The Southern African Development Community’s Agenda Towards Stability: A Review of Threats

Abstract

The world’s future depends upon a growing need for peace and security. The two ideals, though rarely found at the same time, are the main prerequisites for sustainable development, prosperity and democracy. If Kwame Nkrumah’s wishes were to be fulfilled, they are what Africa and SADC in particular wants for now if it is to catch up with the rest of the world in terms of development and democracy. This is against a backdrop of ever escalating conflicts that have to some extent hindered development. African states share the imposition of artificially created nation-states and imperial state structures. This paper seeks to discuss the question of peace and security in the SADC region focusing on the major threats that have hindered development in general. The discussion looks at the following factors: Cold War, migration, diseases, globalisation, terrorism, genetically modified organisms, brain-drain, nuclear power and the rise of China.