Thought leader

News from Southern Africa is certainly depressing.  The region is experiencing a major backslide in democratic freedoms, further damaging the reputation of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and its ability to bind its members to common values.

Recent restrictions on civil society in the region, whether through regressive laws, policies or vigorous persecution of activists, fly in face of the SADC treaty which calls upon its 14 members to uphold human rights and the rule of law and promote common political values through democratic, legitimate and effective institutions.