Bold shift ahead: Southern Africa is moving from a parliamentary forum to a fully fledged regional parliament, and the momentum is building fast. The 58th plenary of the SADC Parliamentary Forum (SADC-PF), taking place in Durban, overwhelmingly backed transforming the forum into the SADC Parliament. The decision stems from plans to implement resolutions from the 57th session held in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, in June 2025.
South Africa’s National Assembly Speaker, Thoko Didiza, expressed optimism that the region could drop the “F” for Forum and keep the “P” for Parliament, aiming for full adoption in 2026. To operationalize this shift, the 57th plenary drafted a protocol outlining how the SADC Parliament would function and invited member states to submit comments by October 30, 2025.
South Africa submitted its position on time and supported the transformation. A majority of other member parliaments also met the deadline, though Malawi and Lesotho reported continuing challenges in submitting their inputs.
Angola reinforced its support, arguing that a legitimate, cohesive SADC requires a robust, independent regional parliament capable of overseeing regional policies and initiating legislation related to integration and strategic priorities. An Angolan representative noted that the draft protocol respects gradualism and the powers envisioned for the initial phase, supporting adoption.
The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) also endorsed the move, indicating it is in the process of ratifying the related agreement. Eswatini’s delegation highlighted the long-standing importance of this issue, affirming the necessity of a regional SADC Parliament. Lesotho likewise expressed support for the transition, though it has yet to finalize written comments due to ongoing consolidations. Madagascar voiced strong backing, emphasising capacity building for parliaments as essential to improved oversight of government action and pledging to monitor ratification while supporting protocol implementation.
Malawi was among the first to sign the agreement amending the SADC Treaty to establish the SADC Parliament, following the 45th SADC Summit in Madagascar (August 2025). However, it has not yet submitted comments on the operational protocol, with hopes to do so soon once administrative hurdles are cleared. Mozambique also signed the treaty amendment and complied with the deadline to comment. Namibia submitted its feedback on time, underscoring its special responsibility as host of the SADC-PF to ensure the protocol’s legal soundness while promoting democracy and regional integration, and reaffirming its commitment to hosting the SADC-PF during the transformation.
Seychelles, a proactive supporter of the transformation, affirmed its endorsement of establishing the regional parliament and signed the treaty amendment, noting financial and commitment considerations typical for a small, high-income state with many international obligations. Zambia reported that it became the 11th signatory to the amendment and reaffirmed its stance on the transition at the 56th plenary session hosted in December 2025.
Although representatives from Botswana, Mauritius, and Zimbabwe did not orally submit comments, they expressed support for the regional Parliament when reports were moved and seconded without objections.
This changing trajectory invites a broader debate: Does moving to a regional parliament genuinely enhance governance and accountability across member states, or could it complicate national sovereignty and resource allocation? What checks and balances are necessary to ensure effective oversight and timely legislative action? Share your thoughts in the comments.
