The Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the African Development Bank (AfDB) have reaffirmed their commitment to collaboration on financing regional development priorities.
This reaffirmation was made on 29 July 2026 during the meeting between the SADC Executive Secretary His Excellency Mr. Elias Magosi and the AfDB Director General for Southern Africa Dr. Kennedy K. Mbekeani in Gaborone, Botswana.
The AfDB Director General conveyed the Bank’s key priorities under the leadership of its President, His Excellency Dr. Sidi Ould Tah, and reiterated the Bank’s commitment to supporting regional integration, infrastructure development, industrialisation, private sector participation, and innovative financing solutions to accelerate regional integration and development in the SADC region.
The SADC Executive Secretary expressed appreciation to the AfDB for the longstanding partnership between SADC and AfDB in advancing regional integration and development financing, particularly in the process of the operationalisation of the Regional Development Fund (RDF).
The Executive Secretary reiterated the importance of the RDF as a vehicle for sustainable financing of regional programmes.
The two parties underscored the need to modernise border management systems, strengthen maritime connectivity and accelerate industrialisation to spur economic growth and development.
The Executive Secretary was accompanied by the Director of Policy Planning and Resource Mobilisation, Dr. Mike Masiye, Senior Finance and Investment Officer, Dr. Mário Lironel, Programme Officer-Financial Sector, Mr. Rado Harilala Razafindrakoto and Resource Mobilisation Officer, Mr. Nations Msowoya.
