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The current SADC policy environment on the Private Sector consists of two MoUs
with the Association of SADC Chambers of Commerce and Industry (ASCCI) and with
the Small Enterprise Promotion Advisory Council (SEPAC). A subsidiary document, the
ASCCI White Paper, was accepted by SADC Member States as a working document to-
wards a more meaningful engagement of the private sector. A scoping study was completed
as a precursor towards development of a Private Sector Engagement Mechanism (PSEM)
to improve Public-Private dialogue across the SADC region.

Statistics

The objective of the SADC Statistical System is to support regional integration
by making available statistical information that is relevant, timely and accurate, 131
to be used in SADC planning, policy formulation, protocol monitoring and decision-mak-
ing. The specific objectives of the SADC Statistics Programme include the harmonisation
of statistics in the region and capacity-building in SADC Member States to strengthen ac-
cess to statistical data for this purpose.
The development and use of SADC statistics is guided by the Strategy Document ap-
proved by Council in 1998, which stipulates that SADC statistics are critical in the monitoring
and evaluation of the SADC Programme of Action and the regional integration process.
A number of capacity development initiatives have been undertaken which include
interventions such as the Pan-African Statistics Programme done in collaboration with the
AU Commission; national and regional training workshops on the SADC template of
trade in services statistics; and training for focal persons on technical validation of econ-
omic and social statistics for the SADC Statistics Yearbook. Manuals, guidelines, frame-
works and standards have been developed on the compilation of Gross Domestic Product
(GDP), technical guidance notes on a harmonised Consumer Price Index, and the formu-
lation, compilation and use of statistics in the areas of real and external sector statistics.

Regional Poverty Reduction Framework

A number of key interventions have been implemented to improve the moni-
toring of poverty reduction in the region. The RISDP identifies poverty
eradication as the overarching priority of regional integration in southern
Africa. To elaborate on this plan and translate its priorities into an implementation frame-
work, SADC has developed the Regional Poverty Reduction Framework covering critical
areas in which a regional approach is expected to strengthen national interventions. A
Regional Poverty Observatory (RPO) was established for all the stakeholders working in
poverty eradication at regional and national levels, as a platform where they can meet,
evaluate, and monitor the implementation of the Regional Poverty Reduction
Framework. However, financial challenges have prevented the RPO Steer-
ing Committee from fully pursuing its mandate.