ABSTRACT
There is a myth that we know all of the answers to the problems surfacing in the wood sector. The truth is that we know some of the answers but in some cases we do not even have the questions as yet. (Adolfo Mascarenhas)'
In 1980, nine Southern African countries pledged to work together to tackle their development problems by increasing regional cooperation. Those countries were Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Together they agreed to form a regional organization known as the Southern African Development Coordination Conference (SADCC).2 Their broad goals were to increase regional self-reliance and reduce dependency, particularly on South Africa. In subsequent years, much progress has been made but this has been in the face of the bitter opposition from the white minority government in Pretoria who have carried out a concerted policy of destabilization against neighbouring state^.^ This has affeced every area of SADCC's activities and not least that of the energy ~ec to r .~ The world recession has had an equally severe effect on the economies of the region5 but in spite of these difficulties, SADCC has continued its work.
