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The Formal-Alternative Regionalism Formal Interface: Interactions and Engagements of Southern African Civil Society Networks in SADC Regulatory Regimes

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Regional Economic Communities and Integration in Southern Africa

Abstract

This chapter argues that the exclusive features of the state-centred mainstream mode of SADC governance have triggered two settings of engagement within which civil society interacts for alternative regionalisms. The chapter reveals that despite the existence of the Article 23 of the SADC Treaty, which establishes the joint governance system between government elites and non-state actors in the decision-making processes, it still lacks full operationalisation in important sectors of regional integration and cooperation. At the same time, regional civil society actors are consulted on a service delivery basis by SADC elites. Yet, state actors accuse civil society of a lack of capacity and technical expertise in pressing issues at both national and regional levels; therefore, there is a sense of mistrust between states and civil society actors. This chapter concludes that normatively SADC has a strong framework of involvement of civil society, but operationalisation is still problematic for a number of reasons among stakeholders. SADC should institute measures to operationalise Article 23 of the SADC Treaty and develop a policy on how it engages civil society in pursuance of the treaty provision in order to allow non-state actors to own the formation of region processes in Southern Africa.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    Regional networks are defined as channels of cooperation between businesses, government agencies, educational and research institutions, intermediary institutions and other social groups (Sprenger 2001).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre for the Study of Governance Innovation/Department of Political Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa

    Leon Mwamba Tshimpaka & Christopher Changwe Nshimbi

  2. Department of Geography & Environmental Studies, University of Zululand, KwaDlangezwa, South Africa

    Inocent Moyo

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  1. Leon Mwamba Tshimpaka
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Tshimpaka, L.M., Nshimbi, C.C., Moyo, I. (2021). The Formal-Alternative Regionalism Formal Interface: Interactions and Engagements of Southern African Civil Society Networks in SADC Regulatory Regimes. In: Regional Economic Communities and Integration in Southern Africa. Palgrave Macmillan, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-9388-8_5

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