REMARKS BY THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE SADC PF STANDING COMMITTEE ON DEMOCRATISATION, GOVERNANCE AND HUMAN RIGHTS, HON. DOUGHT NDIWENI DURING THE REGIONAL POLICY DIALOGUE ON “STRENGTHENING SEPARATION OF POWERS & PARLIAMENTARY OVERSIGHT IN THE SADC REGION: A LEAP TOWARDS DEMOCRATIC ACCOUNTABILITY AND INCLUSIVE GOVERNANCE” HELD ON 4TH AND 5TH NOVEMBER 2022 AT PREMIER HOTEL JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA
WELCOME REMARKS BY HER EXCELLENCY BOEMO SEKGOMA, SECRETARY GENERAL, SADC PARLIAMENTARY FORUM DURING THE REGIONAL POLICY DIALOGUE ON “STRENGTHENING SEPARATION OF POWERS & PARLIAMENTARY OVERSIGHT IN THE SADC REGION: A LEAP TOWARDS DEMOCRATIC ACCOUNTABILITY AND INCLUSIVE GOVERNANCE” HELD ON 4TH AND 5TH NOVEMBER 2022 AT PREMIER HOTEL JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA
STATUTORY MEETING OF THE SADC PF STANDING COMMITTEE ON FOOD, AGRICULTURE AND NATURAL RESOURCES
THEME: ‘TOWARDS BUILDING RESILIENT AGRICULTURAL SYSTEMS THROUGH ENHANCED PUBLIC FINANCE MANAGEMENT. HOW CAN PARLIAMENTS CONTRIBUTE?’
SUNDAY, 1ST MAY 2022, JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA, AHEAD OF THE 51ST PLENARY ASSEMBLY
TIME | ITEM/TOPIC | PRESENTER |
09:00 – 09:50 |
| Hon Leon Andre Tumba, Chairperson |
09:50 – 10:20 | Consideration of the theme: ‘Towards Building Resilient Agricultural Systems through Enhanced Public | Presenter - TBA |
10:20 - 10:50 | Committee’s Interactive Dialogue on Presentation | |
10:50 -11:10 | TEA BREAK | |
11:10-12:10 | Meeting with the Consultant for the SADC PF Strategic Plan (2019 to 2023) Review | |
12:10 -12:50 | Election of FANR Chairperson and Vice Chairperson for 2022 to 2024
| Secretary General |
12:50-13:00 | Closing Remarks and Adjournment | Hon Lekhetho Mosito, Vice Chairperson |
LUNCH | ||
END OF MEETING |
-
Credentials of Delegates and Apologies.
-
Adoption of the Agenda.
-
Welcomeremarks.
-
Consideration of the Minutes of the FANR Standing Committee held on Monday, 12th April, 2021.
-
Consideration of Matters Arising from the Minutes of the FANR Standing Committee meeting held on Monday, 12th April, 2021.
-
Presentation and discussion of the theme: “Water Resource Management in the SADC Region: What is the Role of Parliaments.”
-
Any Other Business.
-
SADC Revised protocol on shared watercourses (2000).
-
Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan (RISDP).
-
Regional Water Strategy (2006).
-
SADC Regional Water Policy (adopted in 2005).
-
Two cross-border water projects, namely, Lomahasha-Namaacha Water Supply and Sanitation Project between Eswatini and Mozambique and Kazungula Water Project in Zambia supported by the SADC Regional Water Fund.
-
The Climate Resilient Projects (through United Kingdom support in collaboration with the USAID and other partners.
-
Establishment and Strengthening of River Basin Organisations (RBOs), managing the joint programmes of various basins
-
Groundwater Development – for improved and sustainable livelihoods supported by the SADC GMI and World Bank supported)
-
Water, Energy and Food Security (WEF) nexus project (supported by the European Union).
-
Cross-Border WASH Projects (as a COVID-19 related response), the SADC Secretariat received funding from the Germany Government, so far pilot projects were being implemented between the borders of the Republic of South Africa and Zimbabwe. If successful, other the project to be replicated in other SADC borders.
-
The Water Transfer Project called the Songwe River Multi-purpose Infrastructure Development Project between Lesotho and Botswana and the Lesotho-Highlands Project.
-
Capacity building Development and research programmes: Waternet Programme: Running a flagship Masters Programme on IWRM, offered mainly at the Universities of Zimbabwe and Tanzania Dar-es- Salaam and the Southern African NEPAD Water Centre of Excellence Programme.
-
There was need for the SADC Member States to conduct research in order to ascertain the potential of groundwater in the region. This would result in effective planning and sustainable management of water.
-
The Committee made a clarion call to Member States to appreciate and provide support towards implementation of the WEF nexus programme, noting that water challenges were becoming complex and interfering with the key developmental sectors such as energy, agriculture, transportationand communication, among others.
-
In light of the WEF nexus approach, there was a need for respective Member States to ensure that the policies, strategies and legislation onwater were aligned to the principles of integrated water resource management.
-
The Committee resolved to urge Members States to adopt an integratedand basin wide approach to development, noting that developmentalactivities of one Member State could have a negative impact on another country.
-
There was need to provide support to SADC Parliamentarians to enable them address new and emerging challenges such as climate change, COVID 19 pandemic, gender and social inequalities all of which impacted water resource management.
-
SADC Parliamentarians to strengthen their representative role and utilise it to raise awareness on the challenges that beset water resource management in the region.
-
Need for strengthened oversight and harmonisation of legislation across the SADC region to ensure smooth and effective implementation of programmes.
-
SADC Parliaments to lobby respective Governments to increase budgetary allocations towards the water sector to promote investments that can guarantee a water secure region.
- https://www.sadc.int/themes/agriculture-food-security/
- https://www.cabri-sbo.org/uploads/files/Documents/Cabri_Module-1-ENG.pdf
- https://www.fpfinancingroadmap.org/learning/specific-topics/public-financial-management
- For the Maputo Declaration, see: https://bit.ly/2PQ4EhX
- TRANSTEC, Public Governance: Public Finance Management Research Park, Last update January 2017, Belgium www.transtec.be
- https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/bitstream/handle/10986/34085/Main-Report.pdf?sequence=4
- Zúñiga, N. 2018. Land corruption: Topic guide. Transparency International.
- The Role of Smallholder Farms in a Changing World. The Role of Smallholder Farms in Food and Nutrition Security, 2020 ISBN : 978-3-030-42147-2Shenggen Fan, Christopher Rue
- https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/press-release/2013/03/04/africas-food-markets-could-create-one-trilliondollar-opportunity-2030
- assess how the Model Law can contribute to improved utilisation of public financial resources and enhance the performance of the agriculture sector in the SADC region;
- establish the challenges inhibiting effective public finance management in the agriculture sector, and assess how the Model Law can be utilised to develop a turnaround strategy;
- make recommendations on how legislatures can use their oversight role to foster effective public finance management in the agriculture sector; and
- reflect on a theme for the 51st Plenary Assembly of the Forum in line with current regional and world affairs, such as the energy crisis i.e the upward escalation of oil, natural gas and diesel prices due to speculations on the energy market, and the need for the SADC region to be more energy efficient and attain SDG 7 on affordable and clean energy.
DAY 1 FRIDAY 22ND APRIL | Virtual Meeting of the Regional Parliamentary Oversight Committee (RPMLOC) |
09:00-10:45 | Statutory Virtual Meeting of the RPMLOC to track progress on the domestication of SADC Model Laws by Member Parliaments |
10:45-11:00 | Tea Break |
11:00-13:00 | Statutory Virtual Meeting of the RPMLOC |
13:00-14:00 | Lunch Break |
14:00-15:30 | Statutory Virtual Meeting of the RPMLOC |
DAY 2 MONDAY 25th APRIL | Virtual Statutory Meeting of the Regional Women Parliamentary Caucus (RWPC) |
09:00-10:45 | Statutory Virtual Meeting of the RWPC to share experiences of and gain knowledge on the work done by Women’s Caucuses at national level and look for ways to build efficiency through increased dialogue at the regional level |
10:45-11:00 | Tea Break |
11:00-13:00 | Statutory Virtual Meeting of the RWPC |
13:00-14:00 | Lunch Break |
14:00-15:00 | Statutory Virtual Meeting of the RWPC |
15:00-15:30 | Elections for RWPC Chairperson and Vice Chairperson for 2022 to 2024 |
DAY 3 TUESDAY 26TH APRIL |
|
DAY 4 WEDNESDAY 27TH APRIL |
REGIONAL LEGISLATIVE SENSITISATION HIGH-LEVEL MEETING ON SAFE ABORTION CASE STUDIES FOR MPS AND SECTORAL LEADERSHIP POLICY ADVOCACY DIALOGUE WITH PARLIAMENTARIANS ON PREVENTION OF UNSAFE ABORTIONS AND EARLY AND UNINTENDED PREGNANCIES IN THE SADC REGION 1.BACKGROUND AND INTRODUCTION Through funding support from Sweden, Southern African Development Community Parliamentary Forum (SADC-PF) and SAfAIDS are jointly hosting a virtual Regional Legislative Sensitisation High-Level Meeting on Safe Abortion Case Studies for Members of Parliament and a Sectoral Policy Advocacy Dialogue with Parliamentarians. The two regional events are being collaboratively convened under the Regional SRHR, HIV and Governance Project and Regional Transforming Lives Programme respectively, seeking to improve sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) outcomes for SADC citizens. The two events build on the Regional Policy Advocacy Dialogue held with Parliamentarians on 1st April 2021 which resulted in key recommendations being passed by Members of Parliament towards a Regional Roadmap on Ending Unsafe Abortion and Early and Unintended Pregnancy (EUP). 2. PURPOSE OF THE REGIONAL POLICY ADVOCACY DIALOGUE The Regional Legislative Sensitisation High-Level Meeting and Policy Advocacy Dialogue are strategic platforms to examine the status and extent of unsafe abortion and EUP in the SADC region and focus on catalysing policy advocacy actions towards preventing unsafe abortion and EUP in the SADC Region. The two events will be hosted with the following objectives:
|
DAY 5 THURSDAY 28TH APRIL | Joint Sitting of SADC PF Standing Committees and the Regional Women’s Parliamentary Caucus (RWPC) Objective: to review and validate the SADC Model Law on Public Financial Management |
09:00 – 09:30 | Session 1 Director of Ceremonies-: Mrs Yapoka Nyirenda Mungandi- Director Finance and Corporate Services Official Opening Session o Introductions o Welcome Remarks by Ms Boemo M. Sekgoma, SADC PF Secretary General, SADC PF o Official Opening Address by Hon. Dr Situmbeko Musokotwane, Minister of Finance of the Republic of Zambia o Vote of thanks by Hon Jerónima Agostinho, DGHR and Member of the Executive Committee o Meeting Objectives and Programme Overview |
09:30 – 10:45 | Introduction of Legal Drafter and Order of Business- Mr Joseph Manzi- Director Programmes and Parliamentary Business Consideration of the Draft SADC Model Law on Clause-by-Clause Session 2 ❖ DRAFT/EXPLANATORY NOTES ON THE MODEL LAW ON PUBLIC FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT ❖ PREAMBLE ❖ ARRANGEMENT OF PROVISIONS ❖ PRELIMINARY ❖ AIMS AND OBJECTIVES Facilitator: Dr Daniel Greenberg, Legal Drafter |
10:45 – 11:00 | Group Photograph and Tea Break |
11:00 – 13:00 | Session 2 Continues ❖ PART 3 o AUTHORITIES ❖ PART 4 o PUBLIC FUNDS ❖ PART 5 o SUPPLY AND APPROPRIATION ❖ PART 6 o PARLIAMENTARY CONTROL ❖ PART 7 o NATIONAL BUDGET ❖ PART 8 o GOVERNMENT BORROWING ❖ PART 9 o PROCUREMENT AND USE OF PUBLIC RESOURCES ❖ PART 10 o PUBLIC ACCOUNTS ❖ PART 11 o FINANCIAL MISCONDUCT, MISUSE AND MALADMINISTRATION ❖ PART 12 o CRYPTOCURRENCIES ❖ PART 13 o STATE GOVERNMENTS ❖ PART 14 o LOCAL AUTHORITIES ❖ PART 15 o STATE-OWNED ENTERPRISES ❖ PART 16 o FINAL PROVISIONS ❖ SCHEDULES o SCHEDULE 1 o STATE GOVERNMENTS ▪ PART 1: PROVISIONS OF THIS ACT APPLYING TO STATE GOVERNMENTS ▪ PART 2: MODIFICATIONS IN APLICATION TO STATE GOVERNMENTS o PART 1: PRELIMINARY o PART 2: AIMS AND OBJECTIVES o PART 3: AUTHORITIES o PART 4: PUBLIC FUNDS o PART 5: SUPPLY AND APPROPRIATION o PART 6: PARLIAMENTARY CONTROL |
13:00 – 14:00 | Lunch Break |
14:00 – 15:30 | Session 3 ❖ PART 7: NATIONAL BUDGET ❖ PART 8: GOVERNMENT BORROWING Facilitator: Dr Daniel Greenberg, Legal Drafter Tea Break Session 3 Continues ❖ PART 9: PROCUREMENT AND USE OF PUBLIC RESOURCES |
17:00 | Announcements & End of Day |
DAY 6 FRIDAY 29TH APRIL |
|
09:00 – 10:45 | Session 4 ❖ PART 10: PUBLIC ACCOUNTS ❖ PART 11: FINANCIAL MISCONDUCT, MISUSE AND MALADMINISTRATION Facilitator: Dr Daniel Greenberg, Legal Drafter |
10:45 – 11:00 | Tea Break |
11:00 – 13:00 | Session 4 Continues ❖ PART 12: CRYPTOCURRENCIES ❖ PART 13: STATE GOVERNMENTS ❖ PART 14: LOCAL AUTHORITIES ❖ PART 15: STATE-OWNED ENTERPRISES ❖ PART 16: FINAL PROVISIONS |
13:00 – 14:00 | Lunch Break |
14:00 – 15:30 | Session 5 ❖ SCHEDULES o SCHEDULE 1: STATE GOVERNMENTS
o SCHEDULE 2: LOCAL AUTHORITIES
Facilitator: Dr Daniel Greenberg, Legal Drafter |
15:30 – 15:45 | Tea Break |
15:45 – 16:50 | o SCHEDULE 2: STATE-OWNED ENTERPRISES
|
16:50 – 17:00 | Closing Remarks by the Chairperson of the Regional Parliamentary Oversight Committee (RPMLOC) Hon. Leon Tumba |
17:00 | End of Day & End of Joint Sitting to review and validate PFM Model Law STATUTORY MEETINGS OF STANDING COMMITTEES AND THE RWPC |
DAY 7 SATURDAY 30TH APRIL |
|
09:00-10:45 |
|
10:45-11:00 | Tea Break |
11:00-13:00 |
|
13:00-14:00 | Lunch Break |
14:00-16:30 |
|
16:30-17:00 |
|
DAY 8 SUNDAY 1ST MAY |
|
09:00-10:45 |
|
11:45-11:00 | Tea Break |
11:00-12:30 |
|
12:30-13:30 |
|
13:00-14:00 | Lunch Break |
14:00-17:00 |
|
DAY 9 MONDAY 2ND MAY |
|
DAY 10 TUESDAY 3RD MAY | Departures for Committee Secretaries |
Programme-for-Standing-Cttee-Session-51st-Plenary-Assembly
(Updated on 4th March 2022)
# | PLANNED ACTIVITIES | OBJECTIVES | PARTICIPANTS | PLATFORM / VENUE | DATE & TIME |
FEBRUARY 2022 | |||||
1 | Commissioning of a Region-wide study to assess & identify the challenges women face in electoral processes in SADC Member States | To enhance the role of Parliamentin promoting women participationin electoral processes in SADC | Consultant to consult with SADC PF female MPs, female MPs from Member Parliaments and otherstakeholders | Zoom and email | February-April |
2 | Development of Regional Principles and Guidelines on the Role of Parliaments in the protection and promotion of Human Rights. | To enhancing the role of parliament in the promotion and protection of human rights. | Consultant to consult with national and regional Human Rights institutions, National Parliaments, civil society and other stakeholders | Zoom and email | February- April |
MARCH 2022 | |||||
3 | Baseline Study on the mechanisms and practices for enforcement of separationof powers and checks and balances in National Parliaments | To strengthen the role of Parliament in ensuring democratic accountability and promoting good governance | All National Parliaments tobe consulted through questionnaires and other research tools | Virtual and Electronic | March to May |
APRIL 2022 | |||||
STANDING COMMITTEESTANDING COMMITTEE SESSION FOR THE 51ST PLENARY ASSEMBLY SESSION | |||||
4 | Statutory Meeting of the Standing Committee on Democratisation,Governance and Human Rights, jointly with RPMLOC | To Strengthen the Role of Parliament in Curbing Corruption and Promoting Accountability in the SADC Region by engaging Parliamentarians on how to use Public Finance Management to Execute Measures to Fight Corruption | DGHR Committee Member | Physical | 1 May 09:00 – 17:00 |
MAY 2022 | |||||
5 | Undertake periodic tracking of SADC Protocols using balance score card – ontwo protocols | To enhance regional accountability on regional commitments | Consultant to develop a score card and under take assessment on progress on implementation of 2 protocols on natural resources governance and climate change adaptation | Zoom and email | 10 May |
6 | National Workshop to promote the domestication of the SADC Model Law on Elections in Lesotho | To promote the domestication of the SADC Model Law on Elections in Lesotho | Chairpersons of relevant parliamentary Committees of Lesotho, Independent Electoral Commission, CSOs, Media, and Chairperson and Vice Chairperson of the DGHR Committee and other stakeholders in Lesotho | Lesotho | 11-12 May or 18-19 May |
JUNE 2022 | |||||
JULY 2021 | |||||
7 | Joint Meeting of the DGHR Standing Committeeand RPMLOC on strengthening accountability through enhancing separation of powers and checks and balances | To enhance the role of Parliament in promoting democratic accountability for democratic consolidation | Members of the RPMLOC and DGHR Committees, CSOs, Media | Zoom | 28 July 09:30-13:0014:30-17:00 |
AUGUST 2021 | |||||
SEPTEMBER 2021 | |||||
8 | Regional policy conference on women in politics to disseminate and analyse Study findings on the challenges women face in electoral processes in selected SADC Member States | To popularise the recommendations from the study and gain deeper understanding of the challenges and identify possible avenues to address the same. | Members of the Members of the GEWAYD, RWPC and DGHR Committee | Physical | 4-5 September |
9 | Training of senior parliament staff on integrating crisis and disaster management and scenario planning in parliamentary work | To build the capacity of senior parliamentary staff of national parliaments and regional and international inter-parliamentary organisations | Senior parliamentary staff of national parliaments and regional and international interparliamentary organisations | Physical | 30 September |
OCTOBER 2021 | |||||
STANDING COMMITTEE SESSIONSTANDING COMMITTEE SESSIONFOR THE 52ND PLANARYASSEMBLY SESSION – 10TH TO 16THOCTOBER 2021 | |||||
10 | Statutory Meeting of DGHR Committee with other SADCPF Committees and relevant national Parliament Committees on the role of Parliament in Protecting human rights during crises and disasters | To enhance the role of the DGHR committee & RPMLOC in monitoring the protection of human rights during crises and disasters | DGHR, SADC PFCommittees and Chairpersons of national parliamentary Committees | Physical | 16 October |
NOVEMBER 2021 | |||||
11 | Regional round table discussion on enhancing the oversight and monitoring capacity of parliaments for transparency and democratic accountability in Southern Africa | To build the capacity of MPs in understanding the concept of check and balances and the involvement of CSOs and staff of parliament in promoting good governance. | MPs, CSOs and staff of Parliament | Zoom | 2 November 09:30-12:3014:00-16:00 |
DECEMBER 2022 | |||||
12 | Validation of the regional toolkit on best practices on parliamentary responses in protecting human rights during crises and disasters | To develop a knowledge management tool to assist MPs in protecting human rights during crises and disasters | RPMLOC, DGH Rand other SADCPF Committees | Zoom | 5 December 2022 |
Minutes-DGHR-Committee-50th-Plenary-Role-of-Parly-in-Conflcit-Prevention-Management
ON THE OCCASION OF THE COMMITTEE SESSION FOR THE SADC PF STANDING COMMITTEE ON DEMOCRATISATION, GOVERNANCE AND HUMAN RIGHTS (DGHR) DURING THE 51ST PLENARY ASSEMBLY HELD ON SUNDAY 1ST MAY 2022 FROM 09:00 TO 17:00
ALUTATIONS
- Honorable Members of the SADC PF Standing Committee on Democratization Governance and Human Rights;
- The Secretary General of the SADC PF, Ms Boemo Sekgoma;
- Committee Secretary, Mr Sheuneni Kurasha and other Staff from the SADC PF Secretariat and National Parliaments;
- Our distinguished Resource Persons:
- ISHARA BODASING, Managing Director IBodasing Governance Consultants, Advocate of the High Court and Member of the Companies Tribunal in South Africa;
- Titus Gwemende, Team Leader at the Africa Regional Office of Open Society Foundations;
- Mr Ipyana Musopole, Officer-Anti-Corruption and Good Governance, SADC Secretariat, Gaborone, Botswana
- Representatives of Partner Organisations.
- Representatives of media organisations
- Ladies and Gentlemen.
It is my singular honour and privilege to welcome you to this statutory meeting of the SADC PF Standing Committee on Democratisation, Governance and Human Rights (DGHR) which is being held during the 51st Plenary Assembly Session under the theme: “Towards Strengthening the Role of Parliament in Curbing Corruption and Promoting Accountability in the SADC Region: Engaging Parliamentarians on how to use Public Finance Management to Execute Measures to Fight Corruption.’’
We are meeting at a time when the world is battling two major crises, namely the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine conflict, that have had devastating effects on the global economy, including an astronomical rise in fuel prices and a similar trend being projected for food prices. This is in addition to the various pre-existing challenges such as a shrinking global economy, political crises, rising unemployment and ailing healthcare systems. SADC Member States, being part of the global village, have not been spared by these challenges and must therefore, face them head-on.
Hon. Members and Distinguished Participants
Our theme, “Towards Strengthening the Role of Parliament in Curbing Corruption and Promoting Accountability in the SADC Region: Engaging Parliamentarians on how to use Public Finance Management to Execute Measures to Fight Corruption” gives us a timely as Parliamentarians to interrogate some of these matters, with a view to finding solutions for the benefit of citizens. This is particularly important since SADC PF has developed the SADC Model Law on Public Financial Management (PFM) as a comprehensive tool to entrench transparency and accountability in the management of public finances in SADC Member States.
Hon. Members and Distinguished Participants
A sound, transparent and effective public financial management system is a fulcrum of democratic accountability and good governance in any country since it guarantees effectiveness in the way in which public resources are collected, allocated, spent and accounted. It is incontestable that the large amounts of money involved in the management of public finances on one hand, and the discretion that is often given to public officials on the other hand, will often render PFM vulnerable to corruption.
Corruption is a threat to democracy as it does not only erode public trust in public institutions but is also hampers economic development and aggravates inequality, poverty, social division and the environmental crisis.
I therefore, welcome the development the PFM Model Law as it will help countries of the region to benchmark and set best practices as they seek to plug any legislative, policy and implementation gaps, based on their national contexts. Indeed, SADC PF must be commended for this trailblazing initiative which adds to the growing body of regional and international instruments that offer an array of strategies to mitigate the effects of corruption and propel the region towards socio-economic transformation as espoused in SADC Vision 2050, African Union (AU) Agenda 263 and the global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Other important instruments in this regard include the SADC Protocol Against Corruption adopted in August 2001 and entered into force in 2003, the AU Convention on Preventing and Combating Corruption adopted in 2003 and entered into force in 2006 and the United Nations Convention Against Corruption.
Hon. Members and Distinguished Participants
Curbing corruption and strengthening democratic accountability through PFM systems require Parliaments of SADC Member States to be proactive in ensuring the establishment of robust public financial management systems and effective monitoring of the same for compliance, through oversight. The legislature must live up to citizens’ expectation by serving as a genuine public forum for scrutiny and checks and balances, thereby helping to break the patterns of social traps and the vicious cycle of corruption in society.
Parliaments are duty-bound to ensure that adequate progressive laws and policies are put in place to enhance transparency and accountability in the management of public finances. The laws so passed by Parliament ought to include mechanisms and safeguards for effective budget execution, efficient management of collected revenues as well as fair, competitive and transparent public procurement processes. I therefore, wish to reiterate the call that was made by the former Minister of Finance of South Africa, Mr Tito Mboweni, that national Parliaments should strengthen their respective anti-corruption legal frameworks, in particular in critical areas of prevention, criminalisation, international cooperation, extradition, and assets recovery.
Having good laws against corruption is not enough. Laws are not a panacea for corruption. In addition to the laws, Parliaments should also ensure that there is adequate enforcement. Law enforcement agencies should ensure that the corrupt are indiscriminately punished and the cycles of impunity are broken. There also need for proper functioning institutions, including an independent judiciary, a robust media and a vibrant civil society.
Parliaments themselves should strengthen their relevant parliamentary committees and to enhance their internal technical capacities to review the budget and financial reports from government ministries and agencies. Parliaments should utilise resources such as the SADC PF Benchmarks for Democratic Legislatures in Southern Africa (2010), which provides minimum standards on the constitutional and legal framework, political, institutional, financial, material and human resources requirements for truly democratic Parliaments.
Hon. Members and Distinguished Participants
I am glad that over the last two years this Committee has greatly contributed to the objectives of SADC PF as espoused in its Strategic Plan (2019-2023), Constitution and Rules of Procedure regarding strengthening democratic accountability, including curbing corruption, the limitations place by the COVID-19 pandemic notwithstanding. For instance, the Programme is currently developing various knowledge tools for use by Parliamentarians in tackling the various challenges they face in undertaking their work. These include the following:
- Principles and Guidelines for Parliaments in Curbing Corruption in the SADC Region.
- Guidelines for Parliaments in Promoting and Protecting Human Rights.
- Handbook on the Role of Parliament in Promoting and Protecting Human Rights during pandemics and crises.
- Baseline Study on the Mechanisms and Practices for Separation of Powers and Checks and Balances in SADC national Parliaments.
Various activities have also been implemented to strengthen the capacity of Parliamentarians on critical democracy and governance themes including the following: the role of Parliament in conflict prevention and management; the role of parliament in promoting protecting human rights; the role of parliament in promoting constitutionalism and the rule of law; and the role of Parliament in promoting democratic elections. We have also continued to promote peer learning and experience-sharing among Members.
The meeting today will continue on the same trajectory, with capacitating Members on how they can utilise parliamentary control in PFM to foster democratic accountability, openness and curb corruption. Members will also be exposed to the linkages between the SADC PFM Model Law and the SADC Protocol Against Corruption as well as other regional and international instruments on combating corruption with a view to identify and pursue opportunities for domestication at national level.
We shall conclude by adopting specific recommendations to the Plenary Assembly on priority areas for action by Parliaments at national and regional level to strengthen the role of Parliament in curbing corruption and promoting accountability through PFM in the SADC region.
I am also aware that we are meeting at a time when we have made several recommendations that were adopted by the Plenary Assembly, with the aim of promoting democracy and governance in the SADC region in line with our mandate. The include, but not limited to promoting the domestication of the SADC Model Law on Elections in Member States; the development of the SADC Model Law on the Role of Parliament in Promoting and Protecting Constitutionalism and Rule of Law; and the development of the SADC Model Law on Small Arms and Light Weapons.
We will, therefore, get an opportunity to be updated by the Secretariat, which has been working tirelessly, under the guidance of the Chairperson and Vice Chairperson, to ensure the effective implementation of these decision.
This meeting being at the end of the tenure for the current office bearers, we shall conclude our business with electing the Chairperson and Vice Chairperson who shall lead this Committee for the next two years.
We are grateful to the Swedish Government for agreeing to the addition of a component on strengthening democratic accountability to the existing Project on Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights and Governance. This is the Project under which our meeting today is being funded. We look forward to continued collaboration with Sweden towards democratic consolidation in the SADC region.
I also wish to thank our esteemed resource persons who have accepted to grace our meeting and to share their subject expertise which will enable the Committee to make informed deliberations and recommend to the Plenary Assembly accordingly. These are:
- Mr Jay Kruuse, Director, Public Service Accountability Monitor (PSAM), School of Journalism and Media Studies at Rhodes University in South Africa and Member of the Technical Working Group on the PFM Model Law;
Adv. Ishara Bodasing, Managing Director IBodasing Governance Consultants, South Africa;
Mr. Ipyana Musopole, Anti-Corruption Enforcement Officer, SADC Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Affairs, SADC Secretariat; and
Mr Titus Gwemende, Team Leader, Africa Regional Office – Open Society Foundation Africa.
We are also grateful to Members of the Regional Parliamentary Model Laws Oversights Committee who will be joining us for the meeting and to the Members of the DGHR Technical Working Group who will join us virtually.
Allow me to end by wishing the meeting very fruitful deliberations.
It is now my singular honour and privilege to declare the statutory meeting of the DGHR Committee during the 51st Plenary Assembly officially opened.
I thank you.