REGIONAL INTEGRATION IN SOUTHERN AFRICA: AN ANALYSIS OF SADC'S ROLE AS A DEVELOPMENT PROMOTION MECHANISM
The issue of regional integration in Africa institutionally dates back to the creation of the Organization of African Unity (OAU) in Addis Ababa (Ethiopia). This was an initiative of African leaders driven by Pan-Africanist ideals, seeking continental integration to overcome colonial and neocolonial conflicts. In this research, we intend to analyze a more current case of regionalism in Africa, founded in 1992: the Southern African Development Community (SADC). This organization had as its political-strategic vision the integration of the economies of the countries based in it, as well as the creation of a supranational state capacity, which could serve as a mechanism for the insertion of countries in the international system. Our intention is to evaluate the progress and setbacks of this institution's agenda between 1992 and 2001.