# tblSANF

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  



 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.
  
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.
  
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.
  
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”.


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

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


body:
October-December 2012 

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


