The Centre for Conflict Resolution (CCR), Cape Town, South Africa, hosted a policy advisory group
seminar on the theme “Regional Integration in Southern Africa: Strengthening Participatory Governance in the Southern African Development Community (SADC)”. The meeting was the second in a series, to assess the challenges and prospects of regional integration in Southern Africa; and to identify strategies for strengthening the capacity of national actors to implement SADC protocols and policies. A major observation made at the meeting was that the active participation of diverse non-state and sub-state actors is vital for successful implementation of the SADC regional integration agenda. Bringing together about 30 critical role-players, including the SADC Secretariat, the February 2018 seminar thus sought to address in-depth the lack of participation in, and ownership of, the Community and regional integration processes among key stakeholders such as parliaments, civil society, tertiary and research institutions, the private sector, and the media. This policy brief is based on discussions at the meeting and the seminar concept paper.
