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The institutional structure of SADC has thus undergone a continuous process of
metamorphosis from the time when the regional body was formed in 1980 with a decen-
tralised loose institutional arrangement to the current centralised institutional mechanisms.
The centralised nature of the Secretariat requires that it functions as a principal coordina-
tor of policy implementation, monitoring and evaluation.
While the Secretariat remains the key SADC institution tasked with coordination
and monitoring, the ultimate responsibility for formulating and implementing relevant pol-
icies rests with Member States. The effectiveness of national level coordination and im-
plementation is very much dependent on the capacity of each Member State to deliver
on public goods for the benefit of its citizens. The collective capacity of Member States to
deliver on their responsibility of providing for the citizenry provides the basis upon which
the extent to which SADC as a regional body is fulfilling its regional integration functions
can be assessed.
These functions can be broadly summarised as strengthening of economic integra-
tion, development of infrastructure in support of regional integration, poverty reduction
and social inclusion, ecological protection, democratization and the contribution to peace
and security in the region, and relations with other regions of the continent and the world.
The extent to which SADC fulfils these functions is an important focus area for which the
totality of all SADC institutions remain seized.
The SADC Treaty and its subsequent amendment created a new legal framework
that paved the way for the establishment of vibrant central and sectoral institutions to
drive regional integration. Examples include the Southern African Power Pool (SAPP)
144 which has created a successful power trading platform for Member States as well as River
Basin Organisations that have succeeded in managing shared watercourses in an equi-
table manner and minimising the potential for water conflicts among the countries of
the region.
Apart from enhancing institutional capacity, SADC has recorded milestones in the
development and implementation of policies. More than 30 legal instruments have been
approved since 1992. However, major challenges remain in terms of making sure that na-
tional legislation is harmonised with these legal instruments and other key decisions to give
them effect at the Member State level. For this to happen, greater political will is needed
to translate the many decisions of Summit into actions that will ultimately benefit the
citizens of the region.
Overall, SADC can look to the future with a great sense of optimism, building
on the experiences and lessons gained over its 40-year history. The aspirations for the
SADC Vision 2050 and the implementation of the Regional Indicative Strategic De-
velopment Plan (RISDP) 2020-2030 can benefit immensely from the lived experience
captured in this commemorative publication marking the 40th anniversary of SADC.
Similarly, effective practices can be drawn to inform the alignment of these new strategy
documents with the African Union Agenda 2063 and the UN Sustainable Development
Goals (SDGs).

6.1 Key Lessons, Observations and Policy Considerations
Perhaps the greatest achievement SADC has brought to the region has been in uniting the
peoples of Southern Africa and thus ending the fragmentation that existed hitherto. To
date, the peoples of the region can look to SADC as their rallying point, as it provides a
sense of belonging to a Common Future, a future within a regional community. Without
SADC, the countries of the region are left to face their internal and external challenges
individually even in cases where such challenges would be best tackled collectively. Going
forward, some lessons, observations and policy considerations to strengthen regional inte-
gration in SADC can be proffered as follows.