Regional Organisations in Peace and Security: A Case study of Southern African Development Community (SADC)

While the Southern Africa region is arguably the most stable in Africa, it has not been exempted from several armed conflicts and political predicaments that have undermined the region's peace and security efforts in addition to development. Through peacekeeping missions and mediation as well as diplomatic efforts, the Southern African Development Community (SADC), has attempted to bridge the lacuna existing in the peace and security realm among its member states, challenges notwithstanding. Using the Inter-governmentalism and Supra-nationalism theories, this article intends to analyse the role of SADC as well as strategies used in enhancing peace and security within the Southern Africa region, looking at their role in Madagascar as well as in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Further, this article discusses the challenges that include lack of democracy among member states, governance shortfalls, insurrections, political crises, and inequality demonstrating, how these challenges have hindered peace and security efforts within the region.