The Southern African Development Community (SADC)

The primary objectives of Southern African Development Community (SADC) are to achieve economic development, peace and security, growth, alleviate poverty, enhance the standard and quality of life of Southern Africans, and promote regional integration of the socially disadvantaged. These objectives are to be achieved through increased Regional Integration, built on democratic principles, and equitable and sustainable development.

The SADC Treaty was signed to establish SADC as the successor to the Southern African Coordinating Conference (SADCC). This Treaty sets out the main objectives of SADC. The SADC Treaty established a series of Institutional Mechanisms, including the following: Summit of Heads of State or Government, Council of Ministers, Standing Committee of Officials, A Secretariat, and A Tribunal. 

Upon establishing the SADC Treaty, SADC restructured its institutions; at an Extra-Ordinary Summit on March 9, 2001, in Windhoek, Namibia, the SADC Treaty Amendment (2001) was adopted. Several difficulties and constraints encountered during the transition from a coordinating Conference to a Community necessitated this restructuring as part of institutional reform. As a result of these reforms, eight (8) institutions were established, under the guidance of Article 9 of the Treaty Amendment:

1. Summit of Heads of State or Government
2. Organ on Politics, Defense, and Security Co-operation
3. Council of Ministers
4. A Secretariat
5. A Tribunal
6. The Troika
7. Standing Committee of Officials
8. SADC National Committees

The regional economic communities (RECs) are recognized in the preamble to the AfCFTA as building blocks. One such REC is the Southern African Development Community (SADC).

Economic integration within SADC is driven by the SADC Treaty and the SADC Common Agenda. In contrast, the former puts both developmental and political objectives into play, based on principles such as development orientation, subsidiarity, market integration, and the promotion of trade and investment.

The main intra-SADC trade export items include petroleum, agricultural products, and textile, which are products that require good infrastructure to be moved from one point to another, accounting for only 10% of total trading with only 3% going to African countries, implying that the majority of SADC exports are exported outside of Africa.

The main concern among SADC members about the AfCFTA is inadequate infrastructure. Infrastructure is required so that goods, people, and services can flow and be efficiently transported from one country to another within the region. Lack of infrastructure raises the cost of doing business, makes the region unappealing to investors, and prevents landlocked countries and/or rural residents from accessing staple foods and even potable water. As a result, a good Regional Infrastructure Development strategy will improve economic opportunities for member states and larger markets, promote sustainable regional economic development, trade, and investment, and contribute to SADC’s ultimate goal of poverty eradication.

Other barriers to trade include high costs and obstacles for transport and logistics, as well as a lack of low-cost access to information technologies; insufficient weather forecasting services that would be beneficial in planning other sectors such as water resources, and energy. 

In conclusion, despite some progress being made, there are still financial limitations that prevent many SADC countries from implementing projects. Most of these nations rely on external funding to get the job done.