Briefing to the Diplomatic Corps accredited to Pretoria on the Outcomes of the 28th Ordinary SADC Summit and Council of Ministers Meetings, Tuesday 2nd September 2008, Sheraton Hotel Pretoria

Your Excellencies

Thank you for all attending this briefing session on the outcomes of the Summit of SADC Heads of State and Government held at the Sandton Convention Centre last month.

As you are all aware, the 28th Ordinary SADC Summit took place from 16-17 August 2008 and President Thabo Mbeki assumed the chair of our Regional Development Community.  With South Africa as the current chair, the SADC Troika now comprises of South Africa (chair), Zambia (outgoing chair) and the Democratic Republic of Congo (incoming chair).  Our Swazi neighbours assumed the chair of the Organ on Politics, Defence and Security thereby joining Angola (outgoing chair) and Mozambique (incoming chair) as the Organ Troika. 
 
As is customary, the Summit Session was preceded by the meeting of the SADC Council of Ministers from 14-15 August 2008 and the Standing Committee of Senior Officials from 10-12 August 2008.  SADC’s Ministerial Task Force on Regional Economic Integration which consists of Ministers of Trade, Finance and Economic Planning met on 13 August 2008 in order to prepare its report to the Summit Session.

The Summit was attended by the Head of State or Government of all the member countries except Botswana and Zambia. The former did not attend the session due to its concerns on the legality of the Zimbabwean participation and the latter’s absence was due to the hospitalization of President Mwanawasa.  We were all deeply saddened by the subsequent passing away of the Zambian leader whose presence and passion will be sorely missed in our SADC family.

Highlights of the Summit

For South Africa, the highlight of the Summit was the achievement of one of our region’s economic integration milestones, the launch of the SADC Free Trade Area (FTA).  The launch took place on 17 August 2008 which was SADC Day as well.  We also remembered on this day the tragic death of Ruth First, an avid proponent of region integration and great champion for a democratic South Africa.  She was killed in Maputo by letter bomb on that day in 1982.

The benefits of the FTA for SADC and its citizens was the main theme of the statements made by the Executive Secretary of SADC, Dr Tomaz Salomão, representatives of civil society, of the private sector and President Mbeki. 

While we realise the significance of meeting the 2008 deadline for the FTA launch, we must also not take it for granted.  Rather we should renew our efforts to consolidate the FTA by addressing issues such as productive capacities and supply side constraints in the region, harmonising industrial, agricultural and competition policies and developing regional infrastructure to support the economic integration objectives.  As highlighted by President Mbeki during the launching ceremony, we all need to work collectively to ensure that SADC becomes a full and effective participant in this changing global economy with new challenges and pressures.
 
In terms of the current status of the FTA, eleven member states have fulfilled their minimum obligations in terms of the tariff phase downs i.e. 85% duty free by January 2008.  Malawi indicated that it has liberalized 70% of its trade with SADC and continues to move toward the achievement of the 85% zero tariff threshold.  Angola’s tariff offer will be presented following consideration and approval by its Cabinet.  The DRC indicated that they are working on the possibility of joining the FTA. 

As chair of the Ministerial Task Force on Regional Economic Integration, South Africa will need to drive implementation of these commitments in consolidating the FTA, fully implementing the SADC Trade Protocol and ensure that the envisaged SADC customs union is eventually attainable.

Another highlight, particularly for South Africa in celebrating Women’s Month, was the signing of the Protocol on Gender and Development by SADC member states.  The Protocol calls for far-reaching changes in SADC countries including the repeal of all discriminatory laws; the inclusion of gender equality and equity in national constitutions and adopting the goal of 50% representation of women in political and decision-making structures in SADC countries by 2015.  This benchmark aligns with the 50% parity within AU structures and South Africa is pleased to join the region in committing to this important target.

Member states will be required to submit national reports to the SADC Summit every two years on progress they have made in implementing the Protocol which will include the development of national plans of action.

We were all very pleased to welcome the Seychelles back into the SADC fold which increased the membership of SADC to fifteen (15).  We look forward to supporting them in their contributions to the regional organization in future.

Political and Socio-Economic Situation in the Region

Your Excellencies,

The Summit noted that generally the region remains relatively stable and peaceful with challenges in the DRC, Lesotho, Malawi and Zimbabwe.  South Africa was also included in this list of countries owing to the xenophobic attacks earlier this year. However, it was noted that the South African Government had taken measures to address the attacks including the establishment of a National Task Force to deal with the perpetrators.

There was much attention on this particular Summit due to the focus of several side meetings on the current situation in Zimbabwe.  An Extraordinary Summit Session was convened on the margins to discuss the situation in Zimbabwe, preceded by Organ Troika meetings, attesting to the clear commitment of the SADC-mandated Facilitation and the Community as a whole, to restore political stability to that country.  While the power-sharing negotiations were not concluded during the Summit, SADC appealed to the parties to sign any outstanding agreements and conclude the negotiations as a matter of urgency.  SADC will continue its efforts within the framework of its previous decisions and those taken by the African Union Sharm El Sheikh at the end of June 2008.

On social and cross-cutting issues, the Summit considered the outcomes of the SADC International Conference on Poverty and Development and the Ministerial Task Force on Food Security.  The Heads of State approved the Implementation Plan of the decisions arising from the Poverty and Development Conference, placing on member states the obligation to implement the plan which includes the establishment of the Regional Poverty Observatory.

Another outcome of the Poverty and Development Conference was the establishment of a Ministerial Task Force on Food Security comprising of Ministers of Trade, Agriculture and Finance.  The aim of the Task Force was to immediately focus on the current food crisis and in so doing, to promote regional collaboration in food security.  SADC will need to undertake short-term measures to mitigate against the high food prices including safety nets, food for work, feeding schemes for students and zero rating on food imports, as well as long-term measures to increase cereal production and access issues. 

Much debate centred on the contribution of member states to the agricultural sector, as per previous SADC decisions. It was recognised that SADC countries need to increase investment in the agricultural sector to address food insecurity in the region. 

As indicated by our President in his SADC Day message, the Dar-es-Salaam Declaration on Agriculture and Food Security coupled with the Mauritius Declaration on Poverty and Development are clear indications of our commitment to improving the lives of all our people. The key is ensuring effective implementation of these commitments which, clearly, should be the focus of the region’s social partners.

Following a report on consultations between SADC and the EU on the 10th European Development Fund Programming, member states were concerned about the linkage made by the EU side between the EDF resources and the EPA negotiations, in that only SADC-EPA states would benefit from the Fund.  However, it was noted that the EU wanted to avoid duplication of benefits to states belonging to more than one REC, hence the EDF envelope only taking into account the seven SADC-EPA countries.  The Council endorsed the revised Strategic Paper for the 10th EDF Programming and requested the Secretariat to submit a detailed programme of implementation during its February 2009 session.  The point was repeatedly made that this process needs to be managed effectively so as not to allow the EPAs to jeopardize the regional integration agenda.  Closer coordination between SADC, COMESA and the EAC was emphasised to derive maximum benefits from the EDF for all SADC countries.

In considering the report of the Consultative Conference between SADC and its international cooperating partners (ICPs), held in April this year in Mauritius, there were some concerns regarding the level of participation of the ICPs which was only at senior officials’ level while SADC had numerous Ministers in attendance.  In the interests of maintaining this important dialogue, SADC agreed that the Consultative Conference should remain an event held every two years but with participation at senior officials’ level.  Should this evolve again into an event at Ministerial level then SADC will respond accordingly.

Restructuring of SADC

The Sandton Summit approved the abolition of the Integrated Committee of Ministers (ICM), following many challenges faced by the ICM since its launching in 2003.  It will be recalled that the ICM had been established to oversee and monitor implementation of the Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan (RISDP).  This function will now be undertaken by the Sectoral and Cluster Ministerial Committees, whose, main responsibility will be to supervise activities of integration and cooperation priority areas. 

The Committees approved by Summit cover the following clusters:

• trade, industry, finance and investment;
• infrastructure and services;
• food, agriculture, natural resources and environment;
• social and human development, gender and special programmes;
• politics, defence and security; and
• legal affairs and judicial matters

South Africa will oversee the first round of operations of the Ministerial Committees and would need to ensure close coordination amongst lead Ministries to chair the respective sectors and clusters within the context of the country’s overall chairing strategy.  We look forward to this new phase in SADC’s institutional history particularly as it aims to increase effective implementation of SADC programmes and activities.  We will also need to ensure that any unfinished work by the ICM is carried over by the relevant Sectoral Ministerial Committees.

In terms of the new Secretariat structure, the Sandton Summit approved the creation of a second position of Deputy Executive Secretary and consequently the abolition of the post of Chief Director in the Secretariat.  It will be recalled that the envisaged two Deputy Executive Secretaries will be responsible for regional integration and administration respectively.  The Summit directed the Chairperson of the Council of Ministers (Minister Dlamini Zuma), assisted by the Secretariat, to expedite the recruitment of the second Deputy Executive Secretary, whose appointment and swearing in could be undertaken at either an Extraordinary SADC Summit or on the margins of other international fora.

SADC leaders signed various legal instruments including the Draft Agreement Amending the Treaty, the Draft Protocol on Gender and Development as mentioned earlier, and the Draft Protocol on Science, Technology and Innovation amongst others.  In our capacity as chair, South Africa will do its best in focusing on actual implementation of all SADC Protocols in deepening regional integration and cooperation.

As per customary practice, the Summit received a report from the SADC Tribunal which indicated that the Tribunal had started hearing cases with a total of four (4) and ten (10) cases filed in 2007 and 2008 respectively. The SADC Tribunal sought the advice of Summit on its inability to enforce a judgment handed down against the Government of Zimbabwe declaring that country’s land redistribution policy illegal. The matter has been referred to SADC ministers of Justice and Attorneys General for deliberation.

SADC/COMESA/EAC Tripartite Summit

As you may be aware, SADC will be cooperating with two other Regional Economic Communities (RECs) namely the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) and the East African Community (EAC), in efforts to harmonise regional integration programmes and contribute to broader continental integration.  Progress on this Tripartite Summit was reported to the Summit.  The Tripartite Summit is scheduled for 20 October 2008 in Kampala and will be preceded by Ministers and Senior Officials’ meetings.  The agenda will be finalized by the Joint Task Force of the three REC Secretariats.  South Africa is very enthusiastic about this initiative which augurs well for policy and programme harmonization on an inter-REC basis. 

Conclusion

In conclusion, it is important to note that certain Summit outcomes such as the re-admission of the Seychelles, the abolition of the Integrated Committee of Ministers, the amendment of the SADC Treaty, the signing of numerous other legal instruments particularly the Gender Protocol, have highlighted the dynamic nature of SADC and its ability to evolve with current global challenges and developments.  During our term as chair of the Development Community, South Africa will continue in its commitment to ensure that SADC remains relevant and united and that, during this period, SADC moves resolutely towards full economic integration.

I thank you.