Traditional chiefs in SADC have formed the SADC Council of Traditional Leaders, which seeks to facilitate their participation in regional integration.

Chiefs from 10 SADC member states resolved at the inaugural SADC Council of Traditional Leaders Conference held in Zambia in May, to work towards integration into the structures of SADC, the African Union and other regional bodies to broaden the scope of regional integration.

An interim executive council was mandated to convene a conference of traditional leaders of all SADC states in October this year. Each SADC member state will send 10 delegates to the consport ference that will transform the interim group into a permanent structure.

Exchange visits in the region shall be undertaken to share best practices on how to strengthen traditional authorities to ensure they become an integral part of SADC. The first exchange programmes will involve Angola, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Mozambique and United Republic of Tanzania.

The Chiefs’ Council has assigned itself tasks to address the issues of HIV and AIDS, especially the revival of the traditional African family support mechanisms that took care of orphans.

Other areas identified for follow up include: promotion of democratic institutions such as Chiefs' Councils or House of Chiefs and strengthening those that already exist; lobbying for the domestication of ratified international human rights instruments so that they become implementable locally; increasing chiefs’ participation in local government; restoration of land rights to local communities; and the promotion of women and children's rights.

“Land is central to the African way of life and issues connected to land are crucial to human dignity,” noted the chiefs.

They said that economic, social and cultural rights are just as important as civil and political rights and governments must ensure respect for basic human rights standards.