Lesotho Council of Non-Governmental Organizations (LCN) had
sent a representative delegation of about 15 delegates to
the Southern Africa Civil Society Forum held on the 13 -15th
of August 2010, Windhoek, Namibia that ended earlier this
week to engage with their regional counterparts. The
delegates comprised of various member NGOs operating in
various field of development within the civil society.
The purpose of the forum was to interrogate how SADC as a
region is responsive to the demands and expectations of its
people. Among the issues discussed included the state of
regional economic integration, climate change, free movement
of persons, peace and security as well as the decent work
agenda. Civil Society will also discuss the impact that the
global economic crisis has had on the region and the
response of governments to the crises.
The forum was held under the auspices of the Fellowship of
Christian Councils of Southern Africa (FOCCISA), Southern
Africa Development Community – Council of Non Governmental
Organizations (SADC-CNGO), Southern Africa Trade Union
Coordination Council (SATUCC) and hosted by NANGOF Trust of
Namibia. The three organizations had signed the Alliance
Pact in June 2010 as churches, NGOs and trade unions under
FOCCISA, SADC-CNGO and SATUCC respectively.
In signing the alliance pact the three bodies committed
themselves to working together in contributing towards
people-centered regional integration and development and to
collectively engage SADC and Member States on issues of
common interest such as poverty eradication, promotion of
democracy and good governance and justice.
The annual forum that was held in parallel with the SADC
heads of States Summit, resolved therefore thus; (please
refer to the attached declaration).
The forum became a springboard for civil society’s
preparations to engage in the forthcoming SADC Stakeholders
Consultative Conference on the Global Economic Crisis to be
organized by LCN to be held in Maseru, Lesotho in October,
2010.
|
