The SADC Committee of Ministers of Justice/Attorneys General convened a meeting to review progress and consider SADC legal instruments.

The Committee of Ministers of Justice and Attorneys General of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) convened a virtual meeting on the 11th July 2025, to review progress made on decisions taken by Council and the Committee at their previous meetings and consider draft SADC Legal Instruments to be recommended to Council and Summit or other Ministerial Committees for consideration, approval, adoption, and signature.

In his opening remarks, Honourable Ziyambi Ziyambi, the Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs of the Republic of Zimbabwe and Chairperson of the Committee of Ministers of Justice/Attorneys General highlighted that SADC has been adopting SADC Legal Instruments which are aimed at facilitating cooperation by Member States in all areas necessary to foster regional development and integration based on balance, equity and mutual benefit. He emphasised that the entry into force of such Legal Instruments is an important precursor to ensure that the objectives set out in the Legal Instruments are met for the benefit of the Region in various areas of integration as spelt out in Article 12 (2) of the SADC Treaty.

In his welcome remarks, His Excellency Mr. Elias M. Magosi, the Executive Secretary of SADC underscored the importance of the meeting as an opportunity for the Ministers of Justice/Attorneys General to discuss and exchange ideas on how to collectively accelerate the regional integration and take stock of the regional performance on SADC Legal Instruments. He noted that the meeting was also to review progress in the implementation of Decisions of the SADC Council of Ministers and consider several draft SADC Legal Instruments submitted for legal clearance.

H.E Magosi appealed to the Ministers of Justice/Attorneys General to encourage the Member States who have not done so, to sign, ratify and accede to SADC Legal Instruments.

The meeting considered the following draft SADC Legal Instruments:

• Draft Agreement Amending the Protocol on Finance and Investment (Provisions Relating to Anti-Money Laundering) to include provisions on countering Financing of Terrorism and Proliferation Financing. 

• Draft Amendments to the Protocol on Trade, including those concerning SADC Rules of Origin, application of Safeguard Measures, elimination of Non-Tariff Barriers to trade, and trade facilitation measures; and

• Draft Agreement Amending the Charter Establishing the Southern African Development Community Aviation Safety Organisation (SASO). 

During the meeting, the Committee of the Ministers of Justice and Attorneys General also considered other issues, including:

1. update on the appointment of a Juge for the SADC Administrative Tribunal; and

2. the status of signing of ratification of, and accession to, SADC Protocols and other SADC Legal Instruments.

The Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs of the Republic of Zimbabwe Honourable Ziyambi Ziyambi presided over the meeting in his capacity as the Chairperson of the Committee of Ministers of Justice/Attorneys General.