"Development cannot be left to the "magic wand" of market forces alone...development needs an active state participation. Consensus is now emerging in development discourses in Africa, and both states and markets play an important complementary role in the development process." Prof Khabele Matlosa.
While normative instruments exist at continental and regional levels to facilitate state and civil society participation, challenges in ensuring adherence within African Union member states persist. RECs are regional groupings of African states that have developed individually, with differing roles and structures, to facilitate regional economic integration between members of the individual regions and through the wider African Economic Community (AEC), which was established under the Abuja Treaty (1991). The 1980 Lagos Plan of Action for the Development of Africa and the Abuja Treaty proposed the creation of RECs as the basis for broader African integration, with a view to regional and eventual continental integration. These RECS are increasingly involved in coordinating AU Member States' interests in more expansive areas such as peace and security, development and governance.
The RECs, including the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC), have expanded their roles to promote continental norms on democracy and governance. The 1991 Abuja Treaty envisioned RECs as critical pillars for advancing democratic governance, emphasising the importance of human and people's rights, accountability, economic justice, and public participation in state affairs. SADC, recognising the crucial role of elections in advancing the democratic agenda, has developed its normative frameworks for conducting democratic elections.
Simultaneously, the African Charter on Democracy, Elections, and Governance (ACDEG), a principal instrument developed by the African Union, underscores the significance of democracy, good governance, popular participation, and the rule of law as shared values on the continent.
These initiatives serve as a guiding principle for Africa, fostering the foundation for collective actions and solutions to address political, social, and economic challenges hindering the continent's expansive development and unification.
In an effort to unpack the challenges that hinder the advancement of democratic governance and electoral integrity in Southern Africa, the Democracy Works Foundation (DWF) is set to host a crucial regional symposium. The symposium aims to shed light on the pivotal role of Regional Economic Communities (RECs) and normative frameworks, particularly the African Charter on Democracy, Elections, and Governance (ACDEG), in promoting democratic values across the region, identifying effective mechanisms for advocacy and engagement between civil society, political actors, and members of the African Governance Architecture (AGA), including the Southern African Development Community (SADC).
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Purposefully, this regional symposium will be hosted in South Africa, as Botswana, Malawi, Namibia, South Africa, and other African states gear up for elections in 2024, aiming to converse on actions to address these challenges head-on, fostering a platform for dialogue and collaboration among regional the participating stakeholders.
The symposium will serve as a crucial initiative to tackle critical challenges in advancing democratic governance and electoral integrity in Southern Africa. The event will bring together experts, political actors, and Civil society organisations from African Union member states focused on promoting democracy through civic initiatives, particularly those led by under-represented groups, AGA members and civil society stakeholders, to deliberate on the role of RECs and normative frameworks, particularly ACDEG, in promoting democratic values within the region.
The upcoming symposium represents a significant step forward in the collective efforts to advance democratic governance in Southern Africa. The Democracy Works Foundation's initiative underscores the importance of regional cooperation in overcoming challenges and building a stronger foundation for democratic values across the continent.
Sources:
Dr Augustine Magolowondo
