The Malawi Economic Justice Network (MEJN) has sent out an invitation to an alternative SADC meeting, the SADC People’s Summit, that will take place in Lilongwe in August 2013 to coincide with the SADC Summit where Malawi will take over the SADC chair. Some of the issues to be discussed at the meeting organised by MEJN under the auspices of the Southern Africa Peoples Solidarity Network may be of interest to frequenters of Mining in Malawi. The summit is primarily a gathering of civil society organisations.

The invitation reads:

As the Heads of State will be meeting in Lilongwe, Malawi in August 2013, the ordinary peoples of Southern Africa will also converge at the Crossroads Hotel on the 16th – 17th August 2013 under the auspices of the Southern Africa Peoples Solidarity Network (SAPSN).

THEME

This year’s Summit is expected to bring together participants from community – based groups, Social Movements and Civil Society Organizations from all corners of the region under the theme Reclaiming SADC for People’s Development and Solidarity: Ensuring Our Natural Resources Benefit the People NOT Elites and Multi National Corporations.

AGENDA

The broad thematic issues on the agenda for 2013 people’s summit are and might not be limited to these, as follows:

1. Tax justice, fair trade and debt
2. HIV/AIDS and health as a threat to development (TRIPS etc)
3. Agriculture: Towards food sovereignty in SADC
4. Emerging lenders (e.g. BRICS): Are they an answer?
5. Global Partnership for Effective Development Cooperation in Africa: How far?
6. Women Economic Empowerment (land holding, participation in extractives, gender based violence)
7. Illicit flows in natural resources (extractive industries, land, forestry, water)
8. Democracy and Human Rights
9. Land grabbing and minority rights in extractive industries
10. From conventional measures of economic development (GDP, GDP per capita) to people centered
indicators

YOUR PARTICIPATION AND CONTRIBUTION

SAPSN is pleased to invite you to catalyse ideals and ideas, facilitate the processes and actively participate in this landmark event!

Participation is open to all ordinary citizens of the countries in the SADC region. Groups, organizations and individuals that are interested in being a part of shaping our region’s peoples’ destiny by participating at different levels in this event, are requested to complete a registration form by 2nd August, 2013.

Organizations are encouraged to support as many of their representatives to the summit in Lilongwe, the Capital of the WARM HEART OF AFRICA, Malawi.

————- About Us www.mejn.mw ————

Malawi Economic Justice Network (MEJN) is a coalition of civil society organisations committed to championing participatory economic governance for poverty reduction.

Our thrust is to empower ordinary citizens to enable them participate effectively in public policy processes and demand performance accountability from duty-bearers.

Principally this has been facilitated by the promotion of equitable and just contribution of socio-economic opportunities through networking, capacity building (of civil society), policy research and dissemination, advocacy as well as monitoring for good economic governance at national, sub-national and international levels.

For more information get more updates by liking the MEJN Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/MalawiEconomicJusticeNetwork?fref=ts
Visit our website www.mejn.mw or  contact:

C/O Malawi Economic Justice Network (MEJN)
• QADRI House, First Floor – Behind NBS Bank, Lilongwe Branch
• P.O. Box 20135
• Lilongwe 2
• MALAWI

• Phone: +265 1758 199
• Fax: +265 1 758 1998 •
• E-mail: [email protected] / [email protected]

***

Note: we changed the website provided for MEJN in the invitation from http://www.mejn.org to http://www.mejn.mw as the first address is incorrect.

Information about SAPSN available online:

The Southern African People’s Solidarity Network (SAPSN) is a network of civil society organizations from the Southern Africa region challenging globalization by promoting pro-people socio-economic policies at national, regional, continental and global levels.

SAPSN was formed in 1999 with its secretariat housed by South African-based Alternative Information Development Centre (AIDC) between 2000-2003 on a rotational basis. Since then, SAPSN Secretariat was hosted by ZIMCODD in Zimbabwe until 2011 when it moved to Malawi to be hosted by Malawi Economic Justice Network (MEJN).

Vision: SAPSN envisions economic, environmental, social and political equity and justice in Southern Africa.

Mission: To mobilize regional solidarity, build members’ capacities and support people-based regional co-operation, integration and unity in the fight against the debt crisis, global trade injustices and neo-liberal policies in Southern Africa.

Membership is drawn from civil society organizations, trade unions, faith based organizations, student bodies and economic justice networks working on capacity building around global trade injustices, poverty, the debt crisis and globalization as well as seeking alternatives to neo-liberalism in Southern Africa.

For more information on SAPSN: http://sadcpeoplessummit.org