Finally, it has been done!
Botswana has signed the Agreement Amending the SADC Treaty to recognise SADC Parliament as one of the SADC institutions.
A visibly elated President Advocate Duma Boko – flanked on either side by his Minister for State President Moeti Mohwasa on the one side and Speaker of the National Assembly Dithapelo Keorapetse on the other – performed the honours in the Office of the President Wednesday afternoon.
It was a roomful of decorated regional leaders, and in his usual dandy intellect, Boko, who has served the SADC PF as Chairman of its Legal Committee, felt right at home among the converted.
The SADC PF delegation was led by Sylvia Lucas, Vice President of the SADC Parliamentary Forum and Member of Parliament of South Africa – and included our very own SADC PF Secretary General Boemo Sekgoma; and her trusted Communications Specialist, Moses Magadza – both of whom President Boko had a word of acclaim for.
There was also Advocate Jacob Francis N. Mudenda, Speaker of the National Assembly of Zimbabwe and Chairperson of the SADC Parliamentary Forum Transformation Lobby Group, and his team.
This time around he had not come to lobby the Executive to sign the Protocol as he did late last year, but indeed to witness the “historic step” and “significant milestone in SADC’s development endeavours”, in the words of Minister Mohwasa.
Other celebrated dignitaries included Professor Peter Katjavivi, Former Speaker of the National Assembly of Namibia –described as a man of illustrious career spanning the realms of diplomatic service, politics and academia, as well as our own Phandu Skelemani, Former Speaker of Botswana National Assembly, who has spearheaded the transformation process here at home, and was deservedly honoured on this particular day!
And to cap it all, there was also our son of the soil, Elias Magosi, the Executive Secretary of SADC – the man at the helm of the SADC Secretariat, which is housed right here in Gaborone’s CBD.
Leader of OppositionDumelang Saleshando, who’s also a Member of the SADC Parliamentary Forum Committee, was also in attendance and had to temporarily close his ears while President Boko took a swipe at him, implying sarcastically that the SADC PF’s ‘uncanny tendency’ to produce State Presidents – Wavel Ramkalawan of Seychelles and Boko of Botswana – may evade Saleshando as he is not a lawyer!
The Wednesday signing ceremony marked the culmination of protracted considerations by the Botswana Government following the 2018 decision by the SADC Summit to circulate the proposal to transform the SADC PF into a SADC Parliament among Member States for consultations.
The Agreement to Transform the Parliamentary Forum into a SADC Parliament was finally approved by the SADC Summit in 2022, after a “comprehensive assessment and benchmarking exercise”, drawing insights from the Pan African Parliament and the European Union Parliament.
In his welcome remarks, Minister Mohwasa explained that like other SADC Member States, Botswana had received a draft Protocol that was submitted by the SADC PF for review. He said that the Protocol defines the composition, powers, functions, procedures, and other related matters governing the SADC Parliament.
Mohwasa promised that his government will exercise “due diligence” to ensure the preservation of Botswana’s sovereignty, while leveraging the Parliament to promote regional integration in line with the SADC Common Agenda and the priorities outlined in the Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan 2020-2030 (RISDP), which is a blue print for regional integration in SADC.
“This aligns very well with the vision of the new Government of Botswana to catapult the country into a developed industrialised economy whilst ensuring that the human rights of our citizens are central to all we undertake”.
This undertaking was reiterated in no less measure by President Boko, who accentuated the SADC PF’s role as an instrument form model law making in the SADC region.
Indeed, SADC PF has thus far churned out model laws across a vast array of sectors, among them Model Laws on Child Marriages, Democratic Elections; and Public Finance Management to mention but a few.
Boko took notice of this critical law-making role that SADC PF has played, and played well, acknowledging that law making is not an easy process as it needs to be informed by data, it needs the benefit of expert advice, and it needs to have people craft the laws.
And perhaps answering the criticism that he’s rouncly made against local legislators, Boko acknowledged that “often in our national Parliaments we lack the resources and expertise to engage this process of law making as meaningfully as we ought to”.
He commended SADC PF for having borne the bulk of the responsibility of seeking expert intervention, conducting extensive and comprehensive research, establishing the data, mapping out the challenge and mischief that “we need to remedy” and crafting appropriate solutions that are examined for, whether they are properly suited for, to the ends that are sought to be attained.
“We are now positioning them, entrenching them in that role – that they must now enjoy some clout –they must do their work fortified, with the knowledge and understanding that we take them seriously.
“We’ve assigned them this role formally and they therefore will have to inform and influence legislative improvements in each of our countries,” he said, adding that they are firm in their commitment to this, and will be placed in a better position to harmonise our laws and practices as a region to avoid duplication.
Giving the experience of Botswana’s participation in the SADC PF, Speaker Dithapelo Keorapetse traced it to 2010 when then MP, Edwin Batshu brought a Motion, which was debated and passed by the 10th Parliament in support of the establishment of a SADC regional Parliament.
If truth be told, Botswana has been foot-dragging, this explains why she is the last SADC Member State, barring Mauritius, to sign. However, Boko defended this tardiness, insisting that it was “inevitable” that Botswana would eventually sign.
If anything, he said the delay could be attributed to last year’s elections following the SADC PF lobby team’s visit to Botswana in August, at which then President Mokgweetsi Masisi – after prodding and expert advice tendered by then Speaker Phandu Skelemani – committed to sign the Protocol.
It bodes well then that on Tuesday 18th March 2025, Speaker Keorapetse paid a courtesy call on President Boko to update him on the signing of the Treaty – hence Wednesday’s (March 26th) signing ceremony. What now remains to be dome is for Mauritius to sign and thereafter for all the Member States to submit their comments on the Protocol so that the SADC Parliament can eventually be
recognised as one of the SADC Institutions at this year's SADC Summit in August.
SADC Executive Secretary Elias Magosi implored SADC legislators to see to it that this comes to pass. And should it happen, SADC will join other regional Parliaments of Africa in East Africa, West
Africa, Central Africa, West Africa and IGAD. This will complete the process envisaged by the OAU Treaty that established the pan African Economic Community, the fountain source of all these African Union institutions, including the Midrand-based Pan African Parliament.
Botswana has signed the Agreement Amending the SADC Treaty to recognise SADC Parliament as one of the SADC institutions.
A visibly elated President Advocate Duma Boko – flanked on either side by his Minister for State President Moeti Mohwasa on the one side and Speaker of the National Assembly Dithapelo Keorapetse on the other – performed the honours in the Office of the President Wednesday afternoon.
It was a roomful of decorated regional leaders, and in his usual dandy intellect, Boko, who has served the SADC PF as Chairman of its Legal Committee, felt right at home among the converted.
The SADC PF delegation was led by Sylvia Lucas, Vice President of the SADC Parliamentary Forum and Member of Parliament of South Africa – and included our very own SADC PF Secretary General Boemo Sekgoma; and her trusted Communications Specialist, Moses Magadza – both of whom President Boko had a word of acclaim for.
There was also Advocate Jacob Francis N. Mudenda, Speaker of the National Assembly of Zimbabwe and Chairperson of the SADC Parliamentary Forum Transformation Lobby Group, and his team.
This time around he had not come to lobby the Executive to sign the Protocol as he did late last year, but indeed to witness the “historic step” and “significant milestone in SADC’s development endeavours”, in the words of Minister Mohwasa.
Other celebrated dignitaries included Professor Peter Katjavivi, Former Speaker of the National Assembly of Namibia –described as a man of illustrious career spanning the realms of diplomatic service, politics and academia, as well as our own Phandu Skelemani, Former Speaker of Botswana National Assembly, who has spearheaded the transformation process here at home, and was deservedly honoured on this particular day!
And to cap it all, there was also our son of the soil, Elias Magosi, the Executive Secretary of SADC – the man at the helm of the SADC Secretariat, which is housed right here in Gaborone’s CBD.
Leader of OppositionDumelang Saleshando, who’s also a Member of the SADC Parliamentary Forum Committee, was also in attendance and had to temporarily close his ears while President Boko took a swipe at him, implying sarcastically that the SADC PF’s ‘uncanny tendency’ to produce State Presidents – Wavel Ramkalawan of Seychelles and Boko of Botswana – may evade Saleshando as he is not a lawyer!
The Wednesday signing ceremony marked the culmination of protracted considerations by the Botswana Government following the 2018 decision by the SADC Summit to circulate the proposal to transform the SADC PF into a SADC Parliament among Member States for consultations.
The Agreement to Transform the Parliamentary Forum into a SADC Parliament was finally approved by the SADC Summit in 2022, after a “comprehensive assessment and benchmarking exercise”, drawing insights from the Pan African Parliament and the European Union Parliament.
In his welcome remarks, Minister Mohwasa explained that like other SADC Member States, Botswana had received a draft Protocol that was submitted by the SADC PF for review. He said that the Protocol defines the composition, powers, functions, procedures, and other related matters governing the SADC Parliament.
Mohwasa promised that his government will exercise “due diligence” to ensure the preservation of Botswana’s sovereignty, while leveraging the Parliament to promote regional integration in line with the SADC Common Agenda and the priorities outlined in the Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan 2020-2030 (RISDP), which is a blue print for regional integration in SADC.
“This aligns very well with the vision of the new Government of Botswana to catapult the country into a developed industrialised economy whilst ensuring that the human rights of our citizens are central to all we undertake”.
This undertaking was reiterated in no less measure by President Boko, who accentuated the SADC PF’s role as an instrument form model law making in the SADC region.
Indeed, SADC PF has thus far churned out model laws across a vast array of sectors, among them Model Laws on Child Marriages, Democratic Elections; and Public Finance Management to mention but a few.
Boko took notice of this critical law-making role that SADC PF has played, and played well, acknowledging that law making is not an easy process as it needs to be informed by data, it needs the benefit of expert advice, and it needs to have people craft the laws.
And perhaps answering the criticism that he’s rouncly made against local legislators, Boko acknowledged that “often in our national Parliaments we lack the resources and expertise to engage this process of law making as meaningfully as we ought to”.
He commended SADC PF for having borne the bulk of the responsibility of seeking expert intervention, conducting extensive and comprehensive research, establishing the data, mapping out the challenge and mischief that “we need to remedy” and crafting appropriate solutions that are examined for, whether they are properly suited for, to the ends that are sought to be attained.
“We are now positioning them, entrenching them in that role – that they must now enjoy some clout –they must do their work fortified, with the knowledge and understanding that we take them seriously.
“We’ve assigned them this role formally and they therefore will have to inform and influence legislative improvements in each of our countries,” he said, adding that they are firm in their commitment to this, and will be placed in a better position to harmonise our laws and practices as a region to avoid duplication.
Giving the experience of Botswana’s participation in the SADC PF, Speaker Dithapelo Keorapetse traced it to 2010 when then MP, Edwin Batshu brought a Motion, which was debated and passed by the 10th Parliament in support of the establishment of a SADC regional Parliament.
If truth be told, Botswana has been foot-dragging, this explains why she is the last SADC Member State, barring Mauritius, to sign. However, Boko defended this tardiness, insisting that it was “inevitable” that Botswana would eventually sign.
If anything, he said the delay could be attributed to last year’s elections following the SADC PF lobby team’s visit to Botswana in August, at which then President Mokgweetsi Masisi – after prodding and expert advice tendered by then Speaker Phandu Skelemani – committed to sign the Protocol.
It bodes well then that on Tuesday 18th March 2025, Speaker Keorapetse paid a courtesy call on President Boko to update him on the signing of the Treaty – hence Wednesday’s (March 26th) signing ceremony. What now remains to be dome is for Mauritius to sign and thereafter for all the Member States to submit their comments on the Protocol so that the SADC Parliament can eventually be
recognised as one of the SADC Institutions at this year's SADC Summit in August.
SADC Executive Secretary Elias Magosi implored SADC legislators to see to it that this comes to pass. And should it happen, SADC will join other regional Parliaments of Africa in East Africa, West
Africa, Central Africa, West Africa and IGAD. This will complete the process envisaged by the OAU Treaty that established the pan African Economic Community, the fountain source of all these African Union institutions, including the Midrand-based Pan African Parliament.
