Story by Peter Chivhima
SENIOR legal officials from the Southern African Development Community (SADC) have called for stronger adherence to the rule of law among member states as a key driver of regional integration and economic development.
The call emerged during the official opening of the Meeting of SADC Senior Legal Officials in Victoria Falls this Monday.
The four-day meeting, which runs until Thursday, will deliberate on a range of legal and governance issues before presenting recommendations to the Meeting of Ministers of Justice and Attorneys General scheduled for Friday.
Speaking at the opening session, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, Mrs Vimbai Nyemba, emphasised the need for member states to harmonise legal frameworks and address implementation challenges affecting regional cooperation.
“We are called upon to interrogate challenges, identify practical solutions to implementation constraints, and build consensus around issues that have far-reaching implications for our region. We serve as the bridge between policy aspirations and practical implementation, transforming political commitments into workable legal frameworks and regional objectives into actionable programmes.
“While the Ministerial Committee will ultimately consider and adopt the recommendations arising from our deliberations, it is here, among the technical experts and senior officials of our member states, that the substantive work is undertaken. In many respects, the success of the ministerial meeting begins in this room. Our discussions, analyses and recommendations will shape the decisions that follow. It is therefore incumbent upon us to engage constructively, apply our expertise diligently and work collaboratively to advance our shared regional goals and priorities,” she said.
Among the key issues under discussion are the consideration and recommendation of judges for appointment to the SADC Administrative Tribunal, as well as proposals to review the SADC Protocol on Legal Affairs.
Acting Director-General in South Africa’s Department of Justice and Constitutional Development, Advocate Kalayvani Pillay, said the meeting provides an important platform for legal experts to deliberate on critical regional legal matters.
“The purpose of this body is to discuss legal matters affecting the region. A number of issues relating to protocols and other legal instruments are on the agenda. One of the key matters under discussion is the way forward regarding the operationalisation of the tribunal. We have also been discussing the programme of action for ministers, as well as new agenda items relating to the meeting of Ministers of Agriculture. These are all matters that remain under deliberation,” she said.
The outcomes of the senior officials’ meeting will form the basis of recommendations to be considered by Ministers of Justice and Attorneys General when they convene in Victoria Falls on Friday.
