President Cyril Ramaphosa has arrived in Antananarivo, Madagascar, for the 45th Ordinary Summit of Heads of State and Government which will be held on Sunday.
The summit is held under the theme: ‘Advancing Industrialisation, Agricultural Transformation and Energy Transition for a Resilient SADC’.
“The Summit is convened in terms of Article 10 of the SADC Treaty to provide overall policy direction of the functions of SADC, informed by reports and recommendations from the Council of Ministers and the Organ Troika Summit, which affect the SADC region.
Leaders will focus on accelerating regional integration through key pillars, strengthening industrial capacity and regional value chains, modernising agriculture, and promoting an inclusive energy transition, all aimed at building a resilient, sustainable, and cohesive SADC region,” read a statement from the presidency.
In addition, the summit is also expected to review the SADC Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan, consider a report from the Chairperson of the Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation, and review achievements under the 44th Summit theme, ‘Promoting Innovation to Unlock Opportunities for Sustained Economic Growth and Development towards an Industrialised SADC.’
The summit is also expected to sign several agreements, which includes the declaration on the Protection of Persons with Albinism, and Agreement Amending the SADC Protocol on Tourism Development amongst others.
It is expected that South Africa will be elected as the incoming Chair of SADC and host the 46th summit in August next year, nearly a decade after the country’s first incumbency.
“The Summit is of strategic importance for South Africa.
Being the fourth time [joining] the SADC Summit Troika, South Africa’s Chairship in 2026 will provide a unique opportunity for the country to assume a strategic leadership role in the region, nine years after the previous tenure as Chairperson in 2017,” explained the Presidency.
Meanwhile, ahead of Sunday’s summit, SADC Executive Secretary, Elias Magosi, has reaffirmed the regional bloc’s “unequivocal” commitment to promoting lasting peace in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
“In the Democratic Republic of Congo, while troops have been withdrawn from the SADC Mission (SAMIDRC), as mandated by the Summit in March this year, our commitment to fostering sustainable peace in eastern DRC remains unequivocal,” said Magosi.
Magosi was addressing the SADC Ministerial Committee of the Troika of the Organ (MCO) on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation meeting on the margins of the Summit.
Beside the DRC, the meeting also discussed the political and security situation in the Republic of Mozambique, resolution of the DRC-Zambia border matter, review of elections in the region, mediation, conflict prevention, and preventive diplomacy mechanisms.
