Only 7 of 16 SADC States Ratify Free Movement Pact
SADC leaders meet in Durban under a critical-minerals theme. The bloc's own free movement protocol has not entered into force in twenty-one years. The post Only 7 of 16 SADC States Ratify Free Movement Pact appeared first on The Rio Times .
After twenty years, the Southern African Development Community (SADC) free movement pact has still not entered into force, despite ten of its sixteen member states having signed it. Eleven ratifications are required for the pact to take effect. The ongoing delays in ratifying the protocol hinder regional integration, as it is crucial for the movement of people, goods and capital across borders.
The SADC Protocol on the Facilitation of Movement of Persons was adopted in 2005, but only seven member states have ratified it so far. The summit held in Durban, chaired by Cyril Ramaphosa, focused on industrialisation and critical minerals transformation. It also addressed the operationalisation of the SADC Regional Development Fund, which is a long-awaited project finance vehicle for the bloc.
The free movement pact's failure to enter into force remains a significant obstacle for SADC members, particularly for businesses and professionals working in the region, who still face national immigration laws despite being part of a community that describes itself as unified.
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