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Cooperation For Survival: Western Interests v. SADCC

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  22 May 2019

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Extract

Every year statistics seem to demonstrate another decline in the quality of life in Southern Africa. The annual growth rate per capita of agricultural production in the region deteriorated to -1.04 percent from 1978-85. In March 1987, UNICEF reported that every four minutes a child under 5 years dies in Angola and Mozambique, the highest death rate among children in the world. International agencies like UNICEF now cite the major cause of this devastation: war waged by South Africa against its neighbors.

Type
Insight: On Southern Africa
Copyright
Copyright © African Studies Association 1987 

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References

Notes

1 Economic data for the region are from SADCC documents, including but not limited to, the following:

SADCC, Macro-Economic Survey, 1986.

SADCC, Food, Agriculture, and Natural Resources, sector paper for annual conference, Gaborone, 5-6 February 1987.

SADCC, SADCC Intra-Regional Trade Study, Final Report, January 1986.

SADCC, Beira Port Transport System, January 1986.

Analysis of SADCC's interpretation are from numerous interviews with SADCC officials from all nine members and the SADCC Secretariat, January 1985 - May 1986.

2 Martin, William G., “Southern Africa and the World-Economy: Cyclical and Structural Constraints on Transformation”, Review, Vol. 10, No. 1, Summer 1986, p. 114.Google Scholar

3 The Right wing in the US Congress judged Mozambique as“too aligned” with the Soviets until Mozambique signed the Nkomati Non-Aggression Pact with South Africa in March 1984 pledging to stop all African National Congress activities in Mozambique. After the signing, Mozambique was permitted to receive development aid. It must be noted that South Africa has never honored the non-aggression pact, while international observers confirm that Mozambique upheld it.

4 Data on the costs of apartheid aggression are from the following:

SADCC, “SADCC in the Context of the Lagos Plan of Action”, paper presented to the OAU Summit, Addis Ababa, July 18-19,1985, p. 5.

Reginald Green and Carol Thompson, “Political Economies in Conflict: SADCC, South Africa and Sanctions”, in David Martin and Phyllis Johnson, eds., Destructive Engagement, Harare, Zimbabwe Publishing House, 1986, pp. 245-280.