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5.4 Early Warning and Early Action – Mediation, Peacekeeping and Training
SADC plays a pivotal role in early warning, preventive diplomacy, mediation, conflict pre-
vention and resolution, with emphasis on preventing conflict at its early stages. A strong
linkage has been created between Early Warning leading to Early Action, through the es-
tablishment of the Regional Early Warning Centre (REWC) launched in 2001 and the
Conflict Prevention, Preventive Diplomacy and Mediation Structure which was operation-
alized in 2014. These have enhanced the region’s capacity to anticipate, monitor, prevent
and resolve conflicts.
The region has successfully deployed many strategic teams which have had a positive
impact on peace, security and good governance. Most recent was the SADC Preventive
Mission in Lesotho (SAPMIL) which was deployed in November 2017 to stabilize the frag-
ile and unpredictable political and security situation in the country, and successfully com-
pleted its mission in November 2018. This supported the deployment of the SADC
Oversight Committee to the Kingdom of Lesotho and the team supporting the SADC
Facilitator to assist in the national dialogue and the roadmap for reforms.
Capacity-building courses for Regional and National Mediation has strengthened
domestic mediation capacities in Member States, as well as building capacity for collective
defence and rapid response to security threats through Peace Support Operations, hu-
manitarian assistance and support to civil authorities. The SADC Regional Peacekeeping
Training Centre (RPTC) provides training for peace support missions in the region.
The RPTC also delivers training for peacekeeping practitioners from the SADC re-
gion and other parts of Africa, has participated in the preparation and running of all major
peacekeeping exercises conducted in the region, and plays a key role in the implementation 137
of the SADC Standby Brigade. The RPTC is one of the main implementing entities of
the SIPO II in peacekeeping training for military, police and civilian components, and also
conducts capacity-building courses for Regional and National Mediation to improve and
strengthen domestic mediation capacities in SADC Member States.

Regional Peacekeeping Training Centre Box 5.2

The role of the SADC Regional Peacekeeping Training Centre (RPTC) is to provide training for peace
support missions in the region. It forms part of the core objectives of the Organ on Politics, Defence
and Security. Since its establishment in 1996, the RPTC has remained a regional training centre within
the framework of the SADC peacekeeping capacity building, and some of its milestones are:
• Trained more than 3,000 peacekeeping practitioners from the SADC region and other parts of Africa;
• Taken part and successfully coordinated peacekeeping missions in the region including with the
United Nations and African Union;
• Supported major peacekeeping exercises in the region such as Blue Hungwe in Zimbabwe %1997&,
Blue Crane in South Africa %1999&, Tanzanite in United Republic of Tanzania %2002& Exercise
Thokgamo %2005& in Botswana, Ex'Golfinho in South Africa in 2009, and Amani Africa II in South
Africa %2015&.
The RPTC plays a key role in capacity building of the SADC Standby Force (SSF), and is one of the
main implementing entities of the SIPO in the area of peacekeeping training.