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Plenary Assembly

This is the highest policy making and deliberative body of the SADC Parliamentary Forum. It is composed of up to a maximum of six Members per Member Parliament, consisting of the Presiding Officer and a maximum of five other Members of Parliament, selected by national Parliaments to represent them at the SADC Parliamentary Forum.

The Plenary Assembly shall consist of Presiding Officers and the Representatives of the SADC Parliamentary Forum designated by National Parliaments.

Functions of the Plenary Assembly

In its consultative and deliberative role as provided in Article 11 (5) of the Constitution, the Plenary Assembly shall:

  1. provide a platform for consideration of matters of regional interest;
  2. deliberate comprehensively on the Standing Committee reports introduced by Motion of the Chairperson or any delegated member of that Committee;
  3. through resolutions on the Motions, adopt the reports of the Standing Committees, which resolutions shall be submitted to the SADC Secretariat and to relevant National Ministries through National Parliaments;
  4. collaborate with National Parliaments to advocate for the harmonisation, ratification, domestication and implementation of SADC Protocols, treaties and other decisions at the national level;
  5. consider and deliberate on any matters that will strengthen the implementation capacity of SADC;
  6. convene meetings as may be appropriate for the purpose of promoting the objectives and programmes of SADC and the interest of its representatives and Member Parliaments;
  7. debate SADC sectoral and other reports in the context of strengthening the implementation capacity of SADC;
  8. romote ways of achieving the objectives of the Forum;
  9. invite Members of SADC to brief the Plenary Assembly on issues of mutual interest;
  10. send delegations, upon invitation from appropriate authorities, as observers to meetings of the SADC Summit;
  11. invite any person or organisation to attend its meetings as observers;
  12. exercise all other powers incidental to the discharge of its functions.
  13. on the recommendation of the Executive Committee, determine the annual mandatory contributions to the Forum by Member Parliaments;
  14. on the recommendation of the Executive Committee, establish Standing Committees in terms of the Constitution;
  15. consider and approve the annual budget of the Forum;
  16. on the recommendation of the Executive Committee, appoint an Auditor for each financial year;
  17. consider and approve the annual audited accounts of the Forum;
  18. consider and approve the terms and conditions of service for the Secretary General upon recommendation by the Executive Committee; and
  19. exercise all other powers incidental to the discharge of its functions.

Quorum

The quorum of the Plenary Assembly meetings shall be a simple majority of the Member Parliaments.