Southern African leaders are set to meet next week for the 46th SADC Ordinary Summit of Heads of State and Government, with regional conflicts, migration, economic development and geopolitical tensions expected to dominate the agenda.
International Relations and Cooperation Minister Ronald Lamola says the Southern African Development Community (SADC) continues to experience the impact of conflicts beyond its borders, as the region faces a range of economic and humanitarian challenges.
The summit will be held under the theme: “Resilient, sustainable and inclusive industrialisation through infrastructure development, agricultural and critical minerals transformation in pursuit of a just world.”
Lamola says the region needs to work collectively to harness its resources and strengthen its resilience.
“Our region continues to feel the harsh aftershocks of conflicts that disregard international law, weaken multilateralism and inflict devastating humanitarian and economic consequences across the globe,” Lamola said.
He added that SADC has abundant natural resources that could help strengthen the region's economies if member states work together and make better use of their collective skills and resources.
Undocumented migration is also expected to feature prominently at the summit, amid growing debate over migration in South Africa and across the region.
Lamola says the South African government's position is that migration must take place through legal and regulated channels.
“The policy position of the South African government is very clear that migration must be regular, it must be within the law and irregular migration must be dealt with by law enforcement agencies and not private individuals and groups,” he said.
He also called on South Africans to approach the issue responsibly.
While SADC remains relatively stable, leaders are expected to address ongoing hotspots, including the conflict in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo and the political crisis in Madagascar.
President Cyril Ramaphosa, who is expected to take over as SADC chairperson, says the regional bloc will continue supporting Madagascar until constitutional order is restored.
“We reaffirm the clear and collective position – SADC will remain active in Madagascar until our sister country restores constitutional order,” Ramaphosa said.
He added that any reform process must be inclusive, time-bound and led by the people of Madagascar, while creating space for all stakeholders.
Ramaphosa's involvement also forms part of the African Union's efforts to strengthen cooperation and coordinate continental responses to regional challenges.
Financing regional development projects is another key issue expected to come under discussion, with SADC looking increasingly towards resources within the continent.
SADC Executive Secretary Elias Magosi says the region has significant financial resources of its own, including pension and insurance funds, as well as equity investors.
“I think generally we have looked for funds elsewhere outside of the continent, little realising that we are actually sitting with huge amounts of funds and huge amounts of resources in the continent, particularly for the SADC region,” Magosi said.
He says greater use of domestic resources could help SADC reduce its reliance on external funding and accelerate the implementation of regional projects.
The summit will be preceded by several events, including a public lecture, a Council of Ministers meeting and a meeting of the SADC Organ Troika on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation.
The gathering comes at a time when the region is also grappling with the effects of climate change, geopolitical tensions and economic pressures, placing renewed focus on regional cooperation and collective solutions.