Post-conflict development

The document assesses the capacity of SADC to implement post-conflict reconstruction and development (PCRD), arguing that the organisation is currently constrained by a state-centric security model and structural silos. It examines South Africa's role as a regional power, noting that while South Africa has significant capacity, its efforts are often hindered by perceptions of hegemony and inconsistent diplomacy. By comparing SADC with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the paper highlights the benefits of a human-security approach and suggests that South Africa should move from bilateral to multilateral PCRD implementation via SADC and the South African Development Partnership Agency (SADPA).

• SADC currently lacks the institutional capacity to implement PCRD, as the necessary capacity resides within individual member states rather than the organisation itself.
• SADC's approach to security is primarily state-centric and reactive, focusing on 'freedom from fear' and state stability rather than a holistic human-security model that addresses the root causes of conflict.
• The organisation operates in 'silos', with a disconnect between its peace and security functions (managed by the SADC Organ) and its development functions (managed by the SADC Secretariat), as evidenced by the use of two separate guiding documents: the SIPO II and the RISDP.
• South Africa's ability to lead PCRD efforts in the region is hampered by member states' distrust and perceptions of South African hegemony, as well as a perceived lack of consistency in its foreign policy.
• Compared to SADC, ECOWAS has more successfully integrated a human-security agenda and established a clearer framework for peacebuilding and PCRD, including the involvement of civil society and a focus on the 'security of peoples'.
• SADC's implementation of its strategic plans is hindered by a strict adherence to hierarchy, which complicates communication with international donors and results in vague reporting on funded activities.
• South Africa is the only naval power in the SADC region and has largely funded and designed SADC's maritime strategy, though this has led to controversy regarding the strategy's alignment with South African interests.

APA

Kok, N. (2015). Post-conflict development. Institute for Security Studies. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/Paper279.pdf

Chicago

Kok, Naomi. Post-conflict development. Institute for Security Studies, 2015. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/Paper279.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Kok |first1=Naomi |title=Post-conflict development |publisher=Institute for Security Studies |date=January 2015 |url=https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/Paper279.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{kok2015postconflict, author = {Kok, Naomi}, title = {{Post-conflict development}}, institution = {Institute for Security Studies}, year = {2015}, month = jan, url = {https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/Paper279.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }