Sadc CSOs meet over accountability

SADC

A THREE-DAY regional dialogue for Non-State Actors on accountability in the Southern Africa Development Community (Sadc) region is underway in Johannesburg, South Africa.

The meeting began yesterday.

According to a statement from the conveners, civil society organisations (CSOs) from across southern Africa are meeting to assess Sadc’s progress on implementing the 2020 to 2030 Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan (RISDP) strategy.

The hybrid event, with a special focus on the importance of socially accountable public resource management in the region’s development, is running parallel to regional and national meetings in Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

The dialogue aims to assess progress in the implementation of the RISDP, noting achievements and highlighting challenges, with particular focus on the health and agricultural sectors; as well as women and the youth.

The dialogue also seeks to identify strategies to strengthen social accountability in the management of public resources in the region and to understand the status and roles of Sadc’s official non-State actors.

The dialogue highlights include a keynote address by Sadc Parliamentary Forum secretary-general Boemo Sekgoma and an update on the implementation of the Sadc RISDP 2020-30.

The Sadc RISDP 2020-30 covers key areas of regional integration: Peace, security and good governance, industrial and infrastructural development including social and human capital development.

The dialogue was convened by the Southern Africa Trust, Southern African People’s Solidarity Network in partnership with the Economic Justice Network of the Fellowship of Christian Councils in Southern Africa and Southern Africa Co-ordination Council.

Gender Links, Media Institute of Southern Africa and the Partnership for Social Accountability Alliance (a consortium of organisations including ActionAid International, Public Service Accountability Monitor of Rhodes University, Eastern and Southern Africa Small Scale Farmers’ Forum and Southern Africa HIV and Aids Information Dissemination Service) are some of the conveners.

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