News Release
For immediate release
09 February 2008

Regional Civil Society Organizations strategise to end poverty

The 9th of February 2008 marked the end of a three day SADC Civil Society workshop on poverty and development at Cedar Park Hotel and Conference Center in Woodmead, South Africa. The meeting follows national consultations in Southern African Development Community (SADC) member states. It was convened to consolidate national positions and identify regional issues from a civil society perspective.

Addressing the meeting, the SADC Secretariat representative Ms Janah Ncube outlined key issues that would form the agenda of the SADC International Consultative Conference on  Poverty and Development scheduled for 18-20 April 2008 in Mauritius. They are: trade including informal trade, Infrastructure support, education, agriculture in poverty eradication, gender development, health focusing on communicable diseases, and cross cutting issues such as HIV and Aids. The theme of the Conference is Regional Economic Integration: A strategy for poverty eradication and development.

‘This conference is an important landmark for the region as it enables us to reflect on our current interventions towards eradicating poverty and gives us  the opportunity to strategise how as the SADC region we can strengthen what the SADC governments are doing so as to meet our MDG goals by 2015.’ Ncube said.

Taking participants through the programme, the General Secretary of SADC Council of Non Governmental Organizations Mr. Abie Ditlhake emphasized the importance of engaging  with governments, not only to mobilize grassroots to be involved in decision making processes, but to also have  effective collaborations with synergy in national and regional initiatives to eradicate poverty. He further acknowledged the support of the Southern Africa Trust for availing a common platform for NGO’s to work together towards a common goal.
‘This is a move from an era of coercion to an era of consent. I am excited about the SADC International poverty and development conference in Mauritius, which I hope will reduce the divide between non state actors and the governments.’

Various issues were discussed which include the need to implement SADC Protocols regionally and domesticate them in member states;  the need for member states to adopt the gender protocol ; emphasis on having pro-poor strategies to eradicate poverty; the need for governments to ensure access to proper health for all; enhancing governance, peace and security in the region; the need for international cooperating partners and businesses to effectively play their role in eradicating poverty in the region and the implementation of the SADC Parliament. The meeting also came up with a civil society program of action for further consideration in Mauritius.
The workshop was attended by representatives from  SADC Parliamentary forum, NGO’s, Labor organizations, faith based groups, academic and research institutions, business and other civic society organizations  in the region working on poverty and development.

Southern Africa Trust exists to support processes to deepen and widen engagement in policy dialogue with a regional impact on poverty.

For more information and comment, please contact;

Mpho Kgosidintsi
Tel: +27 11 318 1012
Mobile: +27 78 459 0152
Email: communications@southernafricatrust.org