European - Southern African Cooperation
in a Globalising World

The Vienna Conference

hosted by the Austrian Parliament
in cooperation with the European Network
for Information and Action on Southern Africa
Vienna, Oct 12-14, 1998

Conclusions of the Chair

Following the political intention expressed by ministers at the EU-SADC-Ministerial Conference 1996 in Windhoek to deepen ties between the two regions to involve also civil society and parliaments - the Austrian parliament, together with ENIASA (European Network for Information and Action on Southern Africa), took the decision to host the "First EU-SADC Parliamentary-NGO Conference: European-Southern African Cooperation in a globalising world" in Vienna (Austria) from October 12th-14th , 1998.

More than 300 MPs, NGO representatives and experts from Europe and Southern Africa responded to the invitation. On the basis of broad consultations participants entrusted the Chair of the Conference to forward a summary of the key conclusions for further consideration to the EU-SADC Ministerial Conference taking place on November 3rd and 4th, 1998, in Vienna, and to convey to the ministers the political message of this conference.

Bearing in mind the sometimes complex relationship between governments, NGOs and MPs the Vienna Conference exercised an open, frank and constructive dialogue among participants.

1. The conference served as a starting point for establishing a more permanent network between MPs and NGOs of the EU and the SADC region. Proposals to hold a second joint conference of MPs and NGOs in connection with the next EU/SADC Ministerial Conference foreseen for the year 2000 in Southern Africa were unanimously adopted.
   
   
2. The conference conveyed a strong message of solidarity to the peoples of Southern Africa in the spirit of the Berlin Conference 1994 which had raised expectations that unfortunately have not been entirely met up to now. The conference embarked from a comprehensive understanding embracing the economic, social and democratic dimension of development.
   
   
3. Participants urged EU ministers to put relations with Africa on the top of their foreign affairs agenda. The SADC region requires special attention and support from the EU on its difficult path towards consolidiation of the democracy, economic and social development and regional integration
   
   
4. Taking into account the various negotiations involving both the EU and the SADC region (Lomé, trade agreement etc.) participants called on EU and SADC ministers to quickly overcome existing obstacles and to give consideration to the recent turbulences in the world economy with the aim of a more fundamental policy review. The fall in the growth rate of the global economy is accompanied by a dramatic fall in SADC/ACP commodity prices, making the payment of debt services even more damaging to social welfare priorities than before. Participants therefore entered a plea for fair relations between economically unequal partners.
   
   
5. In this context, special attention should be applied to the negotiations for a trade and development agreement between South Africa and the EU. This negotiations need a fresh momentum and clearly should integrate developmental and regional dimensions.
   
   
6. Participants expressed concern about current sources of instability in the SADC region that constitute a major challenge to SADC's further co-operation and integration. Participants supported the endeavours of SADC governments to solve the conflicts within the region on the basis of consensus. Participants called upon EU and SADC member states to strictly apply UN Security Council resolutions. In this difficult situation the EU should consider special support for regional conflict resolution attempts and should not decrease its support for the region.
   
   
7. Participants paid special attention to the economic and social development in the SADC regions as a main prerequisite for stability in the area and underlined that poverty is a prime source of insecurity and its eradication a priority task.
   
   
8. Ending the debt crisis has to be seen as an urgent priority. Especially "odious debt" - being either contracted by the apartheid regime or by countries subjected to apartheid policy - should be totally erased.
   
   
9. Experience shows that HIPC terms are not sufficient to resolve the debt-problems of many SADC countries. Therefore HIPC terms must be delinked from ESAF conditionalities. Questions of structural adjustment should be dealt with together with its social implications in more appropriate fora using more targeted instruments.
   
   
10. Furthermore doubts were raised about the effects of establishing "export processing zones" especially as they could lead to a downward spiral of labour and social standards in the area. SADC-governments should instead consider regional industrial co-operation and concrete steps towards a joint processing of natural resources.
    
    
11. Participants were concerned about the continuos transfer of competencies away from parliaments towards international organisations and bureaucracies. They underlined the urgent need for democratisation of organisations such as the IMF, World Bank, WTO, OECD etc. In addition parliaments should assume their constitutional responsibilities and make national governments more accountable for their actions in international organisations.
    
    
12. The conference reiterated its support for the progress towards consolidation of democracy and reinforcement of human rights in the SADC region. In addition to free and fair elections, institution building, professional public management and the development of a free and competent media needs additional support.
    
    
13. The problems of the contemporary world demand a renewed global co-operation. EU and SADC could play a vital role in initiating an innovative approach to international co-operation that is able to meet the challenges of an increasingly interdependent world.