COOPERATION between the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the European Union (EU) is well established over a long period and covers a wide range of sectors including trade, infrastructure and gender as well as peace and security. To profile the results of these developments, the Southern African Research and Documentation Centre (SARDC) is working with the SADC Secretariat, the EU Delegation to Botswana, and media practitioners in SADC Member States to review the impacts of these interventions.

THIS ONLINE platform is intended to enrich the knowledge base about SADC projects in this regard. SARDC has established the online database as a free-to-access Knowledge Hub of literature on SADC-EU projects including cooperation agreements, media articles, research papers, key contacts, audio/visual resources and other relevant information. This is intended to improve access to research findings and strengthen knowledge for informed coverage of regional integration in SADC and the impact of EU cooperation in this regard. The platform will also host electronic workshops and discussions for journalists

THE DATABASE is a central platform for research materials and other knowledge resources. It is user-friendly, and is organized for quick and easy access. The database offers a “free search facility” using related keywords of choice or an Advanced Search format that allows for searches by title of a document, document type, and various other predefined entries. Users can leave comments and suggestions on individual records or the database in general, and can also share documents via Twitter, Facebook or Email.

THIS PORTAL provides public access to relevant resources and also seeks to provide a platform for journalists reporting on SADC where they can meet virtually to discuss and share articles published in their respective newsrooms. The Media Forum is an interactive platform used for sharing ideas and reviewing articles, and for online workshops. This will enable stronger reporting on regional developments from SADC member states. Access to the Media Forum is restricted to specific journalists commissioned to participate in the initial pilot project.