Recommendations for new SADC Executive Secretary - SAIIA

This briefing by the South African Institute of International Affairs provides three primary recommendations for Dr Tax, the new Executive Secretary of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), focusing on the implementation of existing commitments, improved private sector engagement, and increased transparency of regional processes.

• The first recommendation for the new Executive Secretary is to prioritize the implementation of existing commitments and programs over the creation of new legal instruments or a customs union. Specific priorities include the SADC Regional Development Fund, the Regional Infrastructure Development Master Plan, and the removal of non-tariff barriers, as the free trade area is not yet fully implemented due to some member states attempting to stall or bend rules.
• The second recommendation is to improve engagement with the private sector to remedy SADC's lag behind other African regional economic communities in public-private dialogue. Past attempts at involvement have been ad hoc due to fractured business interests and reluctance from member state governments to include private sector representatives in delegations. The Secretariat is encouraged to meet regularly with the business community to understand constraints faced by investors and traders.
• The third recommendation is to enhance transparency and the understanding of regional debates within SADC. Suggested actions include redesigning the website and providing electronic access to resources like member state tariff schedules, as well as expanding the work of the SADC Research Hub in engaging with think tanks and distributing research via newsletters.
• The Executive Secretary's immediate security-related priorities include monitoring the situation in Madagascar following elections and peace efforts in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), while noting recent events in Mozambique and Zambia.

APA

South African Institute of International Affairs (2013). Recommendations for new SADC Executive Secretary - SAIIA. https://saiia.org.za/research/recommendations-for-new-sadc-executive-secretary/

Chicago

South African Institute of International Affairs. Recommendations for new SADC Executive Secretary - SAIIA. 2013. https://saiia.org.za/research/recommendations-for-new-sadc-executive-secretary/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=South African Institute of International Affairs |title=Recommendations for new SADC Executive Secretary - SAIIA |date=27 November 2013 |url=https://saiia.org.za/research/recommendations-for-new-sadc-executive-secretary/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{southafricaninstituteofinternationalaffairs2013recommendations, author = {{South African Institute of International Affairs}}, title = {{Recommendations for new SADC Executive Secretary - SAIIA}}, institution = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, year = {2013}, month = nov, url = {https://saiia.org.za/research/recommendations-for-new-sadc-executive-secretary/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }