SADC IS a regional organisation that aims to promote sustainable and equitable socio-economic development in southern Africa.Its operations are centralised at the SADC Secretariat based in Gaborone, Botswana.
Political and policy decisions on regional development and integration are taken by the SADC Summit of Heads of State and Government, and/or by the SADC Summit Troika of the Organ.
This issue of Southern Africa Today explores how these political governance structures operate in the discharge of their responsibilities.
SADC Summit
The SADC Summit is responsible for the overall policy direction and control of functions of the Community, ultimately making it the supreme policy-making institution of SADC.
It is made up of all SADC Heads of States or Government of Member States and is managed on a Troika system that comprises the current SADC Summit Chairperson, the incoming Chairperson (the Deputy at the time), and the immediate previous Chairperson.
Therefore, prior to the 34th SADC Summit to be held on 17-18 August in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, the Summit Troika was made up of Malawian President Peter Mutharika (current chair), Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe (incoming chair), and Mozambican President Armando Guebuza (immediate previous chair).
However, after the 34thSummit that will see President Mugabe assume the chair, the Summit Troika will be made up of Zimbabwe (current chair), Malawi (previous chair) and the SADC Member State that will be elected as Deputy.
The Troika System vests authority in this group of three leaders to take quick decisions on behalf of SADC that are ordinarily taken at policy meetings scheduled at regular intervals, as well as providing policy direction to SADC institutions between the regular SADC Summits.
This system has been effective since it was established by the Summit at its annual meeting in Maputo, Mozambique in August 1999. Other Member States may be co-opted into the Troika as necessary.
The Troika system operates at the level of the Summit, the Organ, the Council of Ministers, and the Standing Committee of Senior Officials.
The Summit usually meets once a year in August/September.
Summit Troika of the Organ
The SADC Organ on Politics Defence and Security Cooperation is managed on a Troika basis and is responsible for promoting peace and security in the SADC region.
It is mandated to steer and provide Member States with direction regarding matters that threaten peace, security and stability in the region. It is coordinated at the level of Summit, consisting of a Chairperson, Incoming Chairperson and Outgoing Chairperson, and reports to the SADC Summit Chairperson.
The SADC Summit and the Organ Troika are mutually exclusive, and the Chairperson of the Organ does not simultaneously hold the chair of Summit. Like the Summit chair, the Organ chair rotates on an annual basis.
The Organ structure, operations and functions are regulated by the Protocol on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation.
The Organ has its own strategic plan, the Strategic Indicative Plan for the Organ (SIPO).
SADC BUDGET
MEMBER STATES contribute to the SADC budget and various projects and programmes are supported by International Cooperating Partners (ICPs).
Member States have been urged to reduce dependence on donor funding for regional integration and development programmes.
“As we all agree, donor contributions should only supplement our own efforts and should not be the mainstay of our regional integration and development programmes,” the SADC Executive Secretary, Dr Stergomena Lawrence Tax, reminded the 16th Ministerial Committee of the Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation (MCO) held in Swakopmund, Namibia in July.
The current ratio of SADC funds allocation is 21 percent from Member States and 79 percent from International Cooperating Partners.
“As long as donor contributions are the major source of our funding, it will be hard for us to independently realise our objectives – without pandering to the whims of others. This disturbing situation requires immediate attention,” she said.
