ABSTRACT
Chapter 6 provides an in-depth analysis of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and its interaction with China through the BRI. The chapter explores the agency of African actors, specifically the agency of SADC as a regional power. The chapter’s focus on the often-overlooked SADC demonstrates the reach of the BRI as well as the relevance of this project for seemingly ‘distant’ locales. The chapter takes a deductive approach to agency where agents are placed at the centre of the analysis and themselves demarcate agency. This agent-oriented perspective circumvents the paternalism of imposed definitions, placing definitional power with the actors themselves. The chapter argues this can provide the foundations of an open and empowered conversation on international relations.
