Maravi

SAPSAN urges rejection of EPAs’ imposition

SAPSAN urges rejection of EPAs’ imposition
By Chiwoyu Sinyangwe
Tue 24 Aug. 2010, 04:02 CAT

THE Southern African Development Community (SADC) Customs Union set for launch this year has been postponed and various models for a future union will be investigated over the next 14 months. And Southern African People’s Network (SAPSN) has called on regional governments to reject the imposition of the Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs).

The main challenge SADC was facing was whether the existing five-member Southern African Customs Union (SACU), which is 100 years old, should be enlarged or incorporated into the future SADC Customs Union.

According to the resolution of the just-ended SADC Heads of State summit in Windhoek, the Heads of State endorsed the decision of existing customs union task force to appoint a team of experts to map out various scenarios and models for the future Customs Union which is to accommodate all the community’s member states.

SADC executive secretary Tomaz Salomao told reporters that the matter was very complex. He said the report of the SADC task force and the experts was expected by December 2011.

“We might see a scenario where a SADC summit will have to be convened to deal with the matter when the customs union can be launched and to discuss the implications of the global economic meltdown on our southern African region,” said Salomao. “If we use the existing SACU as a starting point, we will start at zero or we check how other regional configurations like the East African Community (EAC) and Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) are doing it and reach an agreement on a customs union.”

Meanwhile, key SADC civil society organisations have resolved that regional governments should reject the EPAs.

The more than 350 representatives drawn from grassroots movements, community and faith-based organisations, women’s associations, labour, student, youth, economic justice and human rights networks and other social movements, also urged the regional governments to ratify regional declarations, treaties and protocols on economic and social rights.

“At this point, the most pressing common concerns to all our countries, and the demands of our peoples arising out of the powerful presentations, first-hand testimonies and the key demands expressed throughout this summit,” reads part of the communiqué issued at the end of the meeting held amid pomp and fanfare presented in the form of music and dance.

The representatives of the groups demanded the ratification and rapid implementation of SADC Declaration and Treaty and all SADC Protocols on social and economic rights, particularly the original protocol on the free movement of all SADC citizens within their region, including the right of assembly and freedom of expression.

The issues of human rights violations across the region also came up for discussion, with participants expressing deep concerns at the continuing cases in Zimbabwe and Swaziland.

“Furthermore, the groups called for the rejection of all free trade agreements and especially the EU-imposed Economic Partnership Agreements which are dividing and threatening the very survival and future development of SACU and SADC,” the communiqué further. “The full institutionalisation of all democratic processes and bodies (including to ensure fully free and fair elections), the guarantee of all human and cultural rights and the protection of human rights defenders and political activists, with particular reference to Zimbabwe, Swaziland and Madagascar, and DRC which is still suffering the effects of war.”

The Namibia summit was the sixth such occasion of the gathering held under the theme “Reclaiming and reuniting SADC for People’s Political, Social and Economic Rights Declaration” organised by SAPSN and the local host organisation NANGOF Trust.

Several other issues such as the regional solidarity, development, global financial and economic, climate change and related crises facing Africa and the world were also discussed.

The discussions also witnessed testimonies from commissions speaking on the state of democracy and human rights in SADC countries, on the rights of workers and social and economic protections, on the scourge of unemployment especially amongst youth, and the necessity for affordable education for all, among other issues.

Labels: EPAs, SADC, SAPSAN

posted by MrK @ 3:31 PM