Moses Magadza
Boemo Sekgoma, the Secretary General of the Southern African Development Community Parliamentary Forum (SADC PF), has urged Southern African nations to take advantage of this opportunity to strengthen their economies and regain control over their development trajectory.
Speaking via Zoom at the opening of the “High-Level Dialogue on Trade Justice: Mitigating the Impact of US Reciprocal Tariffs on SADC Economies and Women and Girls” on Thursday, Sekgoma acknowledged the far-reaching implications of tariff increases and called for a recalibration of regional trade and production strategies.
“While we certainly have no control over foreign jurisdictions and the tariffs they impose, a reliable way to avoid tariffing mayhem is to import and export more within SADC borders and within the African continent,” Sekgoma told delegates gathered for the hybrid meeting in Johannesburg.
She cautioned that the sudden imposition of tariffs, particularly by powerful economies, often hits the most vulnerable the hardest, especially women and girls working in export-oriented sectors such as agriculture and manufacturing.
“If tariffs disrupt the supply chain, it is usually the most vulnerable who are affected,” she warned.
She reaffirmed the Forum’s support for free and fair-trade principles under the World Trade Organisation (WTO) and the SADC Protocol on Trade, but emphasised that treaties alone are not enough.
“We need high-quality goods to make people in the region self-sufficient. Parliaments must be emboldened to legislate to increase local productivity,” she asserted.
She pointed to the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) as a critical vehicle for economic self-reliance but stressed that implementation must go beyond ratification.
“Parliaments must explore avenues to optimise flows from the SADC Protocol on Trade and the AfCFTA. Treaties in themselves are not a panacea.”
Calling for economic diversification and industrialisation, the SG challenged African policymakers to promote innovation and retain talent.
“African ingenuity must come back to our shores. Brain drain must be discouraged, and incentives must exist for African intellect to be retained,” she said, urging the establishment of quality assurance laws and home-grown brands that can compete globally.
She posed a series of reflection questions to drive the dialogue.
“How do we maximise domestic production and promote intra-African trade? How do we ensure that women and young girls are fully integrated into the socio-economic benefits of trade?”
Quoting the Chinese philosopher Sun Tzu, Sekgoma stated, “Victory comes from finding opportunities in problems.”
She urged the region to embrace the current disruptions as a chance for honest reflection and bold reform.
“The future of Africa must always lie in its own hands and not be dependent on external factors,” she stated.
The High-Level Dialogue, organised in partnership with the Southern African Trust, brings together parliamentarians, economists, gender activists, and trade experts to chart a just and inclusive trade response to the escalating protectionist policies from the Global North.
Moses Magadza serves as media and communications manager at the SADC Parliamentary Forum.
