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CHAPTER 2

TRANSFORMING SADC - THE KEY DECISIONS

Introduction
Chapter 2 provides an overview of the tra-
jectory of key decisions and broad mile-
stones achieved annually by SADC over the
past 40 years with respect to institutional ar-
rangements, legal instruments and strategic
plans used in emerging from apartheid to
build a Regional Economic Community
(REC). Part 2.1 focuses on milestones in the
formative years of SADCC (1980-1992).
Part 2.2 addresses the transformation to
SADC following the Windhoek Declaration
(1992-2020). The sector-specific milestones
and impacts are covered in Chapter 4.

2.1 THE FORMATIVE YEARS 27
2.1.1 Major Milestones 1980-1992

Lusaka Declaration ­ Southern Africa: Toward Economic Liberation 1980-81
The nine leaders who met at the Lusaka Summit in April 1980 made a joint declaration
of their strategy for a closer integration of their economies. The Declaration, titled Southern
Africa: Toward Economic Liberation was a commitment to integrate their economies and grad-
ually reduce dependence, particularly, but not only, on the then apartheid South Africa.
Accelerated economic development and regional self-reliance were the twin objectives of
the Declaration, which also contained an appeal for external cooperation and international
support.

Lusaka Programme of Action
During the inaugural Summit, the Heads of State and Government approved what became
known as the Lusaka Programme of Action, which contained the following targets:
● Transport Create a Southern African Transport and Communications Commission
based in Maputo to coordinate the use of existing transport and communication sys-
tems, and the planning and financing of additional regional facilities;
● Livestock Coordinate the control and elimination of foot-and-mouth disease
throughout the region, and the development of the existing facilities in Botswana for
production of vaccines to serve all of the majority-ruled countries in Southern Africa;
● Food Security Prepare a food security plan for the region;
● Agricultural Research Establish a regional agricultural research centre specialising
in drought-prone areas, and propose that the International Centre for Research on
Agriculture in the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRASAT) should set up a Southern Africa Re-
gional Centre in Botswana;
● Industrialisation and Energy Align and harmonise the industrialisation and
energy policies;
● Training Share national training facilities within the region; and,
● Development Fund Conduct studies leading to the establishment of a Southern
African Development Fund.