SADC calls for cooperation
Southern Africa must work more closely together and become more self-reliant as geopolitical tensions, conflicts and declining development assistance put pressure on the region, Southern African Development Community (SADC) executive eecretary Elias Magosi has said.
Speaking at the opening of the Ordinary Meeting of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Council of Ministers in Durban on Wednesday, Magosi said the region could no longer ignore the need to strengthen its resilience and drive its own development agenda.
“While these developments pose challenges for the region, they also reinforce an important lesson we can no longer ignore: that the future of our region will increasingly depend on our ability to trust each other more and work together more, to strengthen regional resilience and drive our own development agenda under our own terms,” Magosi said.
He was referring to geopolitical tensions, changing economic conditions, declining development assistance and conflicts in various parts of the world.
Magosi said the same concerns had informed a retreat of SADC foreign ministers held in Skukuza, Mpumalanga, in May, where Member States reaffirmed their commitment to deeper regional integration, collective resilience and sustainable development.
More electricity, but access remains a challenge
The region added 3 253 megawatts of new installed generation capacity across 12 mainland Member States during the 2025/26 financial year, with a further 1 611 megawatts added by the Island States, Magosi said.
SADC's total installed generation capacity now stands at 88 202 megawatts, while operational capacity has reached 54 812 megawatts.
That is above the combined regional peak demand and reserve requirement of 52 617 megawatts.
But Magosi said the real measure of progress was whether households, schools, health facilities and businesses were gaining access to reliable electricity.
Electricity access across the region increased from 56% in 2024 to 60% in 2025, but remains well below the target of 85% by 2030.
He called for faster grid expansion, stronger cross-border electricity links and greater investment in off-grid and renewable energy.
Digital connectivity has also improved, with internet penetration rising to 57.2%. 4G network coverage reached 79.2%, while mobile penetration stood at 95.2%.
“These achievements are helping us to drive innovation, improve connectivity and expand economic opportunities across the region,” he said.
Trade grows as manufacturing share falls
Magosi said economic transformation remained central to SADC's integration agenda, although performance across key indicators was mixed.
Manufacturing's contribution to GDP fell from 11.3% in 2024 to 10.9% in 2025, highlighting the need for greater industrialisation and value addition.
Intra-regional trade, however, increased to 20.2% in 2025, driven by manufactured products, fuels, machinery, vehicles and agricultural goods.
The region's merchandise trade balance remained positive at US$27.9 billion, although it fell by US$2.2 billion during 2025.
Foreign direct investment increased by 44% to US$11 billion, largely because of strong inflows into Mozambique and South Africa.
Magosi said the increase showed continued investor confidence in the region, but warned that spending on research and development remained below SADC and African Union targets.
“No Member State has achieved the regional target of investing 1% of GDP in research and development, nor the African Union target of 1.5%,” he said.
Greater investment in science, technology and innovation would be needed to support industrialisation, improve productivity and maintain competitiveness, he added.
Agriculture faces climate and disease risks
Agriculture remains the main source of livelihoods for more than 70% of the region's population.
Magosi said agricultural growth was estimated at between 2% and 3% in 2025, following negative or stagnant growth in 2024 and severe climatic shocks in recent years.
The number of food-insecure people across the region also fell by 16%, he said.
But outbreaks of Foot-and-Mouth Disease have disrupted livestock production and related trade, threatening livelihoods, nutrition and access to markets.
With nearly 75% of the SADC population under the age of 35, Magosi said young people needed to be at the centre of efforts to transform agrifood systems.
He called for youth priorities to be included in national and regional agrifood systems and investment plans, with resources directed towards youth-focused agribusiness initiatives.
Conflicts and movement of people
Peace, security and good governance remained essential to sustainable development, investment and economic prosperity, Magosi said.
He pointed to progress in addressing political and security challenges in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Madagascar, and highlighted the work of the SADC Panel of Elders and Mediation Reference Group in conflict prevention, mediation and preventive diplomacy.
But he said women's participation in peace and security processes remained below desired levels despite the disproportionate impact of conflict on women and girls.
SADC has also made progress towards easing movement between member states.
Fifteen Member States now implement a 90-day visa-free regime for SADC citizens, while Mauritius, Seychelles and Zimbabwe have exempted citizens of all SADC Member States from visa requirements.
Ten Member States have signed the SADC Protocol on the Facilitation of Movement of Persons, with seven having ratified it.
Eleven ratifications are required for the protocol to enter into force, and Magosi called on the remaining countries to accelerate the process.
Severe El Niño warning
Climate change continues to threaten the region's development gains, Magosi said.
Floods earlier this year killed people, damaged critical infrastructure, displaced communities and disrupted trade.
Seasonal forecasts also indicate a high likelihood of a severe El Niño event during the 2026/27 season.
Magosi called for the region to move away from responding to disasters after they occur and instead invest in resilience through stronger early warning systems, anticipatory planning, climate-resilient infrastructure, disaster risk financing and resilient recovery.
He also highlighted the need to operationalise the SADC Humanitarian Emergency Operations Centre in Nacala, Mozambique, to improve regional preparedness and response.
On health, Magosi expressed solidarity with the government and people of the Democratic Republic of Congo amid the Bundibugyo Virus Disease outbreak.
He said the outbreak had caused significant loss of life and placed additional pressure on the country's health system.
He also welcomed the focus on sustainable health financing at a joint meeting of SADC finance and health ministers held in Harare last month.
“The message from the Ministers was clear: investing in health is not merely a social obligation; it is a strategic investment in human capital, economic productivity, and long-term sustainable development,” he said.
SADC backs Zambia ahead of elections
Magosi expressed SADC's support for Zambia ahead of its general election on Thursday.
He said elections were an important part of strengthening democratic governance in the region and of meeting SADC's principles and guidelines governing democratic elections.
“We therefore extend our best wishes to the people of Zambia as they take this critical step in selecting a government.
“As a community, we stand in solidarity with Zambia and remain confident that the elections will further strengthen peace, enhance unity, ensure stability, and facilitate development in the country,” he said.
Magosi also praised South Africa for hosting the ninth SADC Industrialisation Week and Exhibition in Durban from 26 to 31 July.
The event demonstrated the region's focus on accelerating industrialisation, deepening regional integration, attracting strategic investment and promoting sustainable economic growth, he said.
The Council of Ministers meeting is being held as SADC Member States consider regional priorities and provide strategic guidance on implementing the SADC Vision and shared development goals.
