The Republic of South Africa formally assumed the chairship of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Council of Ministers on 12 August 2026 in Durban, South Africa, from August 2026 to August 2027, following its tenure as interim chair since November 2025.
Minister of International Relations and Cooperation of the Republic of South Africa, Ronald Lamola, took over the chairship of the SADC Council of Ministers with a call for stronger regional integration, economic resilience, and shared prosperity.
Lamola outlined a bold regional agenda focused on peace, economic transformation, infrastructure development, and human capital growth, stressing that regional peace and security remain fundamental to development.
He highlighted that the major priority of South Africa’s tenure will focus on accelerating industrialization through agricultural transformation, beneficiation of critical minerals, stronger regional value chains, and increased intra-SADC trade.
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Lamola noted that Southern Africa possesses significant reserves of critical minerals, including cobalt and graphite, but urged that the region must move beyond exporting raw materials and instead create value through local processing and manufacturing.
The minister also highlighted the need to expand and modernize regional infrastructure, including energy systems, transport corridors, ports, digital networks, and water infrastructure, which are essential for boosting trade, industrial growth, and job creation across the region.
On youth development and job creation, the Chairperson of Council stressed that, with nearly 60% of Africa’s population under the age of 25, SADC countries must invest in education, skills development, and economic opportunities to harness the continent’s demographic advantage.
The Chairperson further called for a balanced approach that addresses irregular migration through lawful and orderly processes and urged Member States to adopt the SADC Protocol on the Free Movement of People to facilitate regular migration and regional integration.
Lamola congratulated the Republic of Zimbabwe on its election as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council for 2027-2028, describing the position as an opportunity to advance the interests of Southern Africa and the African continent on the global stage.
On his part, the minister of foreign affairs and international trade of the Republic of Zimbabwe, Professor Amon Murwira, urged SADC member states to deepen regional integration, strengthen self-reliance, and accelerate the implementation of key development programs.
Professor Murwira noted that the region’s future must be built on key interconnected pillars of peace and security, industrialization, infrastructure development, and social and human capital development, which are essential to achieving meaningful regional integration and improving the lives of citizens across the SADC region.
Professor Murwira stressed the need for the region to beneficiate its mineral resources, invest in science and technology, and become a competitive production hub rather than a supplier of raw materials.
The minister also highlighted the importance of financial independence, urging member states to support the SADC Regional Development Fund (RDF) as a tool for strengthening SADC’s sovereignty and funding regional priorities.
On peace and security, the minister reaffirmed the principle of collective responsibility, emphasizing that member states should sustainably finance regional peace operations to ensure long-term stability.
The SADC Executive Secretary, Elias M. Magosi, called for stronger regional cooperation, resilience, and self-reliance as Member States navigate a rapidly changing global environment.
The executive secretary highlighted that, despite global geopolitical tensions and declining development assistance, the region continues to record encouraging progress. “SADC increased its installed electricity generation capacity to more than 88,000 megawatts, while electricity access rose from 56% in 2024 to 60% in 2025. He noted, however, that more work is needed to achieve the regional target of 85% access by 2030,” he said.
On economic performance, Magosi said foreign direct investment grew by 44% to US$11 billion, driven by investments in Mozambique and South Africa, while intra-regional trade also recorded growth, reflecting the resilience of SADC economies despite a challenging global trading environment.
Magosi emphasized the need to invest in climate-smart agriculture and create more opportunities for young people, who make up nearly 75% of the SADC population.
He further stressed the importance of peace, security, and good governance, noting progress in addressing political and security challenges in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Madagascar.
On disaster management, the executive secretary called for greater investment in disaster preparedness, early warning systems, and climate-resilient infrastructure, highlighting that climate change remains one of the region’s greatest threats facing the SADC region, with the latest forecast pointing to the possibility of a severe El Niño event in the coming season.
The meeting of the Council of Ministers precedes the 46th Summit of SADC Heads of State and Government. The Council is an institution of SADC that oversees the functioning and development of the community and ensure that the SADC policies, strategies, and programs are properly and effectively implemented and serves as an advisory body for the SADC Heads of State and Government on policy matters.
