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PRESENTATION ON SADC PROTOCOL ON FORESTRY. Presentation deals with: Process Objectives Why Necessary for RSA Ratification. Process. Initiated by SADC FSTCU in 1998 in collaboration with IUCN Country Reports collected to develop Elements for the Protocol
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PRESENTATION ON SADC PROTOCOL ON FORESTRY • Presentation deals with: • Process • Objectives • Why Necessary for RSA • Ratification
Process • Initiated by SADC FSTCU in 1998 in collaboration with IUCN • Country Reports collected to develop Elements for the Protocol • 1999 Draft Elements for the Protocol produced • Consultations begin with member countries to determine support to the elements and the process • Draft Protocol produced in November 2000 and countries are requested to consult
Process Cont. • November 2000 Draft presented at NFAC • NFAC appoints a steering Committee to co-ordinate the consultation process • January 2001 first meeting of the Steering Committee held and outlines process • Protocol is widely circulated to stakeholders • One on One consultation with stakeholders in particular the previously disadvantaged
Process Cont. • Steering Committee continues to meet to receive comments from stakeholders and synthesis them • Steering Committee convenes a National Workshop-June 2001 • Steering Committee meets after Nat. W/shop to look at the final document and agree on the delegates to the SADC Regional Workshop
Process Cont. • SADC Regional Workshop held in Pretoria-September 2001. • Final draft agreed to by all countries and submitted to the Legal process • May 2002 another SADC Regional workshop is held in Luanda and produce the final draft for submission to the ICM • Submitted to the Legal advisors for recommendation
Process Cont. • Legal advisors recommend the signing of the Protocol with a proviso of reviewing Article 17 (3) of the Protocol (which provides for “Where any State party is asserting a right under this Article against any third party, other State parties shall support the assertion of such rights” • The Heads of States sign the Protocol in October 2002 in Luanda.
Process Cont • DFA requests DWAF to speed up process for Ratification • DWAF prepares Cabinet Memo and submit to Cabinet for the Parliamentary process
Objectives • Promote the development, conservation, sustainable management and utilisation of all types of forests and trees • Promote trade in forest products throughout the Region in order alleviate poverty and generate economic opportunities for the peoples of the Region • Achieve Effective protection of the environment, and safeguard the interests of both the present and future generations
How do we achieve the Objectives? • State Parties shall co-operate by: • Assisting and supporting each other to address issues of common concern including deforestation, genetic erosion, climate change, forest fires, pests, diseases, invasive alien species and law enforcement in a manner that makes the best use of technical, financial and other resources in the region • Promoting the sustainable management of shared forests, taking into account other Protocols • Building trade and investment based on the sustainable management and utilisation of forests including agreeing on common standards for SFM and forest products etc.
Why Necessary for RSA • RSA should take the lead in the co-operation on economic upliftment of the SADC countries • Protocol promotes co-operation among SADC Member States • As a leader in the AU and NEPAD initiatives RSA should always be in the forefront in ratifying Regional agreements
Why Necessary for RSA Cont. • Protocol has emphasis on poverty alleviation and empowerment of women which are programmes that RSA already has, e.g. • Community Forestry Agreements. • Restructuring of Cat. B plantations • Eastern Cape Afforestation • Deregulation of the Wattle bark industry to involve the PDIs in the bark economy.
Ratification • Article 22(1) of the Declaration Treaty and protocol for SADC provides for Members States should conclude such Protocols as may be necessary in each area of co-operation, which shall spell out the objectives and scope of, and institutional mechanisms for cooperation and integration.
CONCLUSION • The DWAF together with its stakeholders are very pleased with the involvement of all concerned in the development and negotiations of the Protocol on Forestry • The principles contained in the Protocol are those of international standards and also enshrined in the National Forests Act, No 84 of 1998.
Conclusion Cont • Based on that motivation requests the Parliament of the Republic of South Africa to Ratify this Protocol. • Prepared by Motsamai Nkosi • DWAF (August 2003)