President-elect ‘Hichilema’ named as next SADC Chairperson, Lusaka to host 47th Summit

10 ViewsZambia will host the next Southern African Development Community (SADC) Summit, this comes after regional leaders concluded the 46th Ordinary Summit in Durban, South Africa on 17th August 2026, where South African President Cyril Ramaphosa assumed Chairperson and named Zambia as the Incoming Chair. The communique confirmed that the 47th SADC Summit of Heads […]

10 Views

President Hakainde Hichilema

Zambia will host the next Southern African Development Community (SADC) Summit, this comes after regional leaders concluded the 46th Ordinary Summit in Durban, South Africa on 17th August 2026, where South African President Cyril Ramaphosa assumed Chairperson and named Zambia as the Incoming Chair.

The communique confirmed that the 47th SADC Summit of Heads of State and Government will be held in the Republic of Zambia, marking another major diplomatic assignment for Lusaka in regional affairs.

The Durban summit, chaired by President Ramaphosa, was attended by Heads of State and Government or their representatives from all 16 SADC member states. Zambia was represented by High Commissioner to Botswana and Representative to SADC, H.E. Ms. Pamela Chisanga. Leaders endorsed the theme “Resilient, Sustainable, and Inclusive Industrialisation through Infrastructure Development, Agricultural and Critical Minerals Transformation in Pursuit of a Just World,” and approved key decisions including the SADC Tourism UNIVISA and the operationalisation of the SADC Regional Development Fund to accelerate infrastructure and industrialisation projects.

Other resolutions focused on peace, health and trade. The summit reiterated solidarity with the Democratic Republic of Congo, called for continued support in responding to the Ebola outbreak, and urged dialogue in Madagascar. It commended Mozambique’s efforts in Cabo Delgado, congratulated Zimbabwe on its election to the UN Security Council, and designated the Botswana Vaccine Institute as a regional Foot and Mouth Disease Antigen/Vaccine Bank.

Leaders also urged member states to remove non-tariff barriers to agricultural trade and to strengthen preparedness for El Niño-induced climate shocks.

With Zambia set to take over the SADC chair next, attention will now shift to preparations in Lusaka. The hosting will provide an opportunity for Zambia to drive the regional agenda on industrialisation, energy transition, and economic integration, while also showcasing its role in advancing peace, governance and sustainable development in Southern Africa.

COMMUNIQUÉ OF
THE 46TH ORDINARY SUMMIT OF SADC HEADS OF STATE AND GOVERNMENT
17th AUGUST 2026

1. The 46th Ordinary Summit of the Heads of State and Government of the Southern
African Development Community (SADC), hereafter called “Summit” was held on
17th August 2026, in Durban, Republic of South Africa and chaired by His
Excellency Mr. Matamela Cyril Ramaphosa, President of the Republic of South
Africa.

2. Summit was attended by the following Heads of State and Government, or their
representatives:

Botswana: President Advocate Duma Gideon Boko.
Eswatini: His Majesty King Mswati III.
Lesotho: The Right Honourable Prime Minister Mr. Ntsokoane
Samuel Matekane.
Madagascar: H.E. Colonel Michael Randrianirina
Mauritius: Honourable Prime Minister Dr. Navinchandra
Ramgoolam, GCSK, FRCP.
Mozambique: H.E. President Mr. Daniel Francisco Chapo.
Namibia: Her Excellency President Dr. Netumbo Nandi-
Ndaitwah.
Seychelles: H.E. President Dr. Mathew Antonio Patrick Herminie.
South Africa: H.E. President Mr. Matamela Cyril Ramaphosa. Zimbabwe: H.E. President Dr. Emmerson Dambudzo
Mnangagwa.
Malawi: The Right Honourable Mr. Enoch Kanzingeni
Chihana, Second Vice President.
Democratic Republic of
Congo:
H.E. Mr. Guy Muadiamvita Kabombo, Deputy Prime
Minister and Minister of Defence and Veterans
Affairs.
Angola: H.E. Ambassador Téte António, Minister of External
Relations.
United Republic of
Tanzania:
Honourable Dr. Rhimo Nyansaho, Minister of
Defence and National Service.
Zambia: H.E. Ms. Pamela Chisanga, High Commissioner of
the Republic of Zambia to the Republic of Botswana
and Representative to SADC.

3. Summit was also attended by Ministers from the SADC Member States, and the
Executive Secretary of SADC.

4. Summit elected His Excellency Mr. Matamela Cyril Ramaphosa, President of the
Republic of South Africa, the Chairperson of SADC, and the President of the
Republic of Zambia, the Incoming Chairperson.

5. Summit also elected His Majesty King Mswati III, of the Kingdom of Eswatini, the
Chairperson of the Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation.

6. Summit acknowledged the commitment expressed by His Excellency Dr. Mathew
Antonio Patrick Herminie, President of the Republic of Seychelles, in his maiden
address to the Summit, and welcomed his Government’s commitment to advancing
the ideals upon which SADC was founded; solidarity, regional integration and a
shared prosperity for the people of the SADC region.

7. Summit received the report of the Chairperson of the Organ on Politics, Defence
and Security Cooperation, His Excellency Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika,
President of the Republic of Malawi, and commended him for his leadership,
commitment, and valuable contributions to promoting peace, security, stability, and
democratic governance in the SADC region throughout his tenure.

8. Summit reiterated its solidarity with the people of the Democratic Republic of
Congo (DRC) and reaffirmed SADC’s support for coordinated regional and
international efforts to restore peace and security, protect civilians, strengthen
humanitarian and public health responses, promote inclusive dialogue, and
enhance resilience to ongoing challenges.

9. Summit welcomed constructive engagement in the Republic of Madagascar
through the efforts of the SADC Panel of Elders, supported by the SADC Mediation
Reference Group and the SADC Secretariat and reaffirmed SADC’s commitment
to supporting Madagascar’s reform process and development agenda, including
the promotion of inclusive governance, democratic institutions, accountability,
human rights, and citizen participation and return to constitutional normalcy.

10. Summit urged the stakeholders in Madagascar to maintain the relative calm that
prevails in the country and choose the path of dialogue to address their grievances.

11. Summit commended the Government of the Republic of Mozambique for the on-
going inclusive national dialogue process and its continued efforts to combat
terrorism and maintain peace and security in some districts of Cabo Delgado
Province.

12. Summit commended His Excellency Mr Daniel Francisco Chapo, President of the
Republic of Mozambique, for inaugurating the SADC Regional Fisheries
Monitoring, Control and Surveillance Coordination Centre (MCSCC) in June 2026
in Maputo with the mandate to combat illegal, unregulated and unreported fishing.

13. Summit congratulated the Republic of Zimbabwe on its election as a Non-
Permanent Member of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) for 2027-2028
term and expressed confidence in Zimbabwe’s ability to advance multilateral
cooperation, promote international peace and security, and effectively represent
the interests of the SADC region, Africa, and the Global South within the UNSC.

14. Summit reiterated its long-standing call for the removal of sanctions imposed on
the Republic of Zimbabwe, highlighting that the sanctions continue to limit the
Republic of Zimbabwe from attaining its full economic potential.

15. Summit noted the evolving global geopolitical and economic landscape and urged
Member States to leverage emerging opportunities to deepen regional integration,
strengthen trade and investment, mobilise domestic resources, and strengthen
collective resilience to advance sustainable development and the regional agenda.

16. Summit received an update from the Republic of South Africa on migration
governance and called for the coordinated and multidimensional dialogue at
regional level to address the underlying drivers of migration and develop
comprehensive, sustainable, and effective responses.

17. Summit urged Member States to strengthen disease surveillance and
preparedness to prevent, detect and respond to outbreaks and pandemics,
including through timely information sharing and coordinated regional action and
called for continued support to the Democratic Republic of Congo in responding to
the Ebola (Bundibugyo Virus Disease) Outbreak.

18. Summit commended the Republics of Angola, South Africa and Zimbabwe as well
as the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), the World
Health Organisation (WHO), and other partners for providing financial and
technical assistance in support of the response to the Ebola Outbreak.

19. Summit noted regional efforts to control and prevent the Foot and Mouth (FMD)
outbreak and designated Botswana Vaccine Institute to be a regional FMD
Antigen/Vaccine Bank to strengthen regional efforts for prevention and control of
FMD outbreaks.

20. Summit commended Member States that have ratified the Agreement on the
operationalisation of the SADC Regional Development Fund and urged those that
have not yet ratified the Agreement to facilitate its entry into force to expedite the
process in order to enhance resource mobilisation and accelerate the
implementation of regional infrastructure, industrialisation, and socio-economic
development programmes and projects.

21. Summit commended Member States that have made significant progress in
promoting women to leadership and decision-making positions and urged those
that have not yet attained the targets set out in the SADC Protocol on Gender and
Development, as well as other relevant continental and global instruments, to
accelerate the advancement of women in leadership and decision-making
positions, while also implementing targeted legislative frameworks and policies to
prevent gender-based violence (GBV) and protect human rights.

22. Summit urged Member States to mainstream youth programmes across all sectors
in national and regional development plans and to dedicate adequate resources to
youth-centred initiatives that promote meaningful participation, skills development, entrepreneurship, innovation, employment creation, and leadership opportunities,
thereby enhancing socio-economic transformation, resilience, and sustainable
development of the SADC region.

23. Summit urged Member States to increase regional trade in agricultural products
by removing non-tariff barriers, harmonising standards, and improving cross-
border logistics to ensure efficient movement of food commodities from surplus to
deficit areas, thereby stabilising supply and prices across the region.

24. Summit urged Member States to enhance preparedness in view of the anticipated
El Niño-induced climate shocks by implementing early warning systems, drought
preparedness measures, and promoting climate-smart agriculture, including
irrigation development and adoption of drought-tolerant crop varieties.

25. Summit noted the progress made in implementing the theme of the 45th SADC
Summit of Heads of State and Government titled, “Advancing Industrialisation,
Agricultural Transformation and Energy Transition for a Resilient SADC,”
and commended His Excellency President Matamela Cyril Ramaphosa for his
exemplary leadership and strategic guidance in advancing the key priorities of the
theme during his tenure as Interim Chairperson of SADC.

26. Summit commended the Republic of South Africa for convening a Retreat of the
SADC Ministers of Foreign Affairs on geo-political developments during the interim
chairship which produced an Implementation Plan and Roadmap.

27. Summit received the report of the Mid-term Review of the
Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan 2020-2030 containing firm
recommendations to identify few high-impact priorities including industrialisation,
resource mobilisation framework, regional value chains, agro-processing, critical
minerals and just energy transition, economic corridors, one-stop border posts,
health financing

28. Summit commended His Excellency Dr. Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa,
President of the Republic of Zimbabwe and Outgoing Chairperson of SADC for his
unwavering support and commitment towards advancing regional integration and
economic development in the SADC region during the interim period as a member
of the SADC Troika.

29. Summit endorsed the theme of the 46th SADC Summit of Heads of State and
Government titled, “Resilient, Sustainable, and Inclusive Industrialisation through Infrastructure Development, Agricultural and Critical Minerals
Transformation in Pursuit of a Just World,” highlighting infrastructure,
agriculture, and critical minerals as key drivers of industrialisation for a competitive,
climate-resilient, inclusive, and prosperous SADC region.

30. Summit approved the Agreement Establishing the SADC Tourism UNIVISA and
called for its signature by Member States, recognising its importance in facilitating
seamless travel across the region, enhancing tourism growth, promoting regional
integration, and boosting economic development through increased visitor arrivals
and investment.

31. Summit urged Member States to accede to SADC legal instruments, already in
force and to expedite the signature and ratification of adopted SADC instruments
that are yet to enter into force in order to accelerate regional integration and
enhance cooperation amongst the Member States to, amongst others, support
infrastructure development, and advance harmonised economic growth.

32. Summit approved the appointment of His Excellency Dr. Mokgweetsi Eric
Keabetswe Masisi, former President of the Republic of Botswana, and His
Excellency Dr. Joaquim Alberto Chissano, former President of the Republic of
Mozambique as members of the SADC Panel of Elders to support Mediation,
Conflict Prevention and Preventative Diplomacy efforts in the SADC region.

33. Summit welcomed the invitation from the Republic of Angola to the SADC Heads
of State and Government to participate in the Extraordinary Summit of the African
Union on Strengthening Mechanisms for Conflict Prevention and Resolution in
Africa, to be hosted by the Republic of Angola in Luanda from 29 to 30 August
2026.

34. Summit commended the Government of the Republic of South Africa for the
successful organisation and hosting of the 9
th Annual SADC Industrialisation Week
and Exhibition, held in Durban, South Africa, from 26 to 31 July 2026, and
welcomed its Declaration, urging Member States to strengthen regional industrial
value chains to increase production, value addition, intra-SADC trade and
industrial competitiveness.

35. Summit commended His Excellency Mr. Matamela Cyril Ramaphosa, President of
the Republic of South Africa for his inspiring SADC Public Lecture delivered at the University of KwaZulu-Natal on 14 August 2026 under the theme titled,
“Translating SADC Vision 2050 into Action: Pathways Towards Solidarity, Equality
and Shared Prosperity,” and welcomed his call for the SADC region to advance
regional integration, industrialisation, infrastructure development, peace, security
and inclusive development for the peoples of the SADC region to achieve the
aspirations of the SADC Vision 2050

36. Summit expressed its appreciation to the Government and people of the Republic
of South Africa for the successful hosting of the 46th SADC Summit of Heads of
State and Government and congratulated the country on the launch of a
documentary showcasing the progress of regional integration and South Africa’s
role in advancing the objectives of SADC since joining the Community in 1994.

37. The Chairperson of SADC, His Excellency Mr. Matamela Cyril Ramaphosa,
President of the Republic of South Africa, expressed gratitude to all Heads of State
and Government for attending the 46th Summit of SADC Heads of State and
Government, and for the honour of electing him to lead the SADC region.

38. Summit noted that the 47th SADC Summit of Heads of State and Government will
be held in the Republic of Zambia.

Done on 17th August 2026
Durban, Republic of South Africa.