Sadc: Binding Southern Africa

Fortious Nhambura and Richard Nyamanhindi

AFTER the Berlin Conference of 1884-85, one of the enduring legacies that
Africa inherited from the colonial past is division.
This weakness has been exploited by Western powers to destroy Africas
capacity to resist neo-colonial guises, through the old ruse of divide and rule.

If Africa is to win the war against its detractors, unity is the way forward, for
there is an old adage that says, "there is strength in numbers".
Since the formation of the Southern African Co-ordination Conference
(Sadc) in Lusaka, Zambia in April 1980, Southern African countries have
moved from a loose co-operation through Sadc to a more effective
integration through its successor, the Southern African Development
Community (Sadc).
Sadc celebrated its Silver Jubilee on April 1 this year, the date its
predecessor, the Sadcc, was formed.
Sadcc was formed to create "a common future for countries in sub-Saharan
Africa, a future that would ensure the economic well-being and
improvement of the standards and quality of life" in the region.
The regional group has seen its membership growing from nine in 1980 to
14 in 1997.
Currently, its membership stands at 13 following the withdrawal of
Seychelles in 2004.
Today Sadc boasts of an attractive regional market of over 200 million
people and a gross domestic product (GDP) of over US$185 billion.
Thus, regional integration offers a lot of potential for economic and political
growth.
The 13 member states are Angola, Botswana, Democratic Republic of
Congo (DRC), Lesotho, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, South
Africa, Swaziland, United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
Since its inception, Sadc has made impressive achievements particularly in
the transport and communications sector with the building and rehabilitation
of road links, railways, airports, seaports and harbours.
Notable achievements have also been made in the areas of trade and industry
where intra-Sadc trade surged from about 5 percent in 1980 to around 25
percent this year.
The challenges of rampant poverty, HIV and Aids, food insecurity among

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others, are being addressed through the organisations 15-year Regional
Indicative Strategic Development Plan that is designed to implement only
programmes and activities that will accelerate regional integration and co-
operation through sustainable development.
Recently, Sadc tabled plans for the development of new energy projects,
such as the Western Corridor Power Project. This will carry power from a
hydroelectric scheme at the Inga Falls in the DRC to Angola, Botswana,
Namibia and South Africa; and Mepanda Uncua Power Project for the
downstream development of the Cabora Bassa Dam in Mozambique, among
others.
These projects will benefit the people of the region if the prevailing political
stability and unity is promoted and maintained.
In an effort to continue enhancing regional integration, Sadc is moving
towards the establishment of a standing peacekeeping force through the re-
opening of the Regional Peacekeeping Training Centre (RPTC) in Harare.
This is being done to promote and defend peace and security in the region.
Speaking at the handover of the Sadc RPTC in Harare a fortnight ago,
Zimbabwes Defence Minister Cde Sydney Sekeramayi said the purpose of
the centre was to increase the regional peacekeeping capacity and
capabilities in implementing African Union and United Nations
peacekeeping operations.
Cde Sekeramayi said this would enhance the stability of the region and thus
improve the prospects for economic co-operation, growth and social
progress.
"It is in view of the above that we, in Zimbabwe, having been responsible
for the administration of this institution, are today going to officially hand
over this responsibility to the Sadc secretariat," he said.
Officiating at the same function, South African Defence Minister Mosiuoa
Lekota said Sadc countries need to remain united and work for the
development of the region to avoid taking their differences to countries that
threaten regional unity.
"We need friends, but they must be friends on conditions that we put
forward. Sadc has set itself values, standards and protocols that must be
observed by the region for the betterment of its people without strings
attached from the outside world," said Mr Lekota.
The centre was established in the early 1990s when Sadc member states
became more active in United Nations peacekeeping operations.
Zimbabwe took over the centre soon after assuming chairmanship of the
Sadc Inter-State Defence and Security Committee in 1996.
It then began coordinating peacekeeping training in the region; this marked

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the birth of the RPTC, which was later closed in 2002.

The re-opening of the peacekeeping centre comes at a time when defence

experts have called for closer links between the regional institutions,
political and economic planning bodies, to strengthen the implementation of
the Strategic Indicative Plan of the Organ on Politics, Defence and Security
Co-operationefence and Security Co-operationblueprint for development and
implementation of the Protocol on Politics, Defence and Security Co-
operation.
In addition to the above, Sadc is also working towards setting up a regional
parliament. This will be designed in the mould of the Economic Community
of West African States (Ecowas) parliament.
The Sadc parliament would deliberate on issues of governance, economic
and social development in relation to the needs of the people.
Zambian President, Levy Mwanawasa, who is one of the major proponents
of the Sadc Parliament, has advocated for the early transformation of the
Sadc Parliamentary Forum into a regional legislature without delay.
Based in Windhoek, the Sadc Parliamentary Forum was established in 1996
and brings together more than 1 800 parliamentarians from member
countries.
The major challenge facing the Sadc Parliamentary Forum, however, is the
issue of legitimacy, for the regional grouping of legislators has at times
danced to the tune dictated by its Western donors.
Thus, there is need to reclaim it first before transforming it.
Article 4 of the Sadc Treaty stipulates that human rights, democracy and the
rule of law are principles guiding the actions of its members.
Article 5, on the other hand, outlines the objectives that commit member
states to "promote common political values, systems and other shared values
that are transmitted through democratic and legitimate institutions".
It also commits member states to consolidate, defend and maintain
democracy peace, security and stability in the region.
Currently, Sadc has a Heads of Government meeting, which is the ultimate
policy-making organ; a Council of Ministers, responsible for the economic
planning or finance of respective countries.
In addition there are Commissions and Sectoral Committees that guide and
coordinate the co-operation and integration of policies and programmes in
designated areas, and the Standing Committee of Officials which is a
technical advisory committee to the Council, this meets annually.
The integration of Southern African states has enabled the region to deal
with globalisation that is threatening most developing world countries.

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In 2001, Sadc restructured and adopted a centralised tured and adopted a
centralised ent of member states.

Since then, the regional group has taken a centralised approach by grouping
different areas of focus under four directorates co-ordinated through the
Secretariat at the Sadc Head Quarters in Gaborone, Botswana.
These include Trade, Industry, Finance and Investment, Infrastructure and
Services, Food, Agriculture and Natural Resources, and the Social and
Human Development and Special Programmes.
The previous decentralised strategy gave each member country a sector to
coordinate and monitor based on perceived strengths and opportunities.
Zimbabwe was, thus, responsible for food security, Angola for energy and
Botswana for livestock production, to mention just a few.
The restructuring of Sadc was done on a firm foundation that has enabled the
region to achieve and speed up development and economic growth, alleviate
poverty, enhance the standard and quality of life of the people.
Colonialism ushered in the region four "official" languages namely English,
French, Portuguese and Afrikaans, and these have retarded communication
in Southern Africa.
A common language is central for regional integration and advancement.
Thus, Sadc must work towards the development of a common language
policy to enhance regional integration.
Of great importance is the harmonisation of trade, which favours South
Africa.
To date, the success of Sadc has hinged on the organisations respect for the
long-standing historical, social and cultural affinities and links among the
people of the region.
The organisation also holds the political integrity and sovereignty of its
member states to be paramount.
Sadc has also signed a Mutual Defence Pact that ensures collective regional
security.
The pact also renounces the use of force in settling disputes between
member states, whilst collective force can be used as a last resort against a
member that breaks the law.
Given the common history of Sadc states and their geographical proximity,
effective regional integration in areas concerning economic development,
conflict prevention and resolution can only be pursued through active co-
operation and collaboration.
Regional integration with all its different components is no longer an option
but a must for the region if it is to repel the threat of globalisation.