The SADC Region is one of the eight recognized building blocks of the African Union and is one of the most stable and peaceful region. Peace and security are well established as an integral component of development planning in Southern Africa, due to the understanding that economic cooperation and integration requires a peaceful environment in which people can grow and contribute to their full potential. Through the appropriate structures and mechanisms, SADC continues to play a pivotal role in the area of preventive diplomacy, mediation, conflict prevention and resolution, in a proactive manner. Therefore, issues of peace and security remain a top priority for SADC and are clearly articulated and demonstrated in the proliferation of declarations, treaties and protocols aimed at preventing and containing conflicts in the region.
The region has abundant resources, ranging from its people with a rich historical and cultural heritage to stunning natural features, including several World Heritage Sites such as Tsodilo Hills in Botswana, Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Lake Malawi National Park, the Island of Mozambique, the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, Kilimanjaro National Park and Zanzibar Stone Town in the United Republic of Tanzania, the Greater St. Lucia Wetlands Park and Robben Island in South Africa, Victoria Falls in Zambia and Zimbabwe, Great Zimbabwe National Monument and Mana Pools National Park in Zimbabwe and many more.
It is also well endowed with mineral resources that provide considerable potential for industrial development including precious and base metals, industrial minerals and precious stones. The SADC region is a major reservoir of some of the world’s most valuable minerals, many of which have not been exploited to the full. The region also has over 900 million hectares landmass of which 147 million hectares is arable land and has boarders with two oceans, namely the Indian Ocean and the Atlantic Ocean
