REGIONAL INDIC ATIVE STRATEGIC DEVELOPMENT PL AN 4 9 resourced. The instrument will also provide a framework 3.6.4.2 for enforcing compliance on minimum standards for Review of Current Policy Environment and quality statistics. The collection, processing and dis- Strategies semination of statistical information for monitoring and Although collectively SADC Member States have agreed to evaluation of the policies and strategies and in particular engage the private sector in the drive towards regional the RISDP are crucial in the development of statistics. integration, this is not backed by a SADC Policy on Public- Some of the important areas not covered are the Private Sector dialogue and Public-Private Sector partner- statistical indicators on science and technology, ship. Regional policies and strategies are also not in place: research and development and the informal sector. It is • imperative that these statistics are incorporated in all official statistics and may have to be addressed as a income poverty • matter of urgency along with capacity building at regional and national level. On how best to engage the private sector to deal with To mainstream strategies on tackling HIV and AIDS as the private sector is engaged • To increase the involvement of women in business • To ensure the development of a responsible private 3.6.4 sector through nationally and internationally accep- SADC PRIVATE SECTOR table codes of good corporate governance The current SADC Policy environment on the Private 3.6.4.1 sector consists of two MoUs with ASCCI (August 2000) Overview and SEPAC (February 2001). A subsidiary document, the The SADC region is evolving from a largely state controlled ASCCI White Paper, has now been accepted by SADC economy to a private sector led economy. This develop- Member States as a working document towards a more ment has now been happening at an increasing speed over meaningful engagement of the Private sector. It is the last 10 years. The role of the private sector in wealth however not yet agreed as to how the White Paper issues creation, employment generation and therefore poverty will be implemented. alleviation is firmly accepted by all SADC Member States. The ASCCI White Paper on the Economic Policy Issues However the strategies and approaches by which the in the SADC Region outlines key areas of concern by the private sector may be engaged to the mutual benefit of private sector and makes several recommendations on both the States and the Private Sector are not entirely in place across the Region. Private sector engagement in SADC is at different levels of development ranging from strong public-private sector partnerships, on one hand, to a cautious the way forward. The White Paper explores five key issues covering Investment and Growth, Trade Expansion, Competitiveness, Harmonisation of Policies and HIVAIDS, and identifies the following needs: • The betterment of the macro-economic environment to attract investment, including FDI relationship between the State and Business. In the later case the private sector is generally handed down the • The security of investment policies and at best engaged at the programming stage. In • The facilitation of the movement of labour those countries where the Public Sector sees it as • The speeding up of the UNIVISA and its extension to SADC nationals mandatory to consult the Private Sector on policy, legislation and programmes that affect business, markets • The speeding up of free movement of capital tend to be better regulated and developed and business • The facilitation of intra-regional trade environments are more attractive to both internal and • The removal of NTBs external investors. • The provision of regional trade and market information • The prevention of dumping practices • The adoption of more liberal air access policies