PREAMBLE WE, the Heads of State or Government of: The People's Republic of Angola The Republic of Botswana The Kingdom of Lesotho The Republic of Malawi The Republic of Mozambique The Republic of Namibia The Kingdom of Swaziland The United Republic of Tanzania The Republic of Zambia The Republic of Zimbabwe HAVING REGARD to the objectives set forth in "Southern Africa: Toward Economic Liberation - A Declaration by the Governments of Independent States of Southern Africa, made at Lusaka, on the 1st April, 1980"; IN PURSUANCE of the principles of " Towards a Southern African Development Community - A Declaration made by the Heads of State or Government of Southern Africa at Windhoek, in August, 1992," which affirms our commitment to establish a Development Community in the Region; DETERMINED to ensure, through common action, the progress and well-being of the people of Southern Africa; CONSCIOUS of our duty to promote the interdependence and integration of our national economies for the harmonious, balanced and equitable development of the Region; CONVINCED of the need to mobilise our own and international resources to promote the implementation of national, interstate and regional policies, programmes and projects within the framework for economic integration; DEDICATED to secure, by concerted action, international understanding, support and co­ operation; MINDFUL of the need to involve the people of the Region centrally in the process of development and integration, particularly through the guarantee of democratic rights, observance of human rights and the rule of law; RECOGNISING that, in an increasingly interdependent world, mutual understanding, good neighbourliness, and meaningful co-operation among the countries of the Region are indispensable to the realisation of these ideals; TAKING INTO ACCOUNT the Lagos Plan of Action and the Final Act of Lagos of April 1980, and the Treaty establishing the African Economic Community signed at Abuja, on the 3rd of June, 1991; BEARING IN MIND the principles of international law governing relation between States; Have decided to establish an international organisation to be known as the Southern African Development Community (SADC), and hereby agree as follows: