|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
The partnership between the Electoral Commissions Forum of SADC Countries (ECF-SADC) and the Southern African Development Community Parliamentary Forum (SADC PF) promotes regional cooperation and strengthens democracy in the region.
In his address today during the ongoing 57th Plenary Assembly of the SADC Parliamentary Forum in Victoria Falls, Glen Mashinini, the Commissioner of ECF-SADC said such a platform enables mutual exchanges on key governance and electoral matters of the SADC region.
“This is an opportunity to present and consolidate our efforts and thinking on how to contribute to the mandate of the SADC Parliamentary Forum in the spirit of regional cooperation and strengthening democracy in the SADC region. The Electoral Commissions Forum of SADC Countries (ECF-SADC)’ is a regional organization for electoral management bodies EMB) in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region and without fear of contradiction, it is one of the best-organized electoral management bodies in our continent,” Mashinini said.
The ECF-SADC is an entity with a membership of 15 Electoral Commissions of SADC Member States. Among its objectives is to ensure that its members provide peer support and share expertise through regular exchanges during and between elections.
This enables EMB members to professionalize and draw the best practices in the conduct of elections in the SADC region.
The ECF SADC has a long and constructive relationship with the SADC Parliamentary Forum which dates back to 1998 when the Forum was established.
The rationale for this relationship is vital to mitigate common challenges in the governance, peace, and stability that both national parliaments and EMBs in the SADC region are responsible for.
The collaboration and the envisaged MOU to be signed on 7 June 2025 between ECF-SADC and SADC PF formalizes the two institutions’ long-standing relationship that provides and facilitates organizational, technical alignment, and electoral support as well as the electoral stakeholders including, the national, and provincial parliaments, local authorities, government agencies, and political parties. That is meant to ensure constitutional democracy, the credibility of the elections, and most importantly a lasting peace in the SADC region.
“As the Electoral Commissions Forum of SADC countries, we are confident that the technical skills and competencies of both the SADC PF and ECF SADC have a proven track record in initiating technical support and innovative interventions for the benefit of national parliaments and EMBs in the region.
“The two organizations work closely with the Regional Economic Communities (RECs) including the SADC Secretariat and the African Union which enhances the delivery of democracy and adherence to normative frameworks in the SADC region and the African continent. In conclusion honourable members, our collaboration is indispensable to the realization of our ideals of a free, democratic, peaceful, and prosperous SADC region,” Mashinini added.
