From: barnhart@netcom.com (Aaron Barnhart)
Subject: IPS:SOUTHERN AFRICA: SADCC HEADING TOWA
Date: Mon, 17 Aug 92 01:30:10 GMT
Organization: Netcom
Reply-To: barnhart@netcom.com

Copyright Inter Press Service 1992, all rights reserved.  Permission to re-
print within 7 days of original date only with permission from 'newsdesk'.

Reference: Third World Dvpmnt
Title: SOUTHERN AFRICA: SADCC HEADING TOWARDS REGIONAL COMMUNITY


windhoek, aug 13 (ips/jowie mwiinga) -- the much discussed
merger between the southern africa development coordination
council (sadcc) and a similar regional body the preferential
trade area (pta) is unlikely to occur.

instead, at the sadcc preparatory meetings here before
monday's summit a ''super sadcc'' operating like a sub-regional
community along european lines is on the agenda.

the agenda, released before the council of minister's meeting
friday, suggests that rather than working towards a union with
the east and southern african pta, several of whose members
overlap, sadcc aims to consolidate itself as a regional union of
southern african states.

sadcc information officer kgosinkwe moesi, said the major
issue at the summit will be the adoption of a treaty to give
the 10-member sadcc legal standing, and radically restructured
as a southern african development community (sadc).

the new organisation would oversee the economic, diplomatic,
security, monetary and cultural affairs of the sub-region, with
the establishment of a parliament and defence force as long-term
objectives of the transformed community.

until now, the 13-year-old organisation originally set up to
harmonise development plans and reduce the region's dependence
on apartheid south africa, has been working without a legal
framework. it was established under a memorandum of
understanding without powers to enforce decisions.

if the treaty under discussion at next monday's heads of
state summit is adopted, the organisation will have powers to
influence the behaviour of member states insofar as they affect
the sub-region as a whole, moesi said.

''the legal instruments in the treaty will give member states
a legal obligation to the organisation. we would like to put on
board a regional parliament and other instruments of
cooperation'', he noted.

the proposed merger with the 18-member pta will be discussed
at the summit, but indications are that sadcc intends to
continue as an independent entity, at least in the immediate
future.

the merger was proposed by the pta during its last heads of
state meeting in january in lusaka, zambia. (more/ips)


southern africa:

the meeting resolved that since south africa was in a process
of political reform, and the two organisations tend to
duplicate functions, a merger would be expedient.

however, officials at the sadcc pre-summit meeting think
otherwise. ''there is no way we could have been duplicating
work. pta is there to enhance trade amongst its member states:
we are here to stimulate development'', a zambian official
argued.

meanwhile, a sadcc task force formed to avert famine in the
sub-region in the wake of this years drought has received
pledges of food aid ammounting to 600 million dollars, moesi
said.

the task force has appealed to member states to waive tarrifs
on traffic ferrying food aid, which is hampering the
distribution of food supplies. (end/ips/jm/oa/92)

-- 
Aaron (Barnhart@netcom.com) -- posting from Evanston, Illinois