1. REGIONAL PERSPECTIVES ON SADC NATIONAL COMMITTEES: FINDINGS FROM THE REVIEW OF RISDP AND MOVING FOWARD Rangarirai Machemedze SADC-CNGO

2. Introduction The Southern African Development Community formulated and adopted the RISDP as a “comprehensive 15–year strategic roadmap, which provides the strategic direction for achieving SADC’s long term social and economic goals.” Since 2010, the SADC Secretariat, mandated by the various Heads of State and Governments Summits, has undertaken the process evaluating the RISDP In 2012/13 an independent Mid-Term Review of the RISDP was undertaken and its findings presented to Member States. The outcomes thereof were shared with the Council of Ministers in Malawi in 2013, which resolved to establish a Task Force on the RISDP Review The Task Force will review both the SADC Secretariat Assessment and the RISDP Independent Mid-Term to make concrete recommendations to the forthcoming Summit in Zimbabwe, August 2014

3. Major RISDP Achievements (MTR Report) Appropriate policy frameworks/protocols & structures have been put in place, to guide implementation. Remaining period of RISDP- shift towards implementation Establishment of the FTA in 2012 - most important achievement. In I&S major achievement - adoption of the RIDMP plus – SHD, notably good progress in HIV and AIDS, general progress in education and training, and the health sector, 3

4. Achievements cont… In FANR -management in the livestock sector to control transboundary animal diseases and capacity building and structures Adoption of poverty reduction strategies including a RPRF, RPO and a SADC common matrix of poverty indicators Apart from RISDP - in political dialogue, peace and security SADC is a ‘cut above the rest’ -

5. MAJOR SHORTCOMINGS Lack of broad program ownership by citizens. SADC and RISDP implementation has remained a top down organisation. Too many initiatives, policies/projects adopted, with few resources to implement them, leading to missed targets Key MS institutions (SNC) designed to oversee implementation & coordination of programs at MS level, not functional in most MS SADC embraced liberalisation and abandoned its roots, namely development and functional integration including industrialisation and economic diversification, value addition which perpetuated inequality. 5

6. Shortcomings cont… Key targets such as establishing a establishment of CU, have been missed. Some targets such as MU and a single currency are far too ambitious for now. Making poverty reduction a cross-cutting issue in some programmes was problematic Overall lack of monitoring and evaluation mechanisms of RISDP for the first 5 yrs of RISDP

7. KEY IMPLEMENTATION MECHANISMS, INSTITUTIONS, PROCESSES, & COORDINATION SNCs whose responsibility it is to monitor implementation of programs at MS level are either non-existent, or not well functional except in 3 countries In absence of SNCs, prime movers of regional program at MS level are the technical/thematic groups, but, there is no oversight on implementation Regional level technical committees exist in many clusters to spearhead implementation of programmes Coordination between Regional and national level is problematic. Often technical subcommittees take decisions that have financial implications, without consulting the finance subcommittee. 7

8. Key implementation mechanisms, institutions, processes nd coordination No monitoring and evaluation system in place in most MS and at SADC Awareness of SADC programs and involvements of NSA is limited Some confusion regarding who does what. Some MS expect SS to implement programs yet it is clear that SS only coordinate and provide think tank services. Implementation is the responsibility of MS SS staff overstrecthed to fullly implement its mandate and coordinate with all MS

9. SNC Status: Regional Experiences SNCs have been established and well functional in four member states: Angola, Botswana, Mozambique and Seychelles SNCs have been established but partially functioning in Swaziland and Mauritius SNCs have been established but not functioning in DRC, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Namibia, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia SNC has not been formally constituted in Zimbabwe

10. Common Problems faced by SNCs SNCS not formally set up in some countries and where they are set up they lack operational resources. SNC meetings are not held regularly but on ad hoc basis mostly in preparation of SADC organs meetings Key stakeholders are not involved in SNCs or they have lost interest and no longer attend SNC meetings Limited technical and financial resources. Sometimes no dedicated budget from the national fiscus. Very few SNC undertake monitoring and evaluation regarding ratification, domestication and implementation of SADC programs by SNCs Report back by technical committees to SNCs is irregular hence no oversight of program implementation

11. Moving forward as Zimbabwe

12. Reprioritized RISDP: 2016-2020 RISDP Task Force Met 5 Times (Botswana, SA, Victoria Falls, Harare (2)) The Taskforce reprioritised focus areas to be implemented between 2016 and 2020

13. Priority Areas 1. Cross Cutting Issues Poverty Reduction Combating of HIV/AIDS Pandemic Gender Equality and Development Science, Technology and Innovation Environment and Sustainable Development Private Sector Statistics

14. Priority Areas 2. Industrial Development and Market Integration 3. Infrastructure support for regional integration 4. Peace and security cooperation 5. Agriculture, Food Security and Natural Resources 6. Social and Human Development (education and skills development, employment, health and pharmaceuticals, orphans, vulnerable children and youth development)