priorities and by articulating the necessary policies and strategies leading to deeper regional integration and to the achievement of the Community overarching goals. 3. Objectives of the RISDP • Review the main cooperation and integration areas; • Define the priority integration areas for the next fifteen years; • Set up a logical implementation program of the main activities necessary for the achievement of the regions broader goals; 2. The Rational for RISDP Since its establishment as SADCC in 1980 SADC has gone • Ensure effective sectoral linkages and enhance synergy amongst sectors; through a number of changes and is currently facing • Provide member states, SADC Secretariat and other daunting challenges and opportunities, including the Institutions, regional and international stakeholders following: with a coherent and comprehensive long term imple- • Transformation from a Coordination Conference mentation agenda; (SADCC) into a development Community – 1992; • Expansion in areas of cooperation and integration and 4. Key Integration Enablers in its Program of Action – to reach over 20 Sectors and Peace, Security, Democracy and Political Governance 500 development programmes/ projects; SADC Member States are committed to “promote common • Increase in membership – from 9 in 1980 to 14 in the current phase; political values, systems and other shared values which are transmitted through institutions that are democratic, • Restructuring of Institutions – moving from member legitimate and effective” (SADC Treaty Article 5). In line states coordinated programmes to a centralized struc- with this SADC firmly acknowledges that economic ture based at the Secretariat; growth and development will not will not be realized in • Challenges and opportunities deriving from the New conditions of political intolerance, the absence of the Partnership for African Development (NEPAD), the rule of law, corruption, civil strife and war. SADC member Globalization Process, Poverty, HIV and AIDS and states are cognisant of the fact that poverty thrives other communicable diseases; under such conditions, nurturing further political insta- The RISDP is designed to address these challenges and bility and conflict, creating a destructive repetitive cycle, opportunities facing the cooperation and integration which perpetuates under-development and extreme prospects of SADC. This is done by aligning current deprivation.