THE “SADC” The Southern African Development Community.
The Southern African Development Community (SADC) is an inter-governmental organization headquartered in Gaborone, Botswana. It complements the role of the African Union.
SADCC was formed in Lusaka, Zambia on April 1, 1980, following the adoption of the Lusaka Declaration - Southern Africa: Towards Economic Liberation.
The transformation of the organization from a Coordinating Conference into a Development Community (SADC) took place on August 17, 1992 in Windhoek, Namibia.
The Member States of SADC are: Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Swaziland, United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia, Namibia, South Africa, Madagascar, DR Congo, Seychelles, Mauritius and Zimbabwe.
SADC Operational Structure
The SADC Executive Secretary, Dr Stergomena Lawrence Tax, a native of the United Republic of Tanzania is the 6th Executive Secretary and 1st female Executive Secretary of the Southern African Development Community (SADC).
The Chairpersons of the SADC are the member state Presidents. Each have a chance of holding the position on rotational bases of one-year term.
THE OBJECTIVES OF SADC
To promote sustainable and equitable economic growth and socio-economic development that will ensure poverty alleviation with the ultimate objective of its eradication, enhance the standard and quality of life of the people of Southern Africa and support the socially disadvantaged through regional integration.
1. To promote common political values, systems and other shared values which are transmitted through institutions which are democratic, legitimate and effective.
2. To consolidate, defend and maintain democracy, peace, security and political stability among member states.
3. To promote self-sustaining development on the basis of collective self-reliance, and the interdependence of Member States.
4. To achieve complementarity between national and regional strategies and development programs.
5. To promote and maximize productive employment and utilization of natural resources of the region.
6. To achieve sustainable utilization of natural resources and effective protection of the environment.
7. To Strengthen and consolidate the long-standing historical, social and cultural affinities and links among the people of the region.
8. To combat HIV/AIDS or other deadly and communicable diseases that affect most of the member states citizens.
9. Poverty eradication. To ensure that poverty eradication is addressed in all SADC activities and programs.
10. Promotion of gender for development. To mainstream gender in the process of community building.
The Achievements of “SADC”
1. Increase of cooperation. In 25 years, SADC has recorded outstanding achievements in different areas of cooperation. SADC has endeavored to create a dynamism, which has resulted in a regional identity and a SADC brand name.
2. Growth of a number of private investors. Ordinary people have been establishing regional organizations as a spontaneous response to the Lusaka Declaration and the SADC Treaty. The enterprise sector has been encouraged to get involved and invest in the region to bring the SADC economies together.
3. Harmonization of economic policies. In 1980, SADC countries had many socio-economic policies but now all countries in the region believe in market-oriented economic policies.
4. Economy’s Liberalization. Most SADC Member States have liberalized their economies, brought down budget deficits, liberalized exchange controls and considerably improved overall macro-economic fundamentals.
5. The region has enjoyed peace, political stability and security for the past few years following the signing of the Angolan Peace Accord in April 2002 and the installation in the Democratic Republic of Congo of a transitional government on 30 June, 2003.
6. Democratic elections. The Principles and Guidelines Governing Democratic Elections have boosted the image of the region as a common investment area and mitigated the risk perception. This should increase investment flows into the region in future.
7. Formulation of a program of action so as to achieve SADC’s objectives in particular in promoting deeper regional integration, integrating SADC into the world economy, promoting balanced and equitable development, eradicating poverty and promoting gender equality.
8. Capacity building. The powers and capacity of regional decision-making, coordinating and executing bodies have been strengthened and legally binding instruments, the SADC Protocols have been developed.
Challenges facing the SADC
1. There is an abundance of regional organizations, in Southern Africa such as the EAC and others some countries even belong to more than one. SADC have no a distinctive approach to development.
2. Africa in general attracts little foreign direct investment (FDI). The SADC region has experienced some problems of stability.
3. This region is founded on economic structures that were based on an import-substitution model. This is an obstacle to further regional integration.
4. Seven SADC member states are part of the HIPC {High Indebted Poor Countries} initiative.
5. There is less food security due to global environmental challenges. For example, in Zimbabwe, Malawi and other areas.
6. Political instabilities in some member states such as Zimbabwe, Mozambique and DR Congo affect the general wellbeing of SADC.
7. The relationship between SADC and the European Union. Problems of the EU affects the SADC. Example the recent exit of the United Kingdoms “Britain” from the EU. The EU is clearly one of the major cooperation partners of SADC.
8. A consequence of the HIV/AIDS pandemic which is the greatest concern in SADC region. It is intensifying SADC efforts in the provision of basic services to combat major diseases, not only AIDS, but also malaria, cancer and TB.
