- Rafael Hangula
SWAKOPMUND-The Parliament of Namibia is hosting the 2026 Southern African Development Community Organisation of Public Accounts Committees (SADCOPAC) Training Programme for Public Accounts Committees (PACs), Similar Committees, and Technical Officials Supporting Oversight Committees in Swakopmund from 20 to 23 May 2026.
The regional training programme, held under the theme “Strengthening Oversight Capacities for Sustainable Development: Enhancing Accountability and Transparency in Public Financial Management,” has brought together Members of Parliament, oversight committee officials, Supreme Audit Institutions, civil society organisations, revenue authorities, and development partners from across the SADC region.
Speaking during the official opening session on Wednesday, the Vice-Chairperson of SADCOPAC, Hon. Alice Nomvula Ponco, said the programme forms part of SADCOPAC’s broader strategy to strengthen parliamentary oversight institutions and improve accountability systems across the region.
Hon. Ponco expressed appreciation to the Parliament of Namibia for hosting the regional programme and commended the country’s commitment to promoting transparency and accountability in public financial management.
“This training programme is not an isolated event. It is part of a deliberate, structured, and cyclical SADCOPAC strategy that links peer review and post-national election training,” she said.
She explained that the programme was specifically designed to empower newly elected members of Public Accounts Committees and similar oversight structures following national elections held in several SADC member states.
According to Hon. Ponco, newly elected oversight committee members often face challenges in areas such as audit follow-up, public financial management, resolution tracking, and engagement with Supreme Audit Institutions and civil society organisations.
She said SADCOPAC’s post-election training model seeks to ensure that incoming oversight committee members are equipped with practical skills and institutional knowledge to perform their oversight responsibilities effectively from the beginning of their parliamentary terms.
“This is our rolling, five-year, region-wide capacity-building calendar. No member state is left behind. No newly elected oversight member is left unprepared,” Hon. Ponco stated.
The Vice-Chairperson further announced that similar post-election empowerment training programmes will be hosted in Malawi, Tanzania, Seychelles, and Mauritius following their respective national elections.
The programme covers key areas including parliamentary oversight and accountability, debt management, illicit financial flows, public financial management reforms, oversight of extractive industries, and strengthening cooperation between Public Accounts Committees and Supreme Audit Institutions.
Sessions will also focus on oversight of public health expenditure, legal frameworks governing oversight institutions, resolution tracking mechanisms, and the role of civil society and the media in promoting accountability.
Participants attending the programme include representatives from AFROSAI-E, SADC Parliamentary Forum, AFRODAD, the Bank of Namibia, the Namibia Revenue Agency, as well as Auditors General and oversight officials from across the region.
Hon. Ponco urged delegates to actively engage in discussions, share experiences, and develop practical solutions to strengthen accountability systems and parliamentary oversight throughout the SADC region.
“The people of the SADC region need accountability now. They need transparency now. They need PACs that function effectively from the first sitting of Parliament,” she said.
Reflecting on Namibia’s engagement within SADCOPAC, Hendrik Gaobaeb cautioned that PACs across the region continue to face challenges, including limited resources, weak institutional frameworks, and low public engagement.
He urged member parliaments to modernise legal frameworks, improve resource allocation, and integrate advanced technologies to strengthen oversight and accountability mechanisms.
Speaking at the same event, Hon. Nanub said the theme of the SADCOPAC 2026 training reflects the urgent need for stronger oversight and accountable management of public resources across the region.
Hon. Nanub said transparent and responsible use of public funds has the potential to improve the lives of citizens through better schools, hospitals, roads, and other essential services.
He cautioned that weak oversight and lack of accountability disproportionately affect ordinary citizens.
He further described Public Accounts Committees and oversight bodies as the “last line of defence” in safeguarding public resources and urged delegates to use the platform to exchange ideas, ask difficult questions, and strengthen their shared commitment to effective parliamentary oversight.
SADCOPAC is an autonomous association of Public Accounts Committees from SADC member states established to promote mutual support, foster the exchange of ideas and experiences, and advance accountability, transparency, and good governance across the region.
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