® SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY A DECLARATION ON REFUGEE PROTECTION BY THE SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY WE, the Heads of State or Government of: The Republic of Angola The Republic of Botswana The Democratic Republic of Congo The Kingdom of Lesotho The Republic of Malawi The Republic of Mauritius The Republic of Mozambique The Republic ofNamibia The Republic of Seychelles The Republic of South Africa The Kingdom of Swaziland The United Republic of Tanzania The Republic of Zambia The Republic of Zimbabwe A. B. RECALLING THAT (i) Member States, at Windhoek, Namibia on 17 August 1992, committed themselves to establishing the Southern African Development Community (SADC) on the foundations laid down by the Southern African Development Co-ordination Conference (SADCC), as a vehicle for the attainment of the cherished ideals of economic well-being, the improvement of the standards and quality of life, freedom, social justice, peace and security for the peoples of Southern Africa, as well as a vehicle for development and integration of the Region; (ii) A Memorandum of Understanding between SADC and UNHCR was concluded on 25th July 1996 which enjoins the parties to co-operate in the area of refugees, forced population movements into and within the Region; NOTINGTHAT (i) For many years, SADC countries have hosted large numbers of refugees both from within and outside the Region, fleeing the effects of the policy of apartheid as well as external aggression, occupation, foreign domination and other events seriously disturbing public order in the countries of origin; (ii) While the resolution of long-standing conflicts in the Region and ongoing consolidation of Peace, national reconciliation and democratic governance, Declaration on Refugee Protection -1-