This paper examines the peace and security architecture of the Southern African Development Community (SADC). The regional block’s main security apparatuses are underpinned by the Protocol on Politics, Defense and Security. To operationalize the protocol, SADC formulated the Strategic Indicative Plan of the Organ (SIPO) whose intention was also to guide the implementation of the Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan (RISDP) and the Mutual Defense Pact (MDP). The SIPO I was recently reviewed and replaced by SIPO II which was approved by the SADC summit of Heads of State and Government held in Windhoek, Namibia in August 2010. From the onset, this paper recognizes and acknowledges the existence of the above mentioned structures. It however sets out to assess the extent of their success and explore the timeliness of the formulation of a Common Security Policy (CSP) in SADC. The paper argues that a clear and codified Common Security Policy would act as a point of confluence for the region’s security and peace building efforts and further boost ongoing efforts at attaining positive and durable peace in the region. It is further argued in the paper that such a policy adopted at regional level will as well provide a framework and concept of security that can be cascaded down to member states to guide their individual National Security Policies (NSP). A common Security Policy as such provides an opportunity for the concept of Human Security to find its way onto the security agenda of all SADC member states.

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