MORE ON SADC REFORM

C O N F I D E N T I A L PRETORIA 002660

DEPARTMENT FOR AF/S
DEPARTMENT PASS TO ECOWAS COLLECTIVE
DEPARTMENT PASS TO CARICOM COLLECTIVE
DEPARTMENT PASS TO MERCOSUR COLLECTIVE

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/03/2005
TAGS: PREL PGOV SADC SF
SUBJECT: MORE ON SADC REFORM

REF: A. A) PRETORIA 1680

B. B) PRETORIA 2537


CLASSIFIED BY POLCOUNSELOR MDRAGSDALE, REASONS 1.5(B) AND (D).


1. (C) ALONG WITH PARTICIPATING IN THE REFORM OF SADC'S
ORGAN ON POLITICS, DEFENSE, AND SECURITY (REF A),SOUTH
AFRICA IS A KEY PLAYER IN THE OVERALL REFORM OF SADC AS AN
INSTITUTION. AS A MEMBER OF THE "TROIKA PLUS ONE" (SOUTH
AFRICA, NAMIBIA, ZIMBABWE, AND MOZAMBIQUE) REFORM COMMITTEE,
SOUTH AFRICA HAS CONTINUED TO ENCOURAGE SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC
RESTRUCTURING OF SADC, IN LINE WITH THE 1999 SUMMIT
COMMUNIQUE. ACCORDING TO DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS'
(DFA) DEPUTY DIRECTOR FOR SADC AFFAIRS AJ BRAMDEO, THE REVIEW
COMMITTEE, WHICH MET IN MID-MARCH, IS SCHEDULED TO MEET AGAIN
APRIL 12-14 IN MAPUTO. IN A MARCH 27 MEETING, BRAMDEO TOLD
POLOFF THAT THE COMMITTEE WOULD ALSO BE SENDING A DELEGATION
IN APRIL TO VISIT VARIOUS REGIONAL ORGANIZATIONS SUCH AS
MERCOSUR, CARICOM, AND ECOWAS IN ORDER TO INVESTIGATE WHETHER
THEY COULD PROVIDE USEFUL GUIDANCE FOR SADC REFORM (COMMENT.
ON MARCH 31 BRAMDEO TOLD POLOFF THAT SOUTH AFRICAN PRESIDENT
MBEKI AND MALI PRESIDENT KONARE DISCUSSED POSSIBLE
SADC-ECOWAS COOPERATION. SEE REF B. END COMMENT.)


2. (C) ACCORDING TO BRAMDEO, THE REVIEW COMMITTEE HAS
CREATED A "CLUSTER" APPROACH TO SADC, WHEREBY ALL THE
SECTORAL COORDINATING UNITS AND THE COMMISSIONS ON TRANSPORT
AND ENERGY WOULD BE COLLAPSED INTO 5 CLUSTERS, OVERSEEN BY
DIRECTORATES. THESE DIRECTORATES, BRAMDEO TOLD POLOFF, WOULD
ALL BE LOCATED WITHIN THE SADC SECRETARIAT IN GABORONE.
ALTHOUGH THE REVIEW COMMITTEE HAS NOT YET FINALIZED DETAILS
SUCH AS CALENDARIZATION OF THE PROCESS, POSITION DESCRIPTION
DEVELOPMENT, AND FINANCIAL ACCOUNTABILITY ISSUES, BRAMDEO
AFFIRMED THAT IT ENVISIONS THE DIRECTORATES WOULD HAVE A
TOTAL STAFF OF APPROXIMATELY 50 PERSONS, ALL OF WHOM WOULD BE
FROM THE SADC REGION. BRAMDEO STRESSED THAT THE COMMITTEE
SUPPORTS TRANSPARENT AND COMPETITIVE COMPETITION FOR THESE
POSITIONS, WITH THE JOBS GOING TO THE MOST QUALIFIED
APPLICANTS, REGARDLESS OF NATIONALITY. BRAMEDO DID NOT RULE
OUT THE POSSIBILITY OF USING SADC DEVELOPMENT FUNDING FROM
INTERNATIONAL DONORS TO FINANCE THESE CLUSTERS (AND
SALARIES). THE CLUSTERS AND THEIR DIRECTORATES WOULD FOCUS
ON REDUCING THE NUMBER OF SADC "PRIORITIES" (AS DEFINED BY
THE COORDINATING UNITS),AND ON ESTABLISHING BENCHMARKS AND
TIMEFRAMES FOR PHASED-IN APPROACHES TO REGIONAL PROJECTS.
THIS WAY, SAID BRAMDEO, THE INSTITUTION WOULD BETTER BE ABLE
TO GAUGE ITS EFFECTIVENESS AND SUCCESSES AND FAILURES.


3. (C) RECOGNIZING THE ISSUE OF NATIONAL SENSITIVITIES
(ESPECIALLY FROM THE SMALLER SADC MEMBERS WHO STAND TO LOSE
THEIR SECTORAL COORDINATING ROLES),BRAMDEO INDICATED THAT
THE REVIEW COMMITTEE WAS PREPARED TO "LOBBY" FOR ITS REFORM
PROGRAM. HE SAID THE ORGAN AND SOCIAL REFORM COMMITTEES
WOULD "MERGE" THEIR PROJECTS IN JUNE AND PRESENT THE COMBINED
RESTRUCTURE PROPOSAL AT THE MINISTERIAL LEVEL, AFTER WHICH
LOBBYING EFFORTS WOULD BEGIN IN EARNEST.


4. (C) ON AN ASIDE, BRAMDEO ADDED THAT THE REVIEW COMMITTEE
WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE NEXT SADC EXECUTIVE SECRETARY POSSESS
WELL-DEFINED MANAGERIAL SKILLS AND MEET SPECIFIC PROFESSIONAL
CRITERIA. BRAMDEO DID NOT RULE OUT THE POSSIBILITY THAT SADC
WOULD CHOOSE AN INDIVIDUAL FROM THE PRIVATE SECTOR (SUCH AS A
RETIRED CEO) RATHER THAN SOMEONE FROM THE POLITICAL ARENA FOR
THE POSITION. HE SAID THE HEADS OF STATE WOULD HAVE TO
ADDRESS THE EXECUTIVE SECRETARY ISSUE DURING THE NEXT SADC
SUMMIT IN AUGUST 2000.

COMMENT
--------------


5. (C) SOUTH AFRICA CONTINUES TO WORK WITHIN THE SADC
SYSTEM IN ITS ATTEMPTS TO STRENGTHEN REGIONAL COOPERATION.
ALTHOUGH THE REVIEW COMMITTEE'S PROPOSALS SOUND AMBITIOUS,
THE LACK OF DETAIL ON ADMINISTRATIVE ISSUES SUCH AS
REMUNERATION AND CALENDARIZATION INDICATES THAT THE FRUITION
OF ANY REFORM IS STILL A LONG TIME IN COMING. END COMMENT.

LEWIS