scholarly journals The South African Development Community (SADC) and Covid-19: revisiting security community in SADC

2021 ◽  
pp. 69-81
Author(s):  
Juliet Eileen Joseph

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic remains a global security challenge for humanity. The COVID-19 pandemic, a non traditional security threat has exposed how regions respond to non traditional and emerging security threats. Similarly, the South African Development Community (SADC) region remains confronted with security ramifications due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The peace and security of the region has been disturbed due to an upsurge of conflicts in countries, such as South Africa (South Africa’s unrests, protests and the Phoenix Massacre), Lesotho (Eswatini protests) and Mozambique’s (Carbo Delgado insurgency), all amidst the coronavirus global pandemic. Further to this, SADCs human security challenges that have transpired and, in some cases, have been further exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic, include economic decline, job losses, food insecurity and the loss of life to mention a few. Prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, SADC Member Stateshave had to exercise greater regional pandemic management with diseases, such as Malaria, Human Acquired Immune (HIV/AIDs) and Tuberculosis (TB). SADCs efforts in combatting these human security threats have been progressive and notable. The study will analyse and build on the challenges, identified in Landsberg’s (2012) study The Southern African Development Community decision-making architecture, where he suggests that at the heart of SADCs progress is the need for greater implementation of their set goals and aspirations. The study will analyse recent efforts, undertaken by the SADC region, in order to determine the successes and challenges, faced by the sub-regional bloc. It is analysing peace and security of SADC under the Covid-19 pandemic through an upsurge of conflicts in the region and the early securitisation and cooperation of the Covid-19 pandemic. The article suggests, SADC strengthened regional cooperation efforts, such as early warning systems and regional execution methods, have fostered advanced regional security outcomesin the region.

2006 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 287-301
Author(s):  
Anush Begoyan

AbstractThe article examines security issues of the Transcaucasian region with the focus on nonmilitary and trans-border security threats and a regional security community that also includes non-state security actors of the region, such as not-recognised autonomous entities, nations, ethnic groups, minorities, etc.This approach to regional security shifts the focus of policies from balance of power to closer regional integration and cooperation, as well as joint provision of regional security. Despite many objectives and existing obstacles to this scenario of regional development, the author sees it to be the only way toward a stable and long-term security in the region. The article argues that closer regional cooperation and integration would allow to accommodate interests and security concerns of non-state actors of the region and would bring the fate of regional issues back in the hands of the regional powers and create bases for sustainable and lasting peace in the region.


2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 227-239
Author(s):  
Radoslav IVANČÍK ◽  
Pavel NEČAS

This paper presents the ongoing research and, deals, in the framework of interdisciplinary scientific research, with various military and non-military threats and their negative impact on the security of contemporary human society. In this research, the authors point out the continuous deterioration of the global and regional security environment and the growth of symmetric and asymmetric security threats with focus on the air transport, and the resulting negative consequences for the security of the states and their citizens. In order to contribute to the development of security science, the authors examine the issues of terrorism as an asymmetric security threat, focusing in particular on terrorism and terrorist activities of the air transport and measures taken to eliminate terrorism in the airspace.


2020 ◽  
Vol 38 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Abel Esterhuyse

The article traces the unfolding of the human security agenda as the primary organising framework for constructing the security outlook of the South African military. Questions are raised about the utility of human security as a conceptual basis for thinking about and the construction of defence. Human security is historically contextualised within the security conceptualisations of the 1990s. Since then, however, various geo-strategic changes in the world necessitated a return to a more traditional outlook on security and strategy. This reality was also increasingly visible in South Africa's foreign policy approaches and, more specifically, the employment of its armed forces in Africa. The article concludes by arguing, firstly, that the South African armed forces did not at any time critically question how a military should be organised, trained, and equipped for human security operations and, secondly, that the South African National Defence Force never questioned its own operational deployments through the human security perspective.


1993 ◽  
Vol 21 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 51-59
Author(s):  
Fadzai Gwaradzimba

Since the 1960s, Southern Africa’s regional alliance patterns have been primarily determined by South Africa’s military and economic dominance of the region. Not surprisingly, divisive and conflict-ridden relations between South Africa and the less powerful majority-ruled states characterized interstate relations in the region throughout this period. In the 1970s, the latter’s collective and individual opposition to an apartheid-dominated regional order gave rise to two competing regional blocs: the South African-led Pax Pretoriana and the Frontline States (FLS) informal diplomatic alliance, which became the nucleus of the Southern African Development Coordination Conference (SADCC).


1987 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 21-29
Author(s):  
Peter Phillips ◽  
Chris Pyecroft

Author(s):  
Werner H. Otto

This study identifies the trade credit management situation within the small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) environment. The purpose of this study is to determine the trade credit management practices of SMEs, focussing on debtors alone, in order to establish whether South African SMEs mismanage trade credit. Focussing on SMEs, this study created a unique opportunity to determine the trade credit management practices of SMEs specifically. This article provides vital evidence containing SMEs’ trade credit management practices and insight to entrepreneurs (SME owners) and government regarding possible reasons why SMEs find it difficult to manage trade credit effectively. Data were analysed using statistical techniques such as descriptive statistics, frequencies, cross-tabulations and mean scores. The intention is that SMEs and small firms can use the results of this study in assessing the appropriateness and effectiveness of their own practices and, in doing so, contribute towards the sustainability and viability of SMEs in order to empower SMEs to operate successfully in addressing the South African development challenges.


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