SADC Parliamentary Forum
The Executive Committee shall, pursuant to Article 12 (5) of the Constitution, designate one of its Members as Treasurer.
The Treasurer shall:
- report to the Executive Committee in respect of the management of the finances of the Forum; and
- be the Chairperson of the Finance Sub-Committee of the Executive Committee in line with Article 12 (5) of the Constitution
Functions of the President
The President shall:
- preside over all proceedings of the Plenary Assembly;
- preside over all meetings of the Executive Committee;
- open, suspend or close the sittings of the Plenary Assembly, after consultation with the Parliamentary Business Sub-Committee;
- rule on the admissibility of draft resolutions and amendments thereto in consultation with the Parliamentary Business Sub-Committee;
- represent the Forum in its relations with outside institutions; and
- perform any other duties incidental to these functions.
The President may delegate his or her functions to the Vice- President.
There shall be a Secretariat headed by the Secretary General and comprising such other staff as may be appointed by the Executive Committee.
The Executive Committee shall, pursuant to Article 12 of the Constitution, designate one of its Members as Treasurer.
The Treasurer shall:
- report to the Executive Committee in respect of the management of the finances of the Forum; and
be the Chairperson of the Finance Sub-Committee of the Executive Committee in line with Article 12 of the Constitution.
The Sub-Committees of the Executive Committee shall include the following:
The Plenary Assembly may, for the purpose of performing its functions establish Standing Committees in line with Article 14 of the Constitution. Each Member Parliament shall be represented in each of the Standing Committees.
The following Standing Committees are established:
- Gender Equality, Women Advancement and Youth Development;
- Trade, Industry, Finance and Investment;
- Food, Agriculture, Natural Resources and Infrastructure;
- Democratisation, Governance and Human Rights; and
- Human and Social Development and Special Programmes.
For the purposes of balancing gender, political affiliation and geographical spread in the membership and leadership of Standing Committees, the Plenary may mandate the Secretary General, subject to the approval of the Executive Committee, to reallocate Parliamentarians to Standing Committees.
As far as it is practically possible, gender considerations shall be taken into account when deciding Chairpersonship of Committees. Where the Chairperson of a Committee is a woman, the Vice- Chairperson shall be a man and vice versa.
Election of Chairpersons and ViceChairpersons of Standing Committees
- Each Committee shall elect a Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson
- The Chairperson of a Standing Committee shall preside over all meetings of the Committee. In his or her absence, the Vice-Chairperson shall assume those duties and in the absence of the Vice-Chairperson, a Member designated by the Committee shall preside over the Committee on an interim basis.
Quorum
The quorum of each Standing Committee shall be a simple majority of its Members.
Decision Making
- A Standing Committee shall strive to reach decisions by consensus.
- Where a Standing Committee fails to reach consensus, voting shall be by secret ballot.
- The Chairperson shall have a casting vote in the event of a tie.
Specific Mandate of Standing Committees
STANDING COMMITTEE | MANDATE |
Committee on Gender Equality, Women Advancement, and Youth Development | To deal with issues of gender equality, women advancement and empowerment as well as youth development and children. |
Committee on Trade, Industry, Finance and Investment | To deal with all matters related to economic cooperation, industry and trade, mining, finance and investment and regional integration. |
Committee on, Food, Agriculture, Natural Resources and Infrastructure | To deal with matters related to agriculture, fisheries, forestry and wildlife, water and environment, energy, transport, tourism, ICTs, meteorology, food security and natural resources. |
Committee on Democratisation, Governance and Human Rights
| To deal with democratisation and governance issues including open, transparent and accountable governance, democracy, political participation including elections, security, peace and stability on the basis of collective responsibility, rule of law, human rights, and conflict resolution |
Committee on Human and Social Development and Special Programmes | To deal with human and social development issues pertaining to health and combating illicit drug trafficking, HIV/AIDS, human resource development, education, professional training, employment and labour, culture and sport, science and technology and humanitarian issues as well as and other issues to be determined accordingly. |
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:
- provide a platform for consideration of matters of regional interest;
- deliberate comprehensively on the Standing Committee reports introduced by Motion of the Chairperson or any delegated member of that Committee;
- 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;
- collaborate with National Parliaments to advocate for the harmonisation, ratification, domestication and implementation of SADC Protocols, treaties and other decisions at the national level;
- consider and deliberate on any matters that will strengthen the implementation capacity of SADC;
- 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;
- debate SADC sectoral and other reports in the context of strengthening the implementation capacity of SADC;
- romote ways of achieving the objectives of the Forum;
- invite Members of SADC to brief the Plenary Assembly on issues of mutual interest;
- send delegations, upon invitation from appropriate authorities, as observers to meetings of the SADC Summit;
- invite any person or organisation to attend its meetings as observers;
- exercise all other powers incidental to the discharge of its functions.
- on the recommendation of the Executive Committee, determine the annual mandatory contributions to the Forum by Member Parliaments;
- on the recommendation of the Executive Committee, establish Standing Committees in terms of the Constitution;
- consider and approve the annual budget of the Forum;
- on the recommendation of the Executive Committee, appoint an Auditor for each financial year;
- consider and approve the annual audited accounts of the Forum;
- consider and approve the terms and conditions of service for the Secretary General upon recommendation by the Executive Committee; and
- 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.
The Regional Parliamentary Model Law Oversight Committee (RPMLOC), constituted in accordance with Article 16 of the Constitution, shall submit its report to the Executive Committee for noting. The RPMLOC shall report directly to the Plenary Assembly.
REGIONAL PARLIAMENTARY OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE
- Ishmael Ndaila Onani, Malawi (Male), FANR (Chairperson)
- Shally Joseph Raymond, Tanzania (Female), GEWAYD (Vice Chair)
- Regina Esparon, Seychelles (Female), RWPC
- Ramarosoa Emiline Rakotobe, Madagascar (Female), RWPC
- Rosie Bistoquet (Seychelles) (Female), HSDSP
- Kassim Hassan, Tanzania (Male), HSDSP
- Paula Kooper, Namibia (Female), GEWAYD
- Dought Ndiweni, Zimbabwe (Male), DGHR
- Ntasalla P. Mafa, Lesotho (Female). DGHR
- Tsepang Tsita-Mosena, Lesotho (Female), TIFI
- Dithapelo Keorapetse, Botswana (Male), TIFI
- Hawa Subira Mwaifunga, Tanzania (Female), FANR
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