The Southern African Development Community (SADC) Secretariat conducted a desk review of the Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan (RISDP) in 2011. This paper provides a brief review of the findings of this review and places this assessment in a broader regional perspective.

The RISDP was adopted by the Council of Ministers of the SADC in August 2003 as a blueprint for regional integration in SADC. Underpinned by SADC’s vision of a common future within a regional community, as well as its mission to promote sustainable and equitable economic growth and socioeconomic development through, among other things, deeper cooperation and integration, the RISDP sets the priorities, policies, and strategies for achieving the community’s long-term goal – the eradication of poverty in the region. The ultimate objective of the RISDP is therefore “to deepen the integration agenda of SADC with a view to accelerating poverty eradication and the attainment of other economic and non-economic development goals”.

The Desk Assessment revealed that remarkable progress has been made since the effective implementation of the RISDP began in 2005, demonstrating the continued need for such a strategic plan. However, limited resources and capacity constraints have hampered the ability of the SADC institutions and member states to effectively implement the RISDP programmes and deliver on all the targets and milestones set for the period. 

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