The SADC Parliamentary Forum stakeholders’ consultation on developing a Model Law on Constitutionalism and the Rule of Law  forms part of broader regional efforts to strengthen democratic governance and harmonize legal standards across SADC member states. The ECF-SADC  was duly represented by two members (The ECF-SADC Executive Secretary and the Chairperson of the Legal subcommittee).

The consultation brought  together a wide range of stakeholders – including parliamentarians, judicial representatives, electoral bodies, legal experts, academia, and civil society—to shape the scope and key themes of the Model Law through an inclusive process. The discussion themes included constitutional supremacy, separation of powers, judicial independence, human rights protection, and accountability mechanisms.

The ECF-SADC has also nominated two members of the Legal subcommittee to serve as members of the Technical Working Group (TWG), supporting the development of the Model Law. In line with the Terms of the Reference, The Technical Working Group will provide expert guidance and quality assurance throughout the drafting process to ensure that the Model Law reflects regional constitutional practice, aligns with regional and international normative frameworks, and promotes harmonisation of constitutional principles across SADC Member States.

The ECF-SADC and SADC PP PF entered into a Memorandum of Understanding in June 2025 which, among other things, specifies the areas of cooperation and implementation of projects such as this one  and the domestication of the SADC Model law on elections by Election Management Bodies.