will review and 

strengthen mechanisms
for shared responsibility for 

illicit drugs in Africa
and discuss the proposed revised 

African Union Plan
of Action on Drug Control 

(2013-2018). The ministers
will also discuss an African Common 

Position on Controlled
Substances and Pain Management.


title:
SADC Development Fund 
  Infrastructure blueprint
 key to regional integration

Abstract:
SOUTHERN AFRICA  has taken a significant
step forward in its quest for deeper regional integration
following the approval of a longawaited
blueprint that outlines the region’s
vision for infrastructure development.

body:
SOUTHERN AFRICA  has taken a significant
step forward in its quest for deeper regional integration
following the approval of a longawaited
blueprint that outlines the region’s
vision for infrastructure development.
The Summit of SADC Heads of State and
Government held in Maputo, Mozambique, in
August endorsed a number of measures on the
way forward for the region with regard to economic
integration and political cooperation.
  
The highlight of the Summit was the adoption
of the Regional Infrastructure Development
Master Plan Vision 2027, a 15-year
blueprint that will guide the implementation of
cross-border infrastructure projects from 2013
to 2027.
 
“The plan will serve as a key strategic
framework to guide the implementation of efficient,
seamless and cost-effective trans-boundary
infrastructure networks in an integrated
and coordinated manner in all the six sectors,
namely Energy, Transport, Tourism, ICT and
Postal, Meteorology and Water,” SADC said in
a communiqué issued after the Summit.
 
The master plan will be implemented in
three five-year phases – short term (2012-2017),
medium term (2017-2022) and long term (2022-
2027).
 
In the energy sector, for example, the plan addresses
four key areas of energy security, improving
access to modern energy services,
tapping the abundant energy resources and upscaling
financial investment whilst enhancing
environmental sustainability.
 
Regarding the sub-sectors of road, rail,
ports, inland waterways and air transport networks,
the Transport Sector Plan also addresses
four critical areas, namely improving access to
the seamless transport corridors value chain; reducing
the cost of transportation; enhancing
competitiveness and providing safe and secure
transport services.
 
Other key areas to be targeted include the
water, tourism, meteorology and information
communication technology sectors to ensure
socio-economic development in the region.
 
The master plan is in line with the African
Union’s Programme for Infrastructure Development
of Africa (PIDA) and will constitute a
key input to the proposed Infrastructure Master
Plan for the Tripartite grouping covering half of
the AU member states, encompassing the Common
Market for Eastern and Southern Africa
(COMESA), East African Community (EAC)
and SADC.
 
Summit noted progress
towards the operationalization
of the SADC Regional
Development Fund, a financial
mechanism for mobilising
resources from Member
States, the private sector and
development partners.
 
The Fund, which was approved
by the Council of Ministers
that preceded Summit,
will be used to finance SADC
programmes and projects.
 
Agreement was reached
by the ministers on various
aspects of the Fund, including
windows for financing
the priority areas of infrastructure
and industrial development.
 
The Fund will have a subscribed
capital of US$1.2 billion
to be raised as seed
capital.
 
Summit directed ministers
responsible for finance and investment
in the region to urgently
address modalities for
operationalizing the Fund.
These include the size of the
Fund as well as voting rights
and management structure.
 
Identified priority infrastructure
projects will require
about US$500 billion to be
implemented, with transport,
energy and water taking up
the major share of the funding
requirements.
 
An investment conference
is scheduled for between
January and March
2013 to lure potential investors
for the identified regional
infrastructure projects
while road shows are also
planned in Asia, Europe and
the United States for the
same purpose.
 
Summit also received a
report by the Ministerial Task
Force on Regional Economic
Integration on the framework
for the proposed SADC
Customs Union, whose
launch was proposed in
2010. The report outlined
a roadmap for the
Customs Union, including
parameters, benchmarks
and a draft model
Customs Union for the region.
 
The Task Force was mandated
to work closely with
the SADC Secretariat to ensure
preparatory work for
the Customs Union begins.
On the SADC Free Trade
Area (FTA), the leaders noted
that this was work in
progress but acknowledged
that one of the emerging issues
was the need to prioritise
industrialisation to
address the problem of unequal
levels of development
among member states.
 
Different levels of development
have been cited as an
area of major concern among
smaller member states who
feel that larger economies
stand to benefit more from
the FTA.
 
The SADC Summit endorsed
a series of recommendations
on the way forward
for Madagascar, following
the submission of the report
of the Troika on Politics,
Peace, and Security.
 
“Since the two Malagasy
leaders themselves have not
come to an agreement, it has
been up to the SADC Summit
to map out the way forward,
particularly taking into account
the risk of the security
situation in the country,” said
Seychelles President James
Michel.
 
Seychelles played a key
supporting role in the preparation
of the recommendations
by hosting the two
meetings held between former
President Marc Ravalo-
manana and President of the
Transition Authority Andry
Rajoelina, and also through
its participation in the SADC
consultation mission to
Madagascar in August.
 
Following the meetings in
Seychelles, where no agreement
was reached between
the leaders, Summit mapped
out the steps to be taken to
ensure that the preparation
of elections goes smoothly.
 
The key recommendations
of Summit were the full
endorsement of the elections
calendar proposed by the
United Nations and the
Commission Electoral National
Independente de la
Transition (CENIT). Presidential
elections will thus
take place on 8 May 2013.
 
While Summit could not
pronounce itself on whether
Rajoelina and Ravalomanana
could present themselves for
the forthcoming elections or
not, it took note of the report
of the consultation mission
that the proposal for both
leaders not to stand would
offer the best route towards
ensuring peaceful elections.
 
Summit also recognized
the risk of violence and instability
in relation to the eventual
return of former
President Ravalomanana,
and asked the SADC Secretariat
to dispatch a team of
security experts to Madagas
car to assess the security
environment with a
view to making recommendations
on the return
of the former president.
 
“We are pleased that the
recommendations have stipulated
that great care is taken
with regards to the modalities
for the return of the former
president to safeguard a
secure environment to prepare
elections,” said Michel.
 
The return of the former
President will be done in
consultation with the Transition
Government security
forces to ensure that the stability
of the country is maintained.
 
“We also take note that
the proposal for both leaders
not to stand in the election offers
perhaps the simplest solution.
We urge both leaders
to continue discussions with
a view to finding a solution
that prioritizes the Malagasy
people.”
 
The Summit also called
for full implementation of the
amnesty in favour of Ravalomanana.
 
On the suspended SADC
Tribunal, Summit resolved
that a new Protocol on the
Tribunal should be negotiated
and that the court’s
mandate be confined to the
interpretation of the SADC
Treaty and Protocols relating
to disputes between member
states.
 
Summit approved and
signed the Draft Agreement
on Assistance in Tax Matters;
Draft Protocol on Trade in
Services; and a Draft Declaration
on Tuberculosis in the
Mining Sector.  sardc.net


Abstract:
MEMBER STATES have been
urged to adopt measures to accelerate
progress towards the
target of equal representation
for women and men in political
and other decision-making
structures.

body:
MEMBER STATES have been
urged to adopt measures to accelerate
progress towards the
target of equal representation
for women and men in political
and other decision-making
structures. 
SADC Heads of State and
Government have committed
themselves to achieving gender
parity and reaching 50 percent
representation of women in political
decision-making structures
by 2015. 
  
SADC recognizes that the
equal and meaningful political
participation of women, who
constitute more than half of the
populations of Member States,
is an important democratic advancement
for the region. 
  
This was reflected in the
SADC Protocol on Gender and
Development signed by SADC
Heads of State and Government
on the 17 August 2008 in Johannesburg,
South Africa where
commitment was made on 28
clauses regarding gender equality,
among others, to reach at
least 50 percent of women representation
and participation in
decision-making positions by
2015. 
  
The final communiqué from
the 32nd SADC Summit in Maputo
in August 2012 “urged
Member States to consider
adoption of appropriate measures,
including legislation, policy
and reform of the electoral
systems, to facilitate the
achievement of (the) gender
parity goal.” 
  
Some positive trends have
been noted in the SADC region
in terms of the movement towards
gender parity, but some
advances have not been sustained.
 
  
SADC Member States
worked together to support the
first women candidate to take
the top job at the African Union
Commission, and the region has
had two women presidents in
current President Joyce Banda
of Malawi and the former Acting
President of Mauritius,
Monique Ohsan-Bellepeau. 
  
Seven countries –
Botswana, Lesotho, Mozambique,
South Africa, Swaziland,
Tanzania and Zimbabwe – have
had woman Speakers or presiding
officers of parliament since
1994. 
  
With three years left before
the 2015 deadline for attaining
gender parity, most Member
States have already instituted
measures to accelerate the
agreed measures, although
two SADC Member States
(Botswana and Mauritius) have
not yet signed the Protocol. 
  
These include the development
of national roadmaps
with concrete actions to be
taken to implement the 50:50
Framework by 2015. 
  
They have also initiated
consultations at Member State
level to galvanise national efforts
through domestication of
various regional and international
commitments made by
countries with regard to gender
equality and the empowerment
of women. 
  
There are plans to
strengthen capacity-building
programmes for women and
gender training for key national
structures and institutions, as
well as engage all political parties
to adopt gender parity
strategies.


Abstract:
SOUTHERN AFRICAN leaders
have directed that a Protocol
on the SADC Tribunal and
Rules of Procedure Thereof be
negotiated and the jurisdiction
of the new Tribunal be confined
only to an advisory role
and interpretation of the SADC
Treaty and any protocols that
may be negotiated among
Member States.

body:
SOUTHERN AFRICAN leaders
have directed that a Protocol
on the SADC Tribunal and
Rules of Procedure Thereof be
negotiated and the jurisdiction
of the new Tribunal be confined
only to an advisory role
and interpretation of the SADC
Treaty and any protocols that
may be negotiated among
Member States. 
According to a final communiqué
issued at the end of
the 32nd Summit of SADC
Heads of State and Government,
SADC leaders “resolved
that a new Protocol on the Tribunal
should be negotiated
and its mandate should be confined
to interpretation of the
SADC Treaty and Protocols relating
to disputes between
Member States.”
  
The Tribunal was established
through an amendment
to the SADC Treaty and was
constituted to ensure adherence
to and the proper interpretation
of the provisions of
the Treaty and subsidiary instruments
and to adjudicate
upon disputes that may be referred
to it by governments or
individuals.
  
Summit suspended the
work of the Tribunal in 2010
and ordered a review of the
role and jurisdiction of the re-
gional court, after some countries
objected to its constitution
through an amendment rather
than a separate protocol requiring
ratification by due process
in all member states.
  
In 2011, the Summit extended
the suspension of the
Tribunal, mandating “the Ministers
of Justice/Attorneys
General to initiate the process
aimed at amending the relevant
SADC legal instruments
and submit a progress report at
the Summit in August 2011 and
the final report to Summit in
August 2012.”
  
The Committee of Ministers
of Justice/Attorney-Generals
had during the past two
years tried to develop a revised
Protocol but have failed to
agree on some issues.
One of the sticking issues
was the introduction of a new
Article 55 on Transitional Provisions.
Among other issues,
the Article suggested that a reconstituted
Tribunal under a
Revised Protocol could take
over existing cases of the old
Tribunal.
  
Some Member States opposed
introduction of the Article,
arguing that once the
Revised Protocol entered into
force, the old Protocol would
no longer have effect and any
actions or cases heard previously
would cease to have effect.


title:
Call for increased action against HIV and AIDS

Abstract:
SUMMIT URGED Member
States to support the implementation
of regional programmes
to combat the
spread of HIV and AIDS.

body:
SUMMIT URGED Member
States to support the implementation
of regional programmes
to combat the
spread of HIV and AIDS.
Noting progress in the
implementation of the
Maseru Declaration of 2003
on combating HIV and
AIDS, SADC heads of state
and government called for
the scaling up of efforts to reduce
new infections and encourage
positive behavioural
change among the youth.
  
Ongoing regional programmes
include the SADC
HIV and AIDS cross-border
initiative for providing preventive,
care and treatment
services at border points.
  
The increased flow of
commercial traffic has resulted
in a high prevalence of
HIV and AIDS among highrisk
and undocumented migrant
populations in border
towns.


title:
Leaders approve Draft Protocol on Trade in Services

Abstract:
SADC HAS approved the
long-awaited Draft Protocol
on Trade in Services which
aims to provide a framework
for progressive liberalization
of trade in six priority services
sectors among Member States.

body:
SADC HAS approved the
long-awaited Draft Protocol
on Trade in Services which
aims to provide a framework
for progressive liberalization
of trade in six priority services
sectors among Member States.

The idea of a regional
agreement on trade in services
in SADC was first formalized
in 2002 when trade ministers
agreed during a meeting in
Botswana to include an Annex
on Trade in Services to the
SADC Protocol on Trade.
   
Concern was then raised on
whether an Annex to the
Trade Protocol was the adequate
legal form of responding
to the needs of trade in
services, necessitating the
commencement of discussions
on the Draft Protocol on Trade
in Services.
   
The ministers agreed that
negotiations would initially
target services provided by
the communications, construction,
energy, finance,
tourism and transport sectors.
   
The Draft Protocol on Trade
in Services was adopted by
ministers responsible for trade
in July 2009 but was presented
for signature by Heads of State
and Government at their 32nd
Summit in August in Mozambique
following clearance by
the Committee of Ministers of
Justice/Attorneys General.
   
The draft protocol contains
general obligations on Member
States such as on transparency,
granting of most
favourite nation status, and
domestic regulation.
   
It provides a framework for
progressive removal of barriers
to trade in services, initially
in the six priority sectors.
   
At their meeting in November
2011, the Ministers responsible
for trade in the SADC
region approved the commencement
of negotiations on
the liberalization commit-
ments in the six priority sectors.
   
The first negotiating meeting
was scheduled for April
2012 at which Member States
were expected to develop a
roadmap for the negotiations
and agree on the organization
of the negotiations.
   
Developments during the
past few decades have necessitated
the need for a regional
agreement on trade in services.
Trade in services is growing
at a very fast pace partly due
to developments in information
and communication technology.
   
In southern Africa, the
service sector accounts for an
increasing share of Gross Domestic
Product (GDP) and employment.
   
Services play a key role in
regional integration, including
infrastructure building, competitiveness
and trade facilitation.
   
Transport, logistics and distribution
services are crucial
for moving goods and services
from one country to another
while telecommunication and
financial services reduce transaction
costs and support trade.
   
Increased trade in services
can also contribute to achieving
the Millennium Development
Goals set by Member States by
contributing to social development
and poverty reduction.
   
There is, however, some
overlap between the six priority
areas identified for liberalization
in the Draft Protocol
on Trade in Services and existing
agreements for harmonization
within SADC.
   
SADC has already concluded
specific protocols on
tourism; energy; transport,
communications and meteorology;
and finance and investment.
   
One of the challenges in developing
the draft services protocol
has been to ensure that it
is not in conflict with any of the
provisions contained in the existing
protocols.


Abstract:
WINNERS OF the 2012 SADC Media
Awards were presented with prizes during
the opening ceremony of the 32nd Summit
of SADC Heads of State and Government in
Maputo, Mozambique.

body:
WINNERS OF the 2012 SADC Media
Awards were presented with prizes during
the opening ceremony of the 32nd Summit
of SADC Heads of State and Government in
Maputo, Mozambique. 
Incoming SADC chairperson, President
Armando Guebuza of Mozambique presented
the awards to the winners.
  
Three of the Awards were for excellence
in reporting on water resources management
in southern Africa while the other three were
for excellence in promoting regional integration.
  
Factmore Dzobo from Zimbabwe received
the award for the best print journalist
for his article on the importance of involving
women in the management of water.
  
The award in the radio water category
went to Belmiro Mangaze of Mozambique
for his report on the importance of water in
regional and national development.
  
Lesotho Times photo journalist,
Ramajake Monamane received the Photo
Water Award for his photos depicting the
plight of people in a village in Lesotho in
need of clean, safe and potable drinking
water.
  
Awards for excellence in coverage of
water resources management were introduced
in 2007 by the SADC Water Sector
programme to strengthen awareness on
water issues within the region, as well as to
encourage journalists to write about Integrated
Water Resources Management
(IWRM).
  
The awards for excellence in promoting
regional integration in SADC went to Yobe
Shonga from Botswana who scooped the
prize for the photo category while Patson
Phiri of Zambia and Jugdish Jatoo from
Mauritius received the awards for the print
and television categories.


title:
Summit discusses framework for SADC Customs Union

Abstract:
SADC HAS reviewed progress
in the implementation of the regional
economic integration
agenda and resolved to continue
with preparations for the
launch of the proposed Customs
Union.

body:
SADC HAS reviewed progress
in the implementation of the regional
economic integration
agenda and resolved to continue
with preparations for the
launch of the proposed Customs
Union.
Summit received the report
of the Ministerial Task Force on
Regional Economic Integration
on the framework for the
SADC Customs Union.
  
The report outlined the key
elements of the proposed Cus-
toms Union such as the parameters,
benchmarks, a model
customs union for the region
and the timing of activities
leading to the launch of the
union.
  
The overall goal of SADC’s
regional economic integration
is to facilitate trade and financial
liberalization, competitive
and diversified industrial development
and increased investment
through the
establishment of a SADC Common
Market.
  
The SADC Regional Indicative
Strategic Development
Plan (RISDP), which is currently
under review, outlined
the indicative timelines to establish
the SADC Free Trade Area
by 2008, the SADC Customs
Union by 2010, the SADC Common
Market by 2015 and SADC
Monetary Union by 2016.
  
The SADC FTA came into
force on 1 January 2008 following
implementation of agreed
tariff phase-down commitments
between 2000 and 2007.
Two countries, Angola and
the Democratic Republic of
Congo, have said they will
join the FTA later.
  
The SADC Customs Union
was not realised in 2010 as
planned, with the main challenge
being the overlapping
memberships. Almost all
SADC Member States, with the
exception of Angola and
Mozambique, belong to existing
Customs Unions.
  
Technically, a Member State
cannot belong to more than one
Customs Union because of the
Common External Tariff. Member
States, therefore, have to
choose which Customs Union
they want to belong to and
their decisions may have overall
implications for SADC.
  
In view of these challenges,
the SADC Summit in Windhoek
in August 2010 reaffirmed
its commitment to establish a
SADC Customs Union and
recognised the need to establish
synergies between the
processes to consolidate the
SADC FTA, the Customs
Union and the proposed Tripartite
FTA involving the Common
Market for Eastern and
Southern Africa, East African
Community and SADC.
  
The 2010 Summit endorsed
the decision of the Ministerial
Task Force on Regional Economic
Integration to appoint a
High Level Expert Group
(HLEG) on the SADC Customs
Union whose mandate was to
consolidate and refine previous
technical work undertaken in
order to reach agreement and
common understanding on key
elements such as the parame-
ters, benchmarks and timelines
of a model Customs
Union and its implementation
modalities.
  
The HLEG submitted it report
on the SADC Customs
Union framework to the ministerial
task force in November
2011.
  
South African International
Relations and Cooperation
Minister, Maite Nkoana-
Mashabane said the immediate
priority for SADC was to consolidate
the FTA in terms of a
15-point action plan matrix
agreed by the Member States.
The action plan focuses on
the review of rules of origin,
completion of tariff phase
downs and removal of non tariff
barriers.
  
“It is important to ensure
full implementation by Member
States of the FTA while, on
the other hand, resolve the
issue of overlapping membership
before progressing towards
a SADC Customs
Union,” she said.
  
The SADC Secretariat, in
partnership with Member
States, is currently engaged in a
review of the RISDP towards reconfiguring
the SADC roadmap
to guide the regional integration
process aligned to realistic,
measureable and deliverable
milestones and timelines.


Abstract:
SUMMIT MANDATED incoming
SADC chairperson,
President Armando Emilio
Guebuza of Mozambique to
engage Rwandan President
Paul Kagame to seek his commitment
to stop military support
to rebels in eastern
Democratic Republic of
Congo (DRC).

body:
SUMMIT MANDATED incoming
SADC chairperson,
President Armando Emilio
Guebuza of Mozambique to
engage Rwandan President
Paul Kagame to seek his commitment
to stop military support
to rebels in eastern
Democratic Republic of
Congo (DRC).
The communiqué from the
Summit called on Rwanda “to
cease immediately its interference
that constitutes a threat to
peace and stability, not only of
the DRC, but also of the SADC
region”, and mandated Guebuza
to visit Rwanda in order
“to engage the government of
Rwanda with the aim of urging
it to stop military support to
armed rebels in the DRC”.
  
The summit accused
Rwanda of interfering in the
DRC, by supporting the rebels
of the M23 movement.


title:
Mozambican President Guebuza new SADC chair

Abstract:
MOZAMBICAN PRESIDENT
Armando Emilio Guebuza
is the new SADC
chairperson, while his Malawian
counterpart Joyce Banda
has been elected deputy.

body:
MOZAMBICAN PRESIDENT
Armando Emilio Guebuza
is the new SADC
chairperson, while his Malawian
counterpart Joyce Banda
has been elected deputy.
Guebuza assumed the rotating
chair from President
Jose Eduardo dos Santos of
Angola, who hosted the
SADC Summit in 2011.
  
Therefore, Mozambique,
Malawi and Angola as the
current, next and immediate
past chairpersons, make up
the SADC Troika. The next
summit is scheduled for
Malawi in August/September
2013.
  
The SADC Organ on Politics,
Defence and Security
Cooperation is now chaired
by President Jakaya Kikwete
of the United Republic of
Tanzania, with Namibian
President Hifikepunye Pohamba
as deputy. South
Africa, as the immediate past
chair is also on the Organ
Troika.
  
In his acceptance speech,
Guebuza said he will use his
tenure as SADC chair to further
strengthen infrastructure
development in the region.
  
“We recognise that infrastructure
plays a vital role in
regional integration. It is in
this regard that the SADC
Infrastructure Development
Master Plan should be looked
at,” Guebuza said.


title:
SADC creates fund to accelerate infrastructure development

Abstract:
SOUTHERN AFRICA is taking
steps to accelerate investment
in infrastructure,
considered one of the key facilitators
of regional integration.

body:
SOUTHERN AFRICA is taking
steps to accelerate investment
in infrastructure,
considered one of the key facilitators
of regional integration.
The SADC Council of Ministers
has approved the setting
up of a long-awaited Regional
Development Fund, one of
whose main priorities will be
the financing of infrastructure
in the region.
  
According to SADC Deputy
Executive Secretary responsible
for regional integration,
João Caholo, the proposed
fund will have a subscribed
capital of US$1.2 billion. 
  
“We have been mandated by
Council to look into issues to do
with the development fund
such as the voting and management
structure,” Caholo said at
the close of the two-day Council
of Ministers held ahead of the
32nd Summit of SADC Heads
of State and Government in
Maputo, Mozambique.
  
He said the SADC Secretariat
was also mandated by
Council to ascertain how much
the fund’s issued capital will.
“We are looking at something
between US$10 and
US$250 million,” he said. 
  
Funding for the proposed
facility is expected to come
from member states, but “we
will not shun away from the
private sector”.
  
“We want to bring them on
board so that they show their
willingness to develop the region.
We also hope to bring on
board our development partners,”
Caholo said.
  
The proposed fund will be
used for regional integration.
The first priority will be infrastructure
development and the
second priority will be linking
infrastructure to overall development.
  
Although the focus for regional
cooperation has
shifted to investment promotion
and production over the
past 32 years, infrastructure
development remains a key
driver of regional integration
in the SADC region and was
prioritised in the Regional
Indicative Strategic Development
Plan (RISDP) in 2003
as a facilitator of intra-regional
trade and economic
growth.
  
The RISDP is SADC’s 15-
year development blueprint.
The main sectors of focus
for the SADC infrastructure
programme are Energy, Transport,
Telecommunications,
Water and Tourism.
  
The major development
strategy followed by SADC is
the corridor development concept,
otherwise known as the
Spatial Development Initiative
(SDI), a strategy that recognizes
the interdependence of
various sectors.
  
For example, the SDI concept
recognizes that sectors
such as tourism, agriculture,
mining or commerce cannot
reach their full development
potential without being supported
by a vibrant and adequate
energy, water, transport
and communications infrastructure.
  
The main attraction is
that the strategy basically
takes advantage of the existence
of proven, inherent,
underutilized economic development
potential within
the SDIs.
  
The concept of SDIs was
popularized in SADC with the
advent of the generally successful
Maputo Development
Corridor in 1995.
  
Hailed as a successful model
that attracted private sector investment
in support of the public
sectors of Mozambique and
South Africa, the Maputo Corridor
was the first of its kind at
a regional level that brought
about integrated development
tracing what is both a transport
and trade route.
  
Despite its limitations, for
example failing to divert traffic
from the North-South Corridor
(from Durban port through Johannesburg
in South Africa to
Zimbabwe and further north),
the project was a huge success
in terms of job creation, especially
on the Mozambican side
where as many as 15,000 jobs
were created at the aluminium
smelting plant Mozal and other
projects.
  
The development strategy
has been used to inform regional
development predominantly
along transport or trade
routes, energy transmission
grids, tourism conservation
areas, river basins, and regional
and international
telecommunication backbones.
However, most SDIs are
still at planning stage waiting
to be fully funded and, therefore,
taken to the implementation
level.
  
Southern Africa’s longawaited
regional infrastructure
development master plan
was approved by the SADC
Heads of State and Government
Summit held in Maputo
in August.
  
This follows the finalisation
of the master plan by ministers
responsible for infrastructure
who met in Luanda, Angola in
late June.
  
The master plan will guide
development in key infrastructure
such as road, rail and
ports, and would also act as a
framework for planning and
cooperation with development
partners and the private sector.
sardc.net


title:
Companies bid for Shire-Zambezi waterway feasibility study

Abstract:
SIX COMPANIES have submitted
bids to conduct a feasibility
study for Shire-Zambezi
Waterway Project to review the
possibility of opening the two
rivers to international navigation.

body:
SIX COMPANIES have submitted
bids to conduct a feasibility
study for Shire-Zambezi
Waterway Project to review the
possibility of opening the two
rivers to international navigation.
According to Malawian
Transport Minister Sidik Mia,
the purpose of the study is to
assess the environmental impact
of navigation along the
rivers from the Mozambican
district of Chinde, at the mouth
of the Zambezi, to the Malawian
river port of Nsanje, on the
Shire.
    
The bids are now under consideration
by the Malawian
government, the SADC Secretariat
and the African Development
Bank.  AIM


title:
Normal to above-normal rainfall forecast for southern Africa

Abstract:
WEATHER EXPERTS in southern
Africa have forecast normal
to above-normal rainfall in
most parts of the region for the
2012/13 agricultural season.

body:
WEATHER EXPERTS in southern
Africa have forecast normal
to above-normal rainfall in
most parts of the region for the
2012/13 agricultural season.
According to the 16th
Southern Africa Regional Climate
Outlook Forum (SARCOF
16) that met in Zimbabwe
in August, the coming rainfall
forecast has been divided into
two parts as usual, October-
December 2012 and January-
March 2013.
  
The Forum has forecast normal
to above-normal rainfall in
most parts of southern Africa
during the first half of the season
(October-December).
  
These areas include northern
and central Mozambique,
southern Tanzania, Malawi,
northern-most Zambia, bulk of
Angola, the Democratic Republic
of Congo (DRC),
Namibia and Zambia, eastern
half of Madagascar, northern
half of Zimbabwe, western
half of Botswana, central and
western parts of South Africa
and western Lesotho.
  
Increased chances of abovenormal
to normal rainfall are
expected in northern Tanzania,
eastern Madagascar and Mauritius.
  
However, northern DRC,
south-western Angola, southwestern
Zambia and coastal
areas of Namibia, southern
and western parts of Zimbabwe,
southern Mozambique,
western coastal areas
and north-eastern parts of
South Africa, western Madagascar
and the whole of Swaziland
have an increased chance
of receiving normal to belownormal
rainfall.
  
In the second half of the rainfall
season, the bulk of SADC is
expected to receive normal to
above-normal rainfall.
  
This covers Malawi, Zambia,
northern Mozambique,
bulk of Angola, Madagascar,
Namibia and Tanzania, southeastern
DRC, western half of
Botswana, most of central and
western parts of South Africa,
western parts of Lesotho and
northern half of Zimbabwe.
  
Above-normal to normal
rainfall is expected in the
northernmost Tanzania and
Mauritius.
  
However other parts of the
region are likely to receive normal
to below normal during
the same period.
  
These include the southern
half of Zimbabwe, eastern half
of Botswana, central South
Africa, eastern Lesotho, Swazi
land and southern Mozambique,
south-western Angola,
the western fringes of Namibia
and South Africa and southern-
most Madagascar.
  
The bulk of DRC and northernmost
Angola is expected to
have below-normal to normal
conditions in this period.
  
The rainfall outlook for
southern Africa was prepared
by climate scientists from national
meteorological and hydrological
services within the
SADC region, as well as the
SADC Drought Monitoring
Centre, and the International
Research Institute for Climate
and Society.
  
In developing this outlook,
climate scientists used statistical
and other climate prediction
schemes to determine
likelihoods of above-normal,
normal and below-normal
rainfall for each area.
  
Above-normal rainfall is defined
as lying within the
wettest third of rainfall
amounts recorded during the
30 years from 1971 and 2000
while below-normal is defined
as within the driest third of
rainfall amounts and normal is
the middle third.
  
The scientists also took into
account that El Niño–Southern
Oscillation (ENSO) is going to
be in a weak, warm phase projected
to persist into early 2013.
  
El Nino is a weather condition
which begins with the
warming of the waters in the
Western Pacific Ocean and eventually
affects the global climate.
  
The natural warming events
alter weather patterns worldwide,
probably causing
droughts in southern Africa or
contributing to their severity.
  
The La Nina is an opposite
of El Nino where the Pacific
Ocean begins with cooler waters
than the Indian Ocean and
wind moves from the Pacific
towards the latter. The occurrence
of La Nina results in unusually
heavy rains and
flooding in southern Africa.
  
The rainfall outlook was
prepared by climate scientists
from NMHSs, the SADC Climate
Services Centre and Intergovernmental
Authority on
Development Climate Prediction
and Applications Centre.
  
SARCOF 16 was hosted by
the Meteorological Services
Department of Zimbabwe.
  
The seasonal forecasts generated
through this SARCOF
process have become an important
planning tool for many
communities in southern
Africa.


title:
Interconnectors - conduits for SADC energy integration

Abstract:
THE SOUTHERN African Power Pool (SAPP) has identified six priority
transboundary transmission projects that are expected to improve
connectivity and electricity trading in the region by 2017.
The priority projects, estimated to cost US$5.6 billion, are part of
a portfolio of short to medium-tem projects being pursued by SAPP
with the aim of increasing the availability of electricity in the region
and connecting non-participating SADC Member States to the regional
power grid.

body:
THE SOUTHERN African Power Pool (SAPP) has identified six priority
transboundary transmission projects that are expected to improve
connectivity and electricity trading in the region by 2017.
The priority projects, estimated to cost US$5.6 billion, are part of
a portfolio of short to medium-tem projects being pursued by SAPP
with the aim of increasing the availability of electricity in the region
and connecting non-participating SADC Member States to the regional
power grid.
The priority transmission projects are the Mozambique-Malawi
interconnector; the Zimbabwe-Zambia-Botswana-Namibia (ZiZaBoNa)
interconnector; South Africa energy strengthening project;
Zambia-Tanzania-Kenya interconnector; interconnection of Angola;
and the Mozambique energy backbone projects.
   
There are three categories of priority transmission projects. The
first category is made up of transmission projects that aim to alleviate
congestion. The ZiZaBoNa project falls in this group.
The second group are those projects to interconnect non-operating
members. This mainly concerns evacuating power to the United
Republic of Tanzania from Zambia and Mozambique, as well as connecting
Angola to the regional grid.
  
The last category involves transmission projects related to new
generation projects such as Mozambique backbone project.
The interconnection of Angola, Malawi and the United Republic
of Tanzania to the regional grid has been one of SAPP’s priorities
for several years. All three Member States are presently not interconnected
to the SAPP grid.
  
Mozambique-Malawi Interconnector

The Mozambique-Malawi Transmission Interconnection Project is
expected to be completed by 2015 and will connect Malawi to the
SAPP, allowing two-way energy trade between the two countries.
This will ensure much-needed diversification in Malawi’s electricity
supply and allow the export of any off-peak power surpluses.
It will also provide Mozambique’s energy sector with a new revenue
source.
  
Under the project, Mozambique will build about 135 kilometres
of 220 kiloVolt (kV) transmission line and extend the existing
Matambo substation while on the Malawi side, approximately 75
km of 220 kV transmission line will be constructed and a new 220
kV substation installed.
  
The interconnection will allow Malawi to have access to the SAPP
market through Mozambique interconnected grid with Zimbabwe
and South Africa.
  
Malawian President Joyce Banda signed the agreement with her
Mozambican counterpart, Armando Guebuza, during a
state visit to Mozambique in May.
  
ZiZaBoNa 

The transmission interconnector project has the
capacity to increase power trading among participating
utilities, as well as provide an alternative
power transmission route and help
decongest the existing central transmission
corridor that currently passes through Zimbabwe.
  
The ZiZaBoNa project will help to provide another
wheeling path and, therefore, increase trade
between the northern and southern parts of SADC.
The initial capacity of the transmission interconnector
will be 300 megawatts (MW), which will later be increased
to 600MW.
  
The project is to be implemented in two phases.
The first phase will cover the construction of a 120-
kilometre 330 kilovolt line from Hwange Power
Station to Victoria Falls where a switching station
will be built on the Zimbabwe side. The line will
extend to a substation at Livingstone in Zambia.
The second phase will involve the construction
of a 300-km 330kV line from Livingstone to Katima
Mulilo in Namibia, through Pandamatenga in
Botswana.
  
The Zimbabwe-Zambia interconnector will be built as
a high voltage line with a transmission capacity of 430kV.
However, it will operate as a 330kV line during the first phase.
The ZiZaBoNa project will be organised as a Special Purpose Vehicle,
to be incorporated as a company in Namibia. The four utilities
will take 20 percent each of the equity.

According to SAPP, the project should be ready for implementation
by 2016.
  
South Africa strengthening transmission

South Africa has embarked on a 10-year programme to extend or reinforce
its transmission system and build new power stations as part
of measures to improve the reliability of supply.
  
Additional power stations and major power lines are being built
on a massive scale to meet rising electricity demand in South Africa.
According to Eskom's Transmission Development Plan (2011 to
2020), the utility requires investment of around R166 billion
up to 2020 to strengthen its capacity. This is expected to
grow to more than a trillion rand by 2026. Ultimately
Eskom plans to double its capacity to 80,000MW by
2026.
  
The project will result in several new transmission
lines being added to the system, with over 6,000 km
of 765kV and over 8,000 km of 400kV lines either
approved or proposed over the 10-year horizon.
Major network reinforcements are proposed to increase
supply to the Cape (South and West) and Kwa
Zulu Natal (East) grids.
  
There will also be integration of new power stations
in Limpopo province into the Eskom and SAPP grid.
This will require significant investment in transmission infrastructure
as the power stations are far from the main
load centres.
  
New high-voltage direct-current (HVDC) lines
are also planned to enable export of excess power
from Waterberg directly to load centres in Gauteng
and Kwa Zulu Natal requiring 1,700km of
800kV constructed HVDC lines.
  
These new transmission lines form part of the
long-term strategy to develop a main transmission
backbone from which regional power corridors can
be supported. The backbone and regional power corridor
network structure will allow for greater security
of supply as power from new power stations is integrated
more efficiently into the transmission network, enabling regional
trade through the SAPP grid.
  
Zambia-Tanzania-Kenya Interconnector

To integrate its power market, the COMESA-EAC-SADC Tripartite
– comprising the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa,
East African Community and SADC – needs infrastructure to support
additional energy generation as well as regional transmission.
Existing power interconnectors in the Tripartite region are inadequate
for long distance transmission and unsuited for regional systems
integration.
  
The Tripartite, in collaboration with SAPP and the East African
Power Pool (EAPP), has prioritised the development of critical interconnectors,
including the Zambia-Tanzania-Kenya (ZTK) interconnector
to improve regional integration and energy trade within
and between the SAPP and EAPP.
  
Covering a distance of 1,600 km, the interconnector will have a
capacity of 400MW, and will be constructed as a double circuit 400
kV line in sections from Pensulo in Zambia to Isinya in Kenya
  
DRC-Angola Interconnector

This is one of several projects aimed at connecting non-operating
members of SAPP to the regional grid.

It will involve the construction of a 400kV transmission line
from the DRC to Angola, enabling trade between the two countries.
  
The DRC has vast electricity generation capacity that could be
useful to the fast-expanding Angolan economy, which is buoyed by
massive investments in mining and construction sectors.
  
Mozambique backbone project

This involves construction of a new electricity transmission line from
Tete, in the Zambezi Valley, to Maputo.

This line, known officially as the "Centre-South (CESUL) Project"
and unofficially as "the backbone" of the Mozambican electricity
grid, is crucial for carrying power southwards from
planned new power stations in Tete. These include the planned
dam at Mpanda Nkua, 60km downstream from the existing dam
at Cahora Bassa, a second power station at Cahora Bassa, and
coal-fired power stations built by the mining companies Vale and
Rio Tinto.
  
Without a new power line, the electricity generated at these new
power stations cannot reach the Maputo area or be exported to
South Africa.
  
CESUL will involve the construction of 1,340 km of 400 KV alternating
current transmission line and 1,250 km of 500 KV line, with
the capacity to carry 3,100 MW of power. Eight new sub-stations will
be built, and two existing ones will be expanded.

The African Development Bank has agreed to help finance the
construction the transmission line, estimated to cost US$1.8 billion.
The bank has pledged to provide up to US$ 400 million for the project.


title:
Botswana, Mozambique to build deepwater port

Abstract:
BOTSWANA AND Mozambique
have agreed to build a
deepwater port at Techobanine
in Maputo province that
will serve as an alternative exit
and entry point for landlocked
SADC Member States.

body:
BOTSWANA AND Mozambique
have agreed to build a
deepwater port at Techobanine
in Maputo province that
will serve as an alternative exit
and entry point for landlocked
SADC Member States.
The port is part of a project,
estimated to cost about US$7
billion, that also includes the
construction of a 1,100 km railway
line and an oil pipeline
linking the two countries.
  
Besides serving Botswana,
which is looking for a faster
outlet for its mineral resources,
the port would also
serve other countries such as
Swaziland and Zimbabwe.
The project will be undertaken
on a concession basis for
the various components.
  
The port is expected to occupy
an area of 30,000
hectares, including 11,000
hectares for industrial development,
and will be able to
process 200 million tonnes of
cargo per year.
  
About US$3 billion of the
financing will be invested in
Techobanine for the port, residential
houses, schools and a
hospital. The first construction
phase should begin in 2012
and last until 2015.
  
Techobanine is located 70
km south of the port of Ma-
puto and 20 km from Ponta do
Ouro on the South African
border.
  
The planned railway line
will link southern Mozambique
to Botswana, passing
through Zimbabwe.  AIM


title:
Seychelles, Mauritius set up commission to manage coastal zone

Abstract:
SEYCHELLES AND Mauritius
have established a commission
to manage the world's largest
offshore joint management
zone measuring 400,000 square
kilometres of continental shelf.

body:
SEYCHELLES AND Mauritius
have established a commission
to manage the world's largest
offshore joint management
zone measuring 400,000 square
kilometres of continental shelf. 
This will enable both countries
to jointly regulate seabed
activities, including the exploration
of petroleum and minerals,
as well as the conservation
and management of the living
resources of the seabed.
  
Officials from both countries
met in Seychelles in August
to launch the commission
and discuss the management
and regulation of activities in
the joint zone.
  
Seychelles Minister for
Land Use and Habitat, Christian
Lionnet said the new commission
"has the great
advantage of enabling the two
countries to immediately benefit
from the exploration, exploitation
and conservation of
the natural resources of the
area". Mauritius Secretary to
the Cabinet and Head of the
Civil Service, Suresh Seebal-
luck noted that “a new era of
cooperation, trust and mutual
understanding between the
two countries has emerged.”


title:
AfDB to co-finance Mozambique electricity "backbone"

Abstract:
THE AFRICAN Development
Bank (AfDB) says it will finance
construction of a new
electricity transmission line
from Tete to Maputo in
Mozambique.

body:
THE AFRICAN Development
Bank (AfDB) says it will finance
construction of a new
electricity transmission line
from Tete to Maputo in
Mozambique.
The line, known officially as
the “Centre-South (CESUL)
Project” and unofficially as “the
backbone” of the Mozambican
electricity grid, is crucial for carrying
power from the planned
new power stations in Tete.
   
These include the planned
Mpanda Nkua, 60 kilometres
downstream from the existing
dam at Cahora Bassa; a second
power station at Cahora Bassa;
and coal-fired power stations
built by the mining companies
Vale and Rio Tinto.
   
Without a new power line,
the electricity generated at
these new power stations cannot
reach the Maputo area or
be exported to South Africa.
The total cost of CESUL is
estimated at US$1.8 billion.
   
AfDB resident representative,
Joseph Ribeiro said the bank
could provide up to US$400
million.
   
CESUL requires the construction
of 1,340 kilometres of
400 kilovolt (KV) alternating
current transmission line and a
1,250 km of 500 KV line with
capacity to carry 3,100
megawatts of power.
   
Eight new sub-stations will
be built, and two existing ones
will be expanded.  AIM


Abstract:
MAURITIUS’ TRADE deficit
rose by about 20 percent in the
year to June, rising from
US$170 million in 2011 to
US$203.3 million.

body:
MAURITIUS’ TRADE deficit
rose by about 20 percent in the
year to June, rising from
US$170 million in 2011 to
US$203.3 million.
According to figures from
Statistics Mauritius, imports
rose to US$426.67 million in
June compared to US$366.7
million in the corresponding
month in 2011.
   
The rising deficit was attributed
to the increased importation
of foodstuffs and
petroleum products.
   
At the same time, the Indian
Ocean island country's
exports grew from US$196.7
million in June 2011 to US$220
million this year.
   
In terms of the export markets,
Britain was the main destination
for Mauritian
products, with purchases
worth US$36.7 million.
   
The French market was
the second largest destination,
with US$26.5 million
worth of Mauritian imports,
ahead of the United States
with US$21.6 million and
South Africa with US$17.8
million.
   
With regard to the country's
main source markets,
India accounted for US$93.3
million worth of imports
while China was second, with
US$70 million.
   
According to Statistics
Mauritius, the trade deficit
could rise to 2.83 billion dollars
by end of 2012.  Xinhua


Abstract:
THE CURRENT SADC chairperson,
President Armando
Guebuza of Mozambique, has
been re-elected to a second
term as president of the ruling
party.

body:
THE CURRENT SADC chairperson,
President Armando
Guebuza of Mozambique, has
been re-elected to a second
term as president of the ruling
party. 
Guebuza was elected unopposed
by more than 1,800 delegates
who attended the 10th
Frelimo Congress held in September
in Pemba, capital of the
northern province of Cabo Delgado.
   
The Mozambique Liberation
Front (Frelimo) was established
in 1962 to liberate the country
from colonial rule (achieved
1975), and celebrated its 50th
anniversary this year.
   
Guebuza’s re-election
means that Frelimo will choose
a different presidential candidate
to contest general elections
set for 2014, not the party
leader.
   
He will continue to lead the
party, and another colleague
will head the country if Frelimo
wins the next election.
   
Traditionally Frelimo's
leader becomes its automatic
presidential candidate, but
Guebuza is already serving his
second five-year term as the
country's president, the limit
set by the constitution.
   
This is not the first time Frelimo
has elected a president
who will not be its presidential
candidate in national elections.
This happened previously
during the party’s 8th Congress
in 2002 when Joaquim
Chissano was re-elected party
president even though he was
not running for another term of
office as Head of State.
   
After the 2004 elections,
when Guebuza was elected
president of the country,
Chissano remained leader of
Frelimo for a few more months
before resigning to allow Frelimo
to combine the posts of
party leader and president of
the republic in the hands of the
same person.
   
Guebuza was sworn in as
President of Mozambique in
early 2005 and was elected to
lead Frelimo in 2006. He will
stand down as Head of State in
2015.
   
He is the SADC chairperson
for the coming year, following
the Summit held in Maputo in
August.


Abstract:
NAMIBIA’S RULING party
will hold its 5th elective congress
in November to elect a
new leadership and formulate
policies for the next five years.

body:
NAMIBIA’S RULING party
will hold its 5th elective congress
in November to elect a
new leadership and formulate
policies for the next five years.
President Hifikepunye Pohamba
is expected to seek a
second term as SWAPO leader
during the congress set for 29
November to 2 December. He
has led the party since 2007
when he succeeded SWAPO
founding president Sam Nujoma
during the 4th congress.
  
The South West Africa People’s
Organisation (SWAPO)
was formed in 1966 to liberate
the country from colonial rule,
achieved in 1990.
  
All eyes will be fixed on the
position of party vice-president
whose winner, according to a
succession policy adopted by
the SWAPO Central Committee,
would automatically be the
party candidate in the 2014
presidential elections.
  
According to the SWAPO
constitution, Pohamba can remain
party leader after completing
his two constitutional
terms as state President in
2014. He has been President of
Namibia since March 2005,
and will stand down in March
2015. He served as SADC
chairperson for one year during
his first term.
  
Members of the party are
expected to elect office bearers
for two other top positions –
the secretary-general and
deputy secretary-general.
  
The party constitution stipulates
that all positions will
become vacant prior to the
congress.
  
The Politburo will then
identify a maximum of three
candidates for each position,
who will be subject to scrutiny
and approval by the Central
Committee.
  
In the event that there are
more than three candidates for
any particular post, the Central
Committee will trim the
number down to three
through a secret vote.
  
A 35-member Congress
Preparatory Committee was
set up in April to oversee
preparations for the congress.
The committee is chaired by
Pohamba and includes other
senior officials such as party
vice-president Hage Geingob
and secretary-general Pendukeni
Iivula-Ithana.
  
Launching the Congress
Preparatory Committee at
SWAPO headquarters in
Windhoek, Pohamba urged
party leaders to recommit to
the principles of unity.
  
“We must use the important
platform of the upcoming
congress to critically review
our policy positions on issues
that are vital to the achievement
of our national development
agenda,” he said.
  
The party held a National
Policy Conference in September
during which 13 policy papers
were discussed on
matters relating to unemployment
and poverty, economic
growth, land and income distribution,
delivery of quality
healthcare and education,
youth development, and generational
transition.


Abstract:
PRESIDENT JACOB Zuma
will seek a second and final
term as leader of the African
National Congress of South
Africa when the party meets for
its 53rd national conference in
Mangaung in December.

body:
PRESIDENT JACOB Zuma
will seek a second and final
term as leader of the African
National Congress of South
Africa when the party meets for
its 53rd national conference in
Mangaung in December. 
The ANC national conference
is convened every five
years to elect a new leadership
and chart the course for the
party, which was formed 100
years ago in 1912 to oppose
colonial rule and later the
apartheid system when it was
introduced in 1948. Majority
rule was achieved in 1994.
   
The ANC’s nine provinces
are expected to field candidates
for the party’s top six positions
of president, deputy president,
national chairperson, secretarygeneral,
deputy secretary-general
and treasurer-general.
   
Nominations for these positions
open formally in October.
Zuma was elected leader of
Africa’s oldest political party
during the last ANC national
conference held in Polokwane
in December 2007.
   
The Mangaung conference
comes in the wake of the
ANC’s 4th National Policy
Conference held in August
where the party resolved to
open up discussion on current
challenges facing South Africa,
in particular unemployment,
poverty and inequality.
   
The policy conference
agreed to pursue the second
phase of the transition from
apartheid to a national democratic
society.


title:
Art as a Vector for regional integration

Abstract:
SOUTHERN AFRICA should
intensify efforts to promote its
cultural industry as the sector
has the potential to alleviate
poverty, create employment
and contribute to the socio-economic
development of the region.

body:
SOUTHERN AFRICA should
intensify efforts to promote its
cultural industry as the sector
has the potential to alleviate
poverty, create employment
and contribute to the socio-economic
development of the region.
Renowned arts and culture
expert, Stephen Chifunyise said
this at a SADC Day Celebrations
Symposium held in
Harare, Zimbabwe.
   
He said a vibrant arts and
culture industry was critical in
enabling the region to tell its
own story as well as project its
own unique cultural identities
to the world.
   
“SADC can effectively
capitalize on its rich cultural
diversity by developing collaborative
programmes of marketing
products of its cultural
diversity,” Chifunyise, who is
the chairperson of the Children’s
Performing Arts Workshop
(Chipawo), a leading
Zimbabwean arts and culture
group, said.
   
He said the forthcoming
United Nations World Tourism
Organization (UNWTO) summit
set for Zambia and Zimbabwe
in 2013 provides a
perfect opportunity for SADC
to deepen cooperation and intensify
efforts to promote the
cultural industry.
   
To achieve this, he said there
is need to identify key stake-
holders in the creative and cultural
industries who will produce
unique cultural products
and market “our rich regional
cultural diversity to the many
tourism delegates that are expected
to attend the global
event.”
   
Such a coordinated approach
would ensure that the
region fully benefits from the
UNWTO summit, which is
being held in Africa only for the
third time after Egypt in 1995
and Senegal in 2005.
   
Chifunyise also noted that
countries in SADC have “many
arts and cultural festivals,
which, when put together, will
appropriately become the
SADC tourism route” encompassing
cultural sites such as
galleries, theme parks, and museums,
recreational and entertainment
parks.
   
“The production and presentation
of a SADC Tourism
Route to the forthcoming
UNWTO summit would be a
viable strategy in the promotion
of sustainable tourism in
SADC,” he said.
   
“The production of such a
tourism marketing tool calls for
collaboration between stakeholders
in the tourism sector
and stakeholders in the arts
and culture including ministries,
private and public institutions
responsible for the arts
and culture.”
   
On the establishment of the
Southern African Cultural In
formation System (SACIS), he
said “it is now possible to resuscitate”
the idea in view of
the rapid internet penetration
in the region. SACIS was set up
a few years ago, but due to various
challenges, the project
failed to sustain itself.
   
“There is no doubt that the
collapse of the SACIS project
was mainly due to the fact that
Member States of SADC were
at that time not ready to accommodate
the use of information
and communication technologies
in building and exchanging
data on the cultural sector,”
he said.
   
He said a SADC Cultural Information
System would be a
vital tool for providing data on
the performance of the creative
economy in the region to the
World Creative Economy Report
that is produced every two
years by the United Nations
Conference for Trade and
Development and the United
Nations Development Programme.
   
The SADC Day Celebrations
Symposium was organized by
SADC ambassadors accredited
to Zimbabwe in collaboration
with the Government of Zimbabwe,
the Southern African
Research and Documentation
Centre (SARDC), National Arts
Council of Zimbabwe, Arts Association
of Zimbabwe, National
Gallery of Zimbabwe
and Chipawo.
   
The event, chaired by the
Angolan ambassador to Zimbabwe,
HE Henrique Vaal
Neto, was aimed at celebrating
the formation of SADC – formerly
the Southern African
Development Coordination
Conference (SADCC), an organization
with the objective of
closer regional cohesion.
   
The theme for the celebrations
was “Art as a Vector for
Regional Integration in the
Southern African Development
Community”.


body:
The SADC Protocol on Culture, Information and
Sports calls for, among other things:


Cooperation in the formulation and harmonization
of cultural policies of Member States;

Promotion of an attitude that takes culture into
account in regional development programmes;

Development and promotion of institutions of
cultural heritage such as libraries, museums
and archives in support of the broad and specific
objectives of the Protocol;
  
Establishment of policy guidelines for the preservation
and promotion of the region’s cultural
heritage in all its various facets formulated in
close collaboration with relevant stakeholders;

Member States to make cultural industries a
major cornerstone of their national economies;

Member States to take measures necessary to
nurture, protect and promote their infant cultural
industries;
 
 
Member States to adopt measures designed
to promote eco-tourism as a means to support
the development of cultural industries;

Member States to organize arts and cultural
festivals to pursue the ideals of regional integration;
and


Member States to organize joint staging
during international


Abstract:
THE 2013 international
tourism summit set for Zambia
and Zimbabwe provides
yet another golden opportunity
for southern Africa to
showcase its numerous tourist
attractions as well as deepen
regional integration.

body:
THE 2013 international
tourism summit set for Zambia
and Zimbabwe provides
yet another golden opportunity
for southern Africa to
showcase its numerous tourist
attractions as well as deepen
regional integration.
However, there is need for
more coordination among
SADC Member States to ensure
that they fully benefit
from the opportunities presented
by the global event,
which is being held in Africa
for only the third time.
   
Joint preparation by Member
States is important, considering
that some countries
failed to adequately take advantage
of a similar global
event – the 2010 World Cup
tournament held in South
Africa two years ago.
  
Despite their proximity to
South Africa, a number of
SADC Member States could
not lure many of the thousands
of tourists that descended
on South Africa for
the month-long tournament.
  
In light of this, there is need
for the region to adequately
prepare for the forthcoming
United Nations World
Tourism Organization
(UNWTO) summit to be
jointly hosted by Zambia and
Zimbabwe in August 2013 so
that southern Africa benefits
from the opportunities presented
by this global event.
  
Zimbabwean Tourism Minister,
Walter Mzembi told a recent
SADC Day Celebrations
Symposium held in Harare that
as host countries, Zambia and
Zimbabwe had made significant
strides in making sure that
the event is a huge success.
  
He said latest inspections by
the UNWTO had indicated that
the two countries are ready to
host the event in 2013.
  
He called on all SADC
member states to “protect this
event,” saying that, similar to
the 2010 World Cup, the
tourism summit had the potential
boost tourist arrivals
and trigger massive socio-economic
gains for the region.
  
“SADC should take up the
challenge,” he said, adding that
Zambia, Zimbabwe and the
rest of the region have a choice
to either make this tourism
summit “just another ordinary
workshop or an international
tourism conference”.
  
“The choice is ours,” he
said, adding that SADC and
the rest of Africa would probably
not get another opportunity
to host such a huge event
in decades.
  
The region should, therefore,
take maximum advantage
of the upcoming
UNWTO summit to boost arrivals
and deepen integration.
More than 2,000 delegates
are expected to attend the 2013
UNWTO summit. These include
key decision-makers in
the travel industry as the summit
is expected to discuss and
give direction to global
tourism.
  
Tourists from across the
world are also expected to
visit the two countries to sample
the various attractions.
  
Speaking at the same seminar,
distinguished Zimbabwean
arts expert, Stephen
Chifunyise said SADC should
use its rich arts and culture as
well as its attractions to market
the UNWTO summit.
  
He said countries must develop
a viable platform where
“the many arts and culture
events in the region can become
the backbone of the
SADC tourism route.”
  
“The production and presentation
of a SADC Tourism
Route to the forthcoming
UNWTO summit would be a
viable strategy in the promotion
of tourism in the region,”
he said.
  
Chifunyise also called for
deeper cooperation between
the arts and culture industry
and the tourism sector.
  
Other participants said
Zambia, Zimbabwe and
SADC have the capacity to
host a successful tourism summit
as conditions for holding
such an event already exist.
The region boasts of a vibrant
infrastructure base that includes
hotels and roads, as
well as numerous attractions.
However, Mzembi said
there is need to improve on air
connectivity in the region.
  
“Our connectivity is so poor.
We need to improve this, first
as individual countries and
then as a region,” he said.


title:
"... a viable platform for marketing to the world..."

Abstract:
“IN 2010, the Soccer World
Cup finals hosted by South
Africa offered SADC an opportunity
to collectively market its
rich diversity. In August 2013,
Zambia and Zimbabwe will
host the United Nations World
Tourism Organization Summit.

body:
“IN 2010, the Soccer World
Cup finals hosted by South
Africa offered SADC an opportunity
to collectively market its
rich diversity. In August 2013,
Zambia and Zimbabwe will
host the United Nations World
Tourism Organization Summit.
“This will present another
great opportunity for SADC to
effectively capitalize on its rich
and huge creative and cultural
diversity by developing collectively
a viable platform for
marketing to the world
through this gathering of eminent
tourism professionals and
tourists a well selected and
properly packaged rich variety
of cultural goods illustrating
the rich diversity of cultural expressions
of the people of the
SADC,” said Stephen Chifunyise,
a prominent regional arts
expert.


title:
Angolan polls boost SADC profile as stable economy

Abstract:
THE RECENT Angolan elections
are expected to boost
economic prospects in southern
Africa and strengthen the
region’s profile as a stable investment
destination.

body:
THE RECENT Angolan elections
are expected to boost
economic prospects in southern
Africa and strengthen the
region’s profile as a stable investment
destination.
Angolans gave the Popular
Movement for the Liberation
of Angola (MPLA) another
mandate to continue with economic
and political reforms
that have so far ensured a
smooth transition from war to
stability in Africa’s second
largest oil producer.
  
Angola is the immediate
past chair of the Southern
African Development Community
(SADC) and has contributed
significantly to the
regional economy during the
past decade.
  
The country is one of the
largest economies in SADC
and has outperformed other
member states during the past
decade, registering doubledigit
growth since 2004.
  
Large investments in infrastructure
and the natural resources
sector such as oil and
diamonds have contributed to
the country’s impressive performance
in which the economy
has experienced
double-digit growth for the
past decade. Improved
terms of trade due to in-
creasing oil prices also contributed
to the positive performance.
  
Thanks to the good performance
by Angola – which
at one point grew as fast as 25
percent per annum – the regional
economy has averaged
five percent growth for most
of the past decade.
  
According to final results
released by the National Electoral
Commission (CNE), the
MPLA led by President José
Eduardo dos Santos, got 71.82
percent of the more than 5.6
million ballots cast in the 31
August parliamentary elections.
  
This was down from the 81
percent the governing party
got during the previous general
elections held in 2008.
  
The main opposition party,
the National Union for the
Total Independence of Angola
(UNITA), nearly doubled its
tally from 2008, coming second
with 18.7 percent of the
valid votes cast, up from 10
percent four years ago.
  
The Convergence Angola
Salvation Wide-Electoral
Coalition (CASA-EC), a coalition
of four small parties,
could only manage six percent
of the votes. CASA-EC was
one of four coalitions that contested
the elections.
  
Of the 220 total seats in the
National Assembly, 130 were
contested from closed lists by
proportional representation,
and the remaining 90 elected
in 18 constituencies that have
five seats each.
  
Voter turnout was about 60
percent, according to the national
electoral commission.
The MPLA victory assured
President dos Santos of another
term in office. The new
Angolan Constitution in 2010
abolished direct
election of the head
of state, with the
majority party in the
assembly gaining
the right to name the
president, who will
then select a vice-president.
  
These were the third elections
since Angola gained independence
from Portugal in
1975. The first post-independence
election was held in
1992, although it was never
completed because the civil
war re-ignited, while the second
polls were held in 2008,
six years after the end of the
conflict.
  
The Constitution limits the
presidential term in office to
two five-year terms although
this does not include the years
already served by dos Santos;
and abolishes the post of Prime
Minister, with the role assumed
by the vice-president.
  
The polls were described as
peaceful and orderly by observers
from SADC, the African
Union, Economic Community
of Central African States, International
Conference on the
Great Lakes Region, Electoral
Commissions Forum of SADC
and Community of Portuguese
Speaking Countries.
  
In a joint statement, heads
of the six observer missions
said the general elections were
conducted in accordance with
international and regional
principles and guidelines governing
democratic elections.
  
They congratulated the Angolan
people and politicians
for their maturity in allowing
the peaceful conduct of the
polls but called on the political
parties and candidates to
work together in order to consolidate
peace and democracy
in the country.
  
“The observer missions do
hereby congratulate the people
of Angola for exercising
their civic responsibility in a
peaceful and orderly manner,
and determination to hold the
general elections on the 31st of
August 2012 in ways that consolidate
peace, security and
stability, enhance reconciliation,
boost the democratic
process and strengthen the
foundation for further social
and economic development,”
the joint declaration read.
  
They, however, called for
timely accreditation of observers
and political party
agents in future polls as well
as facilitation of voting by Angolans
living in the diaspora.
 sardc.net


body:
October
1-5, South Africa 

24th African Hydro Symposium

The African Hydro Symposium is a forum where hydro
operating personnel representing electrical utilities and
independent power producers from Africa meet to
share ideas and deliberate on hydropower plant operation,
maintenance and management.

12-13, Ethiopia

 Second China-Africa Think Tanks Forum

The forum serves as a high-level platform for China-
Africa academic exchanges and civil dialogue. It promotes
a frank and unfettered dialogue on China-Africa
relations to boost mutual understanding between
China and Africa.
  
18, Zimbabwe

 33rd SAPP Executive Committee Meeting

The 33rd Southern African Power Pool executive meeting
will be attended by the 12 chief executive officers
and managing directors of SAPP member utilities. It
will chart the way forward towards the attainment of
the goal of integrating the regional power generation
and distribution networks.
  
November
30 October –2 November, South Africa

 13th WaterNet/WARFSA/GWP-SA Symposium

The symposium is a platform for water professionals to
 share advances in research and education related to
Integrated Water Resources Management. They will
discuss new opportunities and developments towards
the integrated management of the scarce fresh water
resources.
  
5-7, South Africa 

International Conference on Fresh Water Governance
for Sustainable Development

The conference will bring together policy makers,
water managers, scientists and civil society in a forum
where new ideas can be shared, nurtured and developed
from the water sector and beyond. It is hosted by
a number of local, regional and international partners.

  
5-9, Namibia 

10th RERA Anniversary Celebrations

The Anniversary to be held under the theme “Fostering
electricity regulation in Southern Africa”, will seek to
review RERA’s performance; Re-launch the Association
into the next decade; Foster closer relations among
members and key stakeholders; Improve the corporate
image and visibility; and Recognise organisations and
individuals who have made outstanding contributions
to RERA. Professional interactions will involve highlevel
discussions and presentations from experts and
stakeholders.
  
13-15, Mozambique

 Rural Electrification Forum 2012

 The Rural Electrification Forum 2012 will look at motivations
for rural electrification programmes, exchange
and analyze best practices, feasibility,
affordability and regulatory issues and discuss new approaches
and permanent solutions for sustainability in
developing countries.
  
26 November – 7December, Qatar 

COP 18 Summit on Climate Change

The 18th Conference of the Parties (COP 18) to the UN
Framework Convention on Climate Change will be
held concurrently with the Eighth Meeting of the Parties
to the Kyoto Protocol (COP/MOP 8). COP 18 will
assess progress in dealing with climate change issues.


Abstract:
OCTOBER MARKS the 20th anniversary
of the historic signing of
the Mozambican peace accord that
ended the country’s 15-year civil
war and ushered in a new era of
economic and social development.

body:
OCTOBER MARKS the 20th anniversary
of the historic signing of
the Mozambican peace accord that
ended the country’s 15-year civil
war and ushered in a new era of
economic and social development.
The General Peace Agreement
(GPA) between the Mozambican
government and rebels from the
Mozambican National Resistance
Movement (Renamo) was signed
on 4 October 1992 in Rome, Italy,
by former President Joachim
Chissano and Renamo leader
Afonso Dhlakama during a ceremony
also attended by the leaders
of Botswana and Zimbabwe.
  
Negotiations, which began in
July 1990, were brokered by a team
of mediators from the Catholic
Church and the Italian government.
  
The Mozambican government
delegation was led by Armando
Emilio Guebuza (now President of
Mozambique) while the Renamo
negotiators were headed by Raul
Domingos.
  
The Mozambican civil war had
its roots in the geopolitical situation
that existed in southern Africa
at the time.
  
The independence of Mozambique
and Angola in 1975 challenged
white minority rule in the
region. First, the independence
wars in Angola and Mozambique
demonstrated that even through
the use of great military resources
it was virtually impossible for a
small white minority to guarantee
the safety of its members, let alone
to exert control over the majority
black populations in these countries.
  
The downfall of Portuguese
rule in Angola and Mozambique,
therefore, gave hope to black resistance
in South Africa and the
then Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe).
  
Second, in both countries revolutionary
socialistic movements
gained power. The Mozambique
Liberation Front (FRELIMO) and
the Popular Movement for the Liberation
of Angola (MPLA) had
been collaborating with the liberation
movements in South Africa
and Rhodesia, and now openly
supported them, as well as offering
a safe haven from where they
could coordinate operations and
train new forces.
  
This was especially devastating
for Rhodesia whose armed forces
lacked the personnel to effectively
protect its 1,287-km border with
Mozambique against liberation
fighters.
  
At the same time, the apartheid
government and the Smith regime
lost Portugal as an ally and, with
it, the thousands of soldiers that
had been deployed in the Portuguese
colonial wars.
  
The white minority position in
South Africa and Rhodesia had
been severely weakened by the
events of 1974/75 that led to the
overthrow of the Caetano regime
in Portugal.
  
As a result, undermining the capacity
of the newly independent
countries to support Zimbabwean
and South African liberation fighters
became the main strategy of
South Africa and Rhodesia to
counter this new threat. This led to
the Rhodesian-driven formation of
Renamo in 1976.


Abstract:
MWALIMU JULIUS Nyerere lit the flame that ignited the
liberation of southern Africa from colonial rule.

body:
MWALIMU JULIUS Nyerere lit the flame that ignited the
liberation of southern Africa from colonial rule.
"We, the people of Tanganyika, would like to light a
candle and put it on the top of Mount Kilimanjaro which
would shine beyond our borders giving hope where there
was despair, love where there was hate, and dignity where
there was before only humiliation."
  
In a famous speech that became known as “A Candle
on Kilimanjaro”, the United Republic of Tanzania’s founding
president made this commitment, even before Independence,
to ensure that Africa, most of which was still
under colonial rule, was liberated.
  
He died 40 years later on 14 October 1999. That day is
commemorated in Tanzania as Mwalimu Nyerere Day to
celebrate his life and achievements as father of the nation
(Baba wa Taifa). The day marks the climax of the Uhuru
Torch Race, after the freedom torch is carried around the
country by teams of runners


title:
PUBLIC HOLIDAYS IN SADC
October-December 2012

body:
4 October Peace and National Mozambique
Reconciliation Day

4 October Independence Day Lesotho

14 October Mwalimu Julius Nyerere Day Tanzania

15 October Mother’s Day Malawi

24 October Independence Day Zambia

1 November All Saints Day Seychelles,

Madagascar,

Mauritius

2 November Remembrance Day Angola

11 November National Independence Day Angola

12 November Public Holiday Angola

8 December Immaculate Conception Seychelles

9 December Independence Day Tanzania

10 December International Human Namibia
Rights Day

16 December Day of Reconciliation South Africa

17 December Public Holiday South Africa

22 December National Unity Day Zimbabwe

25 December Christmas All SADC

26 December Day of Goodwill South Africa

Family Day Namibia

Boxing Day Botswana,

Lesotho,

Swaziland,

Tanzania,

Zimbabwe


title:
Energy Sector Plan targets surplus, sets priorities

Abstract:
THE SADC region has suffered a shortage of
electricity since 2007 as demand exceeds supply,
and the expectation is that this energy gap
will be addressed by 2014. However, the implementation
of projects can lag behind their
planned dates due to a lack of funding and
other constraints.

body:
THE SADC region has suffered a shortage of
electricity since 2007 as demand exceeds supply,
and the expectation is that this energy gap
will be addressed by 2014. However, the implementation
of projects can lag behind their
planned dates due to a lack of funding and
other constraints.
SADC is now taking longer term measures
to address the energy deficit and ensure selfsufficiency
in energy generation and an end to
electricity shortages, through an ambitious Energy
Sector Plan that calls for the region to increase
power generation by more than 70
percent and invest at least US$170 billion over
the next 15 years.
 
The Energy Sector Plan is part of the SADC
Regional Infrastructure Development Master
Plan approved by the 32nd Summit of SADC
Heads of State and Government in Mozambique
in August.
 
The Energy Sector Plan addresses four key
strategic objectives:

ensuring energy security;

improving access to modern energy services;

tapping the abundant energy resources;
and,

achieving financial investment and environmental
sustainability.


 
The Plan identifies “hard” infrastructure
projects that include the planned increase in
electricity generation and transmission; refineries,
storage facilities and pipelines for petroleum
and gas; and transport facilities for coal
distribution and exports.
 
The plan for the energy sector has identified
73 power generation projects to increase generation
from the current 56,000 megawatts
(MW) and ensure that the projected demand of
96,000 MW is surpassed by 2027.
 
Prioritisation of the various projects was determined
using a formula under which projects
were rated according to their ability to impact
on the regional energy deficit.
 
Seven generation projects that scored above
50 percent and with capacity greater than
1,000MW each were ranked as top priority.
The seven projects alone are expected to
add about 26,000MW to the grid managed by
the Southern African Power Pool (SAPP) – 65
percent of new generation capacity planned between
2013 and 2027 (see Table).
 
Highest priority is accorded to the
Hidroeléctrica de Cahora Bassa (HCB) North
Bank hydropower project in Mozambique. The
project is expected to add 1,245MW to the regional
power grid when completed in 2015.
 
The other projects include
Mphanda Nkuwa in Mozambique,
the Batoka Hydro Power
Station jointly developed by
Zimbabwe and Zambia, and the
Inga 3 dam in the Democratic
Republic of Congo (DRC).
 
The Batoka project involves
the construction of a dam and a
hydropower plant on the Zambezi
River with a potential capacity
of between 1,600 and
2,000MW of electricity to be
shared equally between Zambia
and Zimbabwe.
 
The seven projects are expected
to cost a minimum of
US$65 billion and a maximum
of US$104 billion.
 
The next priority will be 18
other projects that scored above
50 percent according to the Master
Plan formula but have capacity
of less than 1,000MW.
 
These include the extension
of the Kariba South Power Station
in Zimbabwe that should
add 300MW of new power by
2016, the 800MW Kudu Gas
Power Station in Namibia to be
completed by 2016, and the
800MW Rumakali Hydro
Power Station in the United Republic
of Tanzania, due for completion
in 2018.
 
The 18 projects are expected
to increase southern Africa’s
power supply by 6,481MW by
the end of 2019 at a cost of between
US$7 billion and US$18
billion.
 
Three major interconnecting
projects would facilitate the connection
of Angola, Malawi and
Tanzania to the SAPP grid.
The three are the only SAPP
members yet to be linked to the
regional power grid. Other
SAPP member states are
Botswana, DRC, Lesotho,
Mozambique, Namibia, South
Africa, Swaziland, Zambia and
Zimbabwe.
 
The island states of Madagascar,
Mauritius and Seychelles
are not members of
SAPP.
 
The SADC Executive
Secretary, Tomaz
Augusto Salomão,
says in a message accompanying
the Regional
Infrastructure
Master Plan that any
meaningful implementation
of the plan
should accord priority to addressing
power shortfalls in the
region through the development
and commissioning of
power generation and transmission
infrastructure.
 
“The interconnection of Angola,
Malawi and the United
Republic of Tanzania is necessary
to enable the migration of
these Member States to Operating
Members of the Southern
African Power Pool.”
 
The grand total of all these
projects to be implemented
from 2015 to 2027 is estimated
to cost in the region between
US$93 billion and US$212 billion.
 
In addition to the “hard” infrastructure
projects, the master
plan has also identified 16
“soft” infrastructure issues that
need to be addressed before the
region can achieve self-sufficiency
in the electricity sub-sec-
tor. These include harmonised
policies and increased cooperation
in energy development
and trading. Lack of alignment
in regulatory policy
frameworks and tariff structures
can hamper investment
and financing, and poor project
preparation can cause delays.
 
The master plan notes that
apart from the existence of energy
policies and, to some limited
extent, renewable energy
policy in all SADC Member
States, comprehensive renewable
energy strategies and action
plans exist only in
Mauritius and South Africa.
 
Botswana, Mauritius and
South Africa have put renewable
energy electrification targets
into their energy systems,
while only Namibia and South
Africa have renewable energy
regulatory frameworks.
 
Five countries have integrated
the deployment of renewable
energy in their rural
energy/electrification agencies.
These are Botswana,
Mozambique, Tanzania, Zambia
and Zimbabwe.
 
A key challenge to regional
planning is to harmonise the
fragmented policies and targets
set by the Member States.


