Power and influence: identifying champions of change in SADC

This policy brief by the Institute for Security Studies examines the distribution of power and influence within the Southern African Development Community (SADC). It argues that while South Africa remains the dominant economic and military power, the region would benefit from decentralising responsibilities by identifying 'regional champions' or 'locomotives' to drive specific sectoral priorities outlined in the Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan (RISDP).

• South Africa maintains a disproportionate level of power and influence in SADC due to its economy, population, military, and diplomatic reach, though it faces a dual challenge of being perceived as both 'arrogant' and lacking sufficient leadership.
• The document proposes a shift from the current 'Double Troika' rotational leadership system toward a model of 'regional champions' to improve the implementation of SADC's priorities and reduce the burden of South African hegemony.
• Tanzania is projected to have the fastest-growing economy in SADC, with GDP expected to increase by 500% from US$43.3 billion in 2015 to US$265 billion by 2040, and it is also expected to have the fastest-growing manufacturing sector.
• Several SADC member states have demonstrated specific strengths that could qualify them as sectoral champions: Zimbabwe has championed industrialisation since 2014; Mauritius has excelled in promoting regional economic integration and private sector involvement; and Namibia has focused on infrastructure development and gender equality.
• In the area of peace and security, South Africa possesses the greatest military power in the region, while Tanzania, South Africa, Zambia, and Malawi are the primary SADC contributors to UN peacekeeping operations.
• The brief recommends that SADC identify regional champions for its next five-year plan following the expiration of the RISDP in 2020, and suggests reforming the Double Troika into a more permanent structure of six lead states.

APA

Louw-Vaudran, L. (2019). Power and influence: identifying champions of change in SADC. Institute for Security Studies. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/pb125.pdf

Chicago

Louw-Vaudran, Liesl. Power and influence: identifying champions of change in SADC. Institute for Security Studies, 2019. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/pb125.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Louw-Vaudran |first1=Liesl |title=Power and influence: identifying champions of change in SADC |publisher=Institute for Security Studies |date=2019 |url=https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/pb125.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{louwvaudran2019power, author = {Louw-Vaudran, Liesl}, title = {{Power and influence: identifying champions of change in SADC}}, institution = {Institute for Security Studies}, year = {2019}, url = {https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/pb125.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }