SADC is the regional body comprising 16 Member States whose objectives are to achieve economic development, peace and security, and growth, alleviate poverty, enhance the standard and quality of life of the peoples of Southern Africa, and support the socially disadvantaged through Regional Integration. The SADC Secretariat, on the other hand, is the principal executive institution of SADC. According to Article 14 of the SADC Treaty, the SADC Secretariat is the principal executive institution of SADC. Among other key functions, the Secretariat is specifically responsible for strategic planning and management of SADC programmes; implementation of the decisions of the Summit and Council; coordination and harmonisation of policies and strategies; management of special programmes and projects; monitoring and evaluation; resource mobilisation; and research. It has been in existence since 1981 and its structure has evolved over the years.
The headquarters of SADC and its Secretariat are located in Gaborone, Botswana. The Secretariat reports to the Council of Ministers and is made up of 10 Directorates and eight stand-alone Units responsible for cross-cutting issues. It is headed by the Executive Secretary who is assisted by one or more Deputy Executive Secretaries as the Summit may decide from time to time. Currently the Executive Secretary is assisted by the Deputy Executive Secretary for Regional Integration (DES-RI) and the Deputy Executive Secretary for Corporate Affairs (DES-CA).
