The full text of the PROTOCOL ON POLITICS, DEFENCE AND SECURITY CO-OPERATION can be found on the Institute for Security Studies website: http://www.iss.co.za/AF/RegOrg/unity_to_union/pdfs/sadc/1Protocol_on_Defence_Organ.pdf

The protocol is agreed upon by the Heads of State or Government of:
The Republic of Angola
The Republic of Botswana
The Democratic Republic of Congo
The Kingdom of Lesotho
The Republic of Malawi
The Republic of Mauritius
The Republic of Mozambique
The Republic of Namibia
The Republic of Seychelles
The Republic of South Africa
The Kingdom of Swaziland
The United Republic of Tanzania
The Republic of Zambia
The Republic of Zimbabwe

The following are the OBJECTIVES of the Organ: Article 2.

OBJECTIVES

1. The general objective of the Organ shall be to promote peace and security in the Region.

2. The specific objectives of the Organ shall be to:
a) protect the people and safeguard the development of the Region against instability arising from the breakdown of law and order, intra-state conflict, interstate conflict and aggression;
b) promote political co-operation among State Parties and the evolution of common political values and institutions;
c) develop common foreign policy approaches on issues of mutual concern and advance such policy is collectively in international fora;
d) promote regional co-ordination and co-operation on matters related to security and defence and establish appropriate mechanisms to this end;
e) prevent, contain and resolve inter-and intra-state conflict by peaceful means;
f) consider enforcement action in accordance with international law and as a matter of last resort where peaceful means have failed; g) promote the development of democratic institutions and practices within the territories of State Parties and encourage the observance of universal human rights as provided for in the Charters and Conventions of the Organisation of African Unity and United Nations respectively;
h) consider the development of a collective security capacity and conclude a Mutual Defence Pact to respond to external military threats;
  i) develop close co-operation between the police and state security services of State Parties in order to address : (i) cross border crime; and
  (ii) promote a community based approach to domestic security;
j) observe, and encourage State Parties to implement, United Nations, African Union and other international conventions and treaties on arms control, disarmament and peaceful relations between states;
k) develop peacekeeping capacity of national defence forces and co-ordinate the participation of State Parties in international and regional peacekeeping operations; and
l) enhance regional capacity in respect of disaster management and co-ordination of international humanitarian assistance.