The Southern African Development Community (SADC) and its Tribunal: Reflexions on a Regional Economic Communities‘ Potential Impact of Human Rights Protection

Abstract

It was in the 1960s, when the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) encouraged African states to incorporate single economies into sub-regional systems with the ultimate objective of creating a single economic union on the African continent. In order to realise this aim, the Organisation of African Unity (OAU, predecessor of the African Union, AU) identified the need to enhance regional integration within the organisation, recognising that each country on its own would have little chance of, inter alia , attracting adequate financial transfers and the technology needed for increased economic development.1 Africa has, since then, taken various steps towards enhancing the process of eco2 nomic and political integration on the continent. The road has been paved by several decisions and declarations relating to regional economic and political integration, especially by the Abuja Treaty, realising the establishment of the African Economic Community, the African Union's economic and umbrella institution for Regional Economic Communities (RECs). The Abuja Treaty was adopted in June 1991, and came into force in 1994. Since then, 52 out of the 53 AU member states have signed the Treaty, while 49 4 have ratified it.