by Joseph Ngwawi – SANF 06 No 103
A regional electoral advisory body and human rights commission are on the cards in 2007 as southern Africa moves to strengthen its democratisation process.
This emerged from the ministerial meeting of the Southern African Development Community (SADC)-European Union (EU) Double Troika held in Maseru, Lesotho, in November.
SADC announced at the meeting that it is focusing on further developing and entrenching good governance and democratic practices through the creation of supportive institutions such as the Human Rights Commission and the SADC Electoral Advisory Council (SEAC).
Both bodies are scheduled for launch in 2007, according to a joint communique issued at the end of the meeting.
The main role of the SEAC will be that of advisor to SADC structures and to electoral commissions of member states on observation of elections.
It will complement the work of SADC Election Observer Missions, which are ad hoc teams of observers from member states who are assigned to observe the conduct of polls in countries in the region.
These teams are disbanded after every poll and new ones appointed when other elections take place.
The SADC Human Rights Commission will be a regional institution whose main objective is to entrench constitutional democracy in southern Africa through the promotion and protection of human rights.
It will, among other things, be responsible for addressing human rights violations and seeking effective redress for such violations; monitoring and assessing the observance of human rights by member states; raising awareness of human rights issues within the region; and educating and training stakeholders on human rights issues.
The Maseru meeting was attended by ministers and representatives of the SADC Troika, the Troika for the SADC Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation and the EU Troika.
The SADC delegation was headed by the chairperson of the Council of Ministers and Lesotho’s Minister of Finance and Development Planning, Timothy Thahane. It consisted of Botswana, the Kingdom of Lesotho, Zambia, Namibia, the United Republic of Tanzania and Angola plus the SADC Secretariat.
The European Union delegation was led by Finland’s Minister of Trade and Development, Paula Lehtomäki, and was made up of ministers from Finland, Germany, the European Commission and the Council Secretariat. Finland is the current EU president.
The ministers were satisfied with progress made by the SADC region in ensuring peace and tranquillity, noting the successful holding of credible and transparent multiparty elections in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Zambia.
Other elections in the region are planned for Madagascar in December as well as Angola and the Kingdom of Lesotho in 2007.
The ministers called on President Joseph Kabila and his main challenger, Jean-Pierre Bemba, to take all possible steps to prevent any acts of violence.
They underlined the “importance of a constructive relationship between the newly elected democratic institutions and in particular stressed the essential role of the National Assembly.”
SADC and EU agreed to explore opportunities for collaborating in post-conflict reconstruction and development as well as ensuring that democratic principles, good governance, peace and stability are consolidated throughout the DRC.
The SADC region has since June held regular consultations with stakeholders in the DRC electoral process with a view to encourage all political forces and other stakeholders to consolidate achievements already made.
Ministers of foreign affairs and defence from the region have visited the DRC twice this year at the recommendation of the SADC Meeting of the Inter-State Politics and Diplomacy Committee on 15 June.
The visits are meant to facilitate dialogue among the players on the DRC political landscape and to assess the logistical and other material requirements necessary in ensuring a smooth transition.
The EU proposed that possibilities for collaboration in security sector reforms should also be considered.
The two sides agreed to work together in strengthening democratic institutions in SADC, and in particular the capacity of the SADC Secretariat to observe and strengthen the electoral processes in member states.
This will see greater collaboration between similar institutions within SADC and the EU.
