PSC Interview: Council’s collaboration with SADC thrives despite activity lulls
SADC representative calls for strengthened AU-SADC cooperation to address regional security challenges.
PSC Report asked His Excellency Jevin Pillay Ponisamy, Permanent Representative of Southern African Development Community (SADC) to the African Union (AU) for his views.
How do you see the relationship between the Peace and Security Council (PSC) and SADC’s Organ on Politics, Defence and Security?
We need to consider the normative framework that is the basis for collaboration between the two. It focuses on good governance, peace and security in the light of the principles of subsidiarity, complementarity and comparative advantages.
A quick reading of Article 16 of the PSC Protocol outlines the general modalities for enhanced cooperation and collaboration between the Council and its counterparts in the regional economic communities (RECs) and regional mechanisms (RMs). There is also the 2008 memorandum of understanding on peace and security between the AU Commission and the RECs/RMs and the far-broader 2020 revised protocol on relations between the AU and RECs.
Regionally, there’s SADC Vision 2050 and the SADC Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan 2020 to 2030, the SADC Mutual Defence Pact of 2003 and the SADC Protocol on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation of 2001, and other documents that outline the need for a more peaceful region, which ultimately means greater collaboration. And to state the obvious, SADC member states are also AU member states.
I have noticed that the relationship, based on a spirit of solidarity, mutual respect and trust, has been marked with intense collaboration at specific times and none at others. For example, when SADC deployed its standby force to Mozambique, AU assistance was fundamental, a factor that SADC fully recognises. A similar heightened cooperation was felt during the ongoing deployment of the SADC Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The relationship should be strengthened through regular dialogues, consultations and closed sessions
However, I wish to see more regular constructive engagements between the two bodies. Quarterly virtual meetings should take place between the Council and the RECs/RMs, particularly on prevention and early warning. I believe that the PSC should seriously involve the communities and mechanisms and intensify this relationship through regular dialogues, consultations and closed sessions if need be. Both bodies should also further cooperate on measures to prevent and resolve conflicts. I would like the AU Panel of the Wise to meet regularly with the SADC Panel of elders.
The PSC will have its inaugural consultative meeting with the SADC Organ in late August 2024. What concrete outcomes should we expect?
This initiative undertaken by SADC member Botswana during its chairship of the PSC in August 2024 definitely injected ‘fresh blood’ into the relationship. This follows the call by His Excellency Elias M Magosi, Executive Secretary of SADC, and Director of the Organ Prof Kula Theletsane to revamp the existing relationship for the betterment of our region.
The consultative meeting will hopefully see these two bodies work more closely and regularly on issues including on revitalisation of African Peace and Security Architecture (APSA) and African Governance Architecture (AGA) synergies. This rejuvenated relationship should also include AU organs and members of the AGA Platform so that the RECs and RMS could benefit from their expertise.
That said, we must respect subsidiarity, although this should not prohibit active participation and engagement between the PSC and RECs/RMs.
How can alignment between the PSC and REC decision-making organs be ensured?
Continental integration relies on this alignment. The best scenario should be a calendar of meetings between the PSC and its equivalent RM organs that clearly indicates the governance, peace and security issues to be discussed. We are yet to reach that stage.
The PSC must repeatedly acknowledge the importance of RECs/RMs as first responders
It is also vitally important that the Council repeatedly acknowledge the important role of the RECs/RMs as primary responders to crises/conflicts in their jurisdictions in line with the cardinal principles of subsidiarity, complementarity and comparative advantages.
The division of labour on the peace and security sector and even the normative framework should be revived and implemented, especially given that we have not at all reached the objective of silencing the guns.
How do you see AU-SADC collaboration, particularly in light of the SADC Mission in Mozambique (SAMIM) withdrawal and exit in July 2024?
Peen Rodt (2014) said: ‘An operation is a success when its purpose has been achieved and implemented in an appropriate manner from the actor as well as target perspective.’
SAMIM was fully funded by the 16 SADC member states. It should not be compared to the AU Mission to Somalia, now AU Transition Mission in Somalia or any other ongoing AU-led peace support operation supported by all AU member states.
SAMIM was deployed on 15 July 2021 under Scenario 6 of SADC Standby Force Operational Guidelines. This followed a decision at the 23 June 2021 SADC Extraordinary Summit in Maputo to combat terrorism and violent extremism in Cabo Delgado, restore law and order and collaborate with humanitarian agencies to provide relief.
Following long and intensive internal procedures such as field assessment missions, it was agreed that SAMIM should end, having reached most of its objectives. Things may not have completely returned to normal in Capo Delgado but I hope that the recommendations of the after-action review, to be presented to the organ structures in 2025, will guide further PSC actions that will benefit Mozambique.
The Mozambique government has made it clear that it will continue safeguarding SAMIM’s gains. The SADC secretariat is monitoring security in Cabo Delgado and regular updates are being provided to the organ structures to maintain SAMIM successes. This enhanced, regular and close collaboration between the PSC and the RECs/RMs is a must.
How effectively have continental and regional electoral observer missions upheld democratic principles and how can the missions be strengthened?
The missions seem to have been effective and well organised. All elections in our region are held according to the SADC Principles and Guidelines Governing Democratic Elections adopted by the Ministerial Committee of the Organ on Politics, Defence and Security on 20 July 2015 in Pretoria, South Africa.
These guidelines are a result of broad consultations by the SADC Electoral Advisory Council with member states, stakeholders and regional electoral experts. The objective is to ensure democratic elections based on the shared values and principles of democracy, the rule of law and respect for human rights enshrined in the SADC Treaty signed in Windhoek, Namibia in 1992.
We would like more financial/technical support from the AU, especially in peace support operations
It is notable that following the adoption of the SADC elections guidelines in 2004, the organisation took another bold decision in 2005. This created an additional institutional mechanism to ensure that electoral observation became a fundamental component of democratic processes in the region.
It should be recalled that member states invite the SADC electoral observation missions to observe their elections under the SADC normative framework. The chairperson of the organ brings to the attention of the SADC Summit any shortcomings in the application of these frameworks for the appropriate decision following the provisions of the SADC Treaty.
Discussions on possible cooperation with the PSC are bound to happen once regular interaction begins. However, during an election in any SADC member state, there is always collaboration between AU and SADC observers on the ground.
With the upcoming African Union Commission elections, what key issues do SADC countries want the AU to prioritise?
I can’t elaborate much on key AU issues. All peace and security issues are already a priority for SADC and the other RECs/RMs. The AU Inter-regional Knowledge Exchange on early warning, recently launched by the Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security, has clearly shown the need for all RECs and RMs to stand united and continue sharing experiences learnt. Rather than thinking in silos, we should think as ‘One Africa, five regions, eight RECs, two RMs, one voice’.
We would have wished for more financial and technical support from the AU especially in peace support operations. The Peace Fund notwithstanding, we hope to see the AU provide greater assistance to SADC in the future. The AU has been a great partner to SADC until now, whether in the case of Mozambique or the DRC, but there remains room for improvement.
In addition, the communiques of the SADC summits are clear on certain issues that need to be taken up continentally. Examples are the ‘two-states solution’ for Israel and Palestine, the Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic’s right to self-determination, the need to remove sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe and the need to finalise the AU Partnership Strategy document which is long overdue.
I hope one day to see the chief executive officers of RECs/RMs actively participate and be allocated dedicated time to make statements, especially during AU summits and the annual mid-year coordination meetings.
