The President of the Republic of South Africa, His Excellency Mr. Matamela Cyril Ramaphosa officially assumed the Chairpersonship of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) at the 46th Summit of SADC Heads of State and Government held on 17 August 2026 in Durban, South Africa.
In his acceptance address, President Ramaphosa outlined a number of strategic priorities aimed at advancing regional integration and sustainable development across the SADC region. These include deepening industrialisation, investing in regional infrastructure, strengthening energy, water and digital security, building climate-resilient food systems, and leveraging opportunities presented by the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
The SADC Chairperson reaffirmed his commitment to building on the achievements of previous SADC leaders while accelerating the implementation of SADC Vision 2050 and the Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan (RISDP).
President Ramaphosa underscored the importance of strengthening economic cooperation among Member States to support resilient, sustainable and inclusive industrialisation. He emphasised the need for the region to move beyond the export of raw materials and focus on value addition and local manufacturing.
“Every raw mineral exported without beneficiation represents value that has left our shores. Every product imported that could be manufactured here represents jobs that could have been created in our communities,” he said.
The President further stressed that regional integration should deliver tangible benefits to citizens across the SADC region.
“Regional integration must be seen and felt in the daily lives of our people,” he said, adding that progress should be measured not only by meetings convened but also by “kilometres of railway rehabilitated, megawatts generated, border-crossing times reduced, factories established, and jobs created.”
Reaffirming South Africa’s commitment to regional development, H.E. President Ramaphosa stated: “We will seek greater integration of our economies, building ties of trade and investment that drive resilient, sustainable and inclusive industrialisation.”
He also expressed appreciation to the outgoing SADC Chairperson, His Excellency Dr. Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa, President of the Republic of Zimbabwe, for his leadership and stewardship of the regional body over the past year.
President Ramaphosa noted that South Africa accepted the responsibility of leading SADC “with great humility and a deep sense of responsibility,” acknowledging the historic support provided by countries in the region during South Africa’s liberation struggle.
In his handover remarks, President Mnangagwa commended the theme of the 46th SADC Summit: “Resilient, Sustainable and Inclusive Industrialisation through Infrastructure Development, Agricultural and Critical Minerals Transformation in Pursuit of a Just World.”
He highlighted the importance of the theme in advancing value addition and beneficiation across the region.
“The primary goal of this theme is, among others, to ensure that we add value to our heritage-based resources and move away from exporting raw materials by building local processing, refining and manufacturing capacities across Southern Africa,” President Mnangagwa said.
He added that the theme presents an opportunity to boost intra-regional trade while promoting regulatory harmonisation in key sectors, including agro-processing and infrastructure development.
“By processing our minerals, we create jobs, foster innovation and retain the value that rightfully belongs to our people,” he said.
The SADC Executive Secretary, His Excellency Mr Elias M. Magosi, congratulated President Ramaphosa on assuming the SADC Chairpersonship and reaffirmed the Secretariat's full support in advancing the regional integration agenda. He expressed confidence that, under President Ramaphosa's leadership, the Community would continue to make significant progress towards the goals of a peaceful, resilient, industrialised, prosperous and integrated Southern Africa, in line with SADC Vision 2050.
H.E. Magosi also emphasised the importance of accelerating regional integration in an increasingly uncertain global environment characterised by economic volatility, climate-related challenges, technological transformation and shifting geopolitical dynamics. He urged Member States to strengthen cooperation, deepen intra-regional trade and investment, and leverage the region's vast endowment of critical minerals, agricultural resources and human capital to drive industrialisation, create jobs and promote sustainable and inclusive economic growth.
In his Maiden Speech, the President of the Republic of Seychelles, H.E. Dr. Patrick Herminie, reaffirmed his country's commitment to the ideals of solidarity, regional integration and shared prosperity that underpin SADC.
H.E. President Dr. Herminie emphasised that industrialisation, infrastructure development, agricultural transformation and the responsible exploitation of critical minerals must serve as pillars of the region's economic future. He called for greater regional integration, noting that the resilience and prosperity of individual Member States are increasingly linked to the strength of the Community as a whole, and stressed the need to create jobs, industries and value within Africa by moving beyond the export of raw materials.
