Overview

Regional integration and cooperation of Southern African states was initiated and is furthered with the goal to promote and establish peace, security and stability in the region. Securing scarce water and energy resources are amongst the biggest challenges facing regional and countries' national security today. Socio-economic dynamics as well as climate change impact the future demand and availability of natural resources in the region. Discrepancies between resource supply and demand are potential security threats. To reach its security objectives, the Southern African Development Community (SADC) practises and facilitates multilateral resource diplomacy. Trans-boundary water management, regional energy resource cooperation and the establishment of mechanisms as part of its overall security architecture are important means to achieve its goal. After having outlined the necessity for multilateral approaches in the area of ensuring security of water and energy supply, tools of resource diplomacy in the region are discussed. The book concludes with an assessment of the practiced diplomacy from a security perspective.