About Public Relations Unit

The Public Relations Unit (PRU) of the SADC Secretariat is one of the mechanisms established to facilitate the popular participation of SADC citizens provided for under Point E of the SADC Strategies in the SADC Declaration. The Unit is responsible for the promotion of SADC as provided for by, amongst others, the SADC Treaty, Articles 14 (e) 15 (k) and 23. It is the lead executor of SADC corporate communications including public and media relations, public affairs, protocol and special events management, thus the custodian of communications, branding and promotional strategies.

The Unit develops, plans and executes strategies aimed at generating, packaging and disseminating information with the view to creating an understanding of, and garner support for SADC Aims, Objectives, policies, strategies and activities.

Thus, PRU strives to establish and maintain lines of communication, mutual understanding, acceptance and co-operation between SADC and its internal and external publics/stakeholders.

Overall Objectives

The overall objective of the PRU is to ensure strategic guidance in the implementation of the SADC Communications and Promotional Strategy (SCPS), which is the blue print for the management of SADC public relationships with its stakeholders.

The Unit aligns its activities to the organisation's policy documents, namely: The SADC Declaration and Treaty, the Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan (RISDP) and the Strategic Indicative Plan of the Organ (SIPO), the Protocol on Culture, Information and Sports, the SADC Declaration on the Role of Information and Communications in Regional Development and Integration and the SADC Information and Communication Policy. It is from these that specific strategies and programmes are designed and implemented to address specific SADC-stakeholder issues.

The Unit also liaises and facilitates the work of the SADC National Media Coordinators (SNMCs) who are responsible for SADC public information in their respective Member State.

Functional Areas

Customer Care & Public Relations (internal and external).
Public Affairs and media relations.
Corporate Social Activities.
Protocol services and management of special events including the annual ordinary meetings of the Summit of SADC Heads of State and Government.
Corporate image branding, projection & protection.
Marketing of SADC Programmes & Activities (internal & external).
Information & communications policies, strategies & frameworks development.
Publicity and publications (print and electronic both internal & external).
Library and documentation.
Management counselling on communications, protocol and special events management.

Through the SADC Library and Documentation Centre (LDC), the PRU strives to be an innovative information resources centre. It therefore endeavours to acquire, organise, store and disseminate the most uptodate, accurate and precise information to support the work of the various offices, directorates and units of the SADC Secretariat as well as to Member States. In this regard, the LDC unrestricted database of materials is availed on the SADC portal for the use of Member States and other stakeholders with access to the SADC intranet. The Library is also accessible to the general public for onsite use.

Priority Activities

PRU priorities are set out in the SADC Communications and Promotional Strategy (SCPS) which is a broad Strategy addressing both intra and inter SADC communications affairs in the following areas:

Strengthen Media and Public Relations programmes of SADC in order to improve its image and to reach and impact on its citizens.
Improve the communications culture within SADC in order to maximise the strategic role of communications in executing SADC programmes.
Plan and establish communication mechanisms to mobilise support for SADC programmes.
Strengthen inter and intra SADC communication systems in order to improve information flow within the organisation.
Professional frontline public relations and general customer satisfaction.
Publicity material (print & electronic) including up to date website content.
Successful and faultless protocol and special events management.
Establish a SADC crisis communication strategy.
Acquire and avail relevant information material for the Library – the library database is accessible to the SADC Member States through the SADC website.

Publications & Corporate Branding

SADC In brief
Annual Summit Brochure
Annual Report
Inside SADC Monthly newsletter
Annual SADC Day Poster
Annual SADC Calendars & Diaries
SADC Corporate Identity Manual
SADC corporate souvenirs
Exhibitions, Photography & audiovisual
Posters, billboards

Community Building through Targeted Public Outreach

SADC Exhibitions
SADC Media Awards
SADC Secondary School Essay Competition

SADC Public Information Contacts

Every SADC Member State has two structures that can be contacted for SADC public information, namely, the SADC National Contact Point (SNCP) and the SADC National Media Coordinator (SNMC).