The 24th Plenary Assembly session of the Southern Africa Development Community Parliamentary Forum was held at Arusha, Tanzania under the theme:" the Role of Parliamentarians in addressing challenges and crises to sustainable development facing the SADC region, notably food shortages, electoral disputes, energy crisis, xenophobia, climate change, floods and drought, among others". This is the 3rd time that the Parliament of Tanzania is hosting the plenary assembly having done so in 1999 and 2004 respectively.

Fourteen (14) Presiding Officers and 59 Members of Parliament representing the following member parliaments of Angola, Botswana, Democratic Republic of Congo, Lesotho, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Seychelles, South Africa, Swaziland,Tanzania,Zambia, and Zimbabwe attended the plenary.

The SADC Parliamentary Forum warmly welcomed and admitted Seychelles bringing the number of member parliaments to fourteen (14). The Government, Speaker, Parliamentarians and people of Seychelles were congratulated for their decision to join the SADC parliamentary fraternity.

The 24th Plenary Assembly was officially opened by the Rt. Honourable Prime Minister Mizengo Pinda (MP) of the United Republic of Tanzania on behalf of His Excellency President Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete, the President of the United Republic of Tanzania. In his keynote address, the premier appreciated the important role parliamentarians perform in the promotion of governance and democracy.

In accordance with our vision, namely the promotion of the role and effective participation of parliamentarians in the development and integration agenda of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) deliberated and resolved on various crises and challenges we individually and collectively face as a region amongst others; the energy crisis, poverty and vulnerability, climate change, water scarcity and transboundary governance thereof, xenophobia, HIV and AIDS, the ongoing EU-ACP Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) negotiations and the recently launched SADC Free Trade Area (FTA).

Noting that, as a result of the Climate change the SADC region is periodically faced with floods and droughts, that the current energy crisis in the SADC region has exacerbated poverty in the region, the Forum acknowledged that there is need for parliamentarians to raise their commitment to fighting poverty, climate change and other regional crises and challenges.

Further acknowledging incidences of electoral disputes in our region which have the potential of undermining the will of the people and the credibility of democracy we call on our respective governments in accordance with the SADC Parliamentary Forum's Norms and Standards for Democratic Elections, the Principles and Guidelines for Elections and other elections instruments to promote and sustain a democratic culture.

Noting the failure of the government of Zimbabwe to invite SADC Parliamentary Forum to observe the 2008 elections in Zimbabwe. We call upon the government of Zimbabwe to allow observations in Zimbabwe without hindrance.

Whilst appreciating financial assistance from cooperating partners, the Plenary stressed the need to mobilize more internal resources to enhance the sustainability of the Forum's election observations programme.

Applauding the election of Speaker Hon. Dr. Theo-Ben Gurirab to the high Office of the Presidency of the Inter- Parliamentary Union (IPU), the Forum extended its appreciation to the membership of the Forum for their support without which this historic election would not have been possible. We individually and collectively commit to supporting Speaker Gurirab's Presidency.

Further welcoming the historic signing of the Protocol on Gender and Development in August 2008 by SADC Summit, the Forum appreciated and congratulated the Heads of State and Government for this landmark development, which amongst other now provides for total equality at 50-50 gender parity in all positions of decision making including Parliaments and Cabinets by 2015. Parliamentarians further acknowledged the need to perform their role in working for the attainment of this important objective.

Observing with concern the conflict in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) which has resulted in the tragic deaths and displacement of civilians, a situation which if not contained without delay, holds dire consequences for peace and security in that country as well as the entire region, we strongly urge all concerned parties through mediation to earnestly resolve the conflict in the interest of the people of Congo and the region.

Acknowledging that Southern Africa is recorded as one of the poorest regions in the world which is not likely to meet the noble Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), and the rampant and growing poverty exacerbated by the multiple challenges and crises the region currently faces at a time of a global recession manifested in food, credit and fuel shortages amongst other which further threaten the attainment of SADC's Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan (RISDP), we call for the scaling up of the provision of social transfers including direct cash to the poor and vulnerable as a viable and practical poverty alleviation strategy.

Recalling that it was rightly forecast more than ten years ago that by 2007, SADC would face a serious energy shortage which is now evidently experienced in the many scheduled and unscheduled power outages across the region potentially threatening development and investment in the region, our governments regrettably did not heed the call and we now call for greater investment and regional cooperation in this sector.

Noting the seriousness of the energy crisis in the region, we commit to greater oversight of this sector and demand that we be continuously appraised by the executive and in particular the SADC Energy Ministerial Task Force (EMTF) on the measures being undertaken at the national and regional levels to resolve the power shortage in the short, medium and long term. Furthermore, considering the huge untapped potential of the Inga Dam (Phase III) which will not only address the current and future energy deficit in the region but will turn the region into an energy exporter call on our governments to prioritize investing in this and other projects as a region than as individual countries.

Recalling that water and in particular water scarcity was forecast to be a potential source of major conflicts in Africa, we wish to encourage the change of this perception to viewing water as a shared resource and therefore a catalyst for the promotion of regional cooperation, peace and security. In this regard, we promote the adoption and rigorous implementation of regional approaches to transboundary water utilization, management and governance, and including effective participation in the oversight of the water sector.

Aware of the ongoing Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) being negotiated by the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) states and the European Union (EU), on an extended deadline which now expires on 31st December 2008, encourage our governments to continue to reject the indirect inclusion of the detrimental Singapore issues, namely services, competition, government procurement and intellectual property rights which were already rejected by the G90 in Doha at the level of the World Trade Organization (WTO). In this regard, we encourage our governments as they negotiate in December 2008 in Brussels under the umbrella of the WTO to insist on the inclusion of a clear development agenda in the final EPA.

In accordance with the SADC integration targets we welcome the recently launched SADC Free Trade Area (FTA of August 2008) and express our support and optimism for the timely implementation of the remaining integration targets such as becoming a Customs Union (2010), Common Market (2015) Monetary Union (2016) and ultimately adopting a single currency (2018). In this regard, we reiterate that SADC and Africa's integration agenda not be allowed to be derailed by EPAs or any other negotiations.

In appreciation of the region's resolve to deeper integration as manifested in the launched FTA and in response to being a formidable regional building bloc for the Pan African Parliament (PAP), we reiterate our call for the transformation of the SADC Parliamentary Forum into a regional parliament to ensure the requisite regional oversight in tandem with a regionalizing SADC.

Noting that HIV/AIDS remains a poignant threat to SADC development, we announce our adoption of the HIV/AIDS Model Law on 24th November 2008 we hereby demonstrate and reaffirm that parliamentarians, notwithstanding our diverse backgrounds and legal systems, are united in honoring human rights with regard to HIV and AIDS prevention, treatment, care and support.

The Model Legislation is aimed at assisting member states - in particular policy makers and legislative drafters to address all the relevant areas in need of legislative reform without usurping the authority of national legislatures. An important benefit of the Model law is that it builds on the collective experiences of other legislatures, providing a pool of wisdom from which a particular legislature may select and adapt provisions to suit its own circumstances and needs.

Disappointed by incidences of xenophobia in the region, we express our condemnation of these unwarranted events and call on our people to embrace unity and cooperation in the spirit of ubuntu and pan-africanism through which we attained the African liberation.

In light of the challenges in the region, of Post Election violence, xenophobia, crime, violence against women, AIDS, unemployment etc, the Plenary has noted that the youth are the most affected either as perpetrators or victims. The plenary has therefore undertaken to create a Regional Youth Parliamentary Caucus which will aim at motivating and increase youth's direct participation in legislative issues in SADC member states, national parliaments and regionally.

Pursuant to article 9 (2) (aa) of the Constitution of the SADC Parliamentary Forum which provides that "Members of the Executive Committee shall hold office for a term of two years and shall retire by rotation:" the 24th plenary assembly held elections for the positions of Chairperson, Vice Chairperson, and Treasurer and additional members were nominated to the Executive Committee. The duly elected office bearers are;

• Hon. Speaker Prince Guduza Dlamini, MP - Swaziland, Chairperson.
• Hon. Deputy Speaker Anne S. Makinda, MP - Tanzania, Vice Chairperson.
• Hon. Monica Mutsvangwa, MP - Zimbabwe, Treasurer.

Additional Members of the Executive are;

• Hon. Deputy Speaker Joao Lourenco, MP (Angola)
• Hon. Moggie Mbaakanyi, MP (Botswana)
• Hon. Deputy Speaker Mario Philippe Losembe (DRC)
• Hon. Hlonepho Ntsekhe, MP (Lesotho)
• Hon. Duarte Acucena, MP (Mozambique)
• Hon. Speaker Louis Chimango, MP (Malawi)
• Hon. Speaker Theo-Ben Gurirab, MP (Namibia)
• Hon. Pamela Daniels, MP (South Africa)
• Hon. Speaker Amusaa K. Mwanamwambwa, MP (Zambia)

The Forum expresses its profound appreciation to the Government, Parliament and the people of the United Republic of Tanzania for their hospitality enjoyed during the 24th Plenary Assembly. The next plenary assembly will be held in March at Windhoek, Namibia.

Adopted at Arusha, Tanzania on 27th November 2008