The role of the Southern African Development Community Organ on Politics, Defence and Security

The Southern African countries colonial struggles and South African apartheid destabilization policies in the mid-1960s to 1980s compelled Southern African states to establish a Security Organ. This was to assist them to formulate the common defence policy. This Organ became known as the Front Line States (FLS). However, as more countries attained independence and joined FLS, the grouping established the Southern African Coordination Conference (SADCC) that was later renamed the Southern African Development Community (SADC). It was SADC, which decided to establish another arm, which deals with Politics Defence and Security known as the Organ on Politics Defence and Security. The OPDS has experienced major problems in achieving its goals since its inception in June 1996. Member states had become suspicious of this body and as a result some members decided to operate outside the confines of this body. The main aim of this dissertation has been to trace the circumstances and the origin of this Security Organ and to evaluate its achievements. However, in august 2001, OPOS was renamed Organ of Politics, Defence and Security Co-operation (OPDSC). This Organ became accountable to the Summit not to the chair country, as was the case before. The protocol of this Organ is analysed in order to evaluate the roles of this Organ in relations to SADC member states. The dissertation also indicated the success and limitations of this Organ; the political trends of the region are also discussed. Finally, the dissertation deals with the unfinished question, which focuses on the future prospects and challenges of the OPDS as a policy implementation institution of SAOC.

Grantor dc:publisher.institution

Department of Political Studies

Year dc:date.issued

2003

Author dc:creator

• Likoti, Fako Johnson

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Schrire, Robert

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/11427/6897

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/6897