Online Reporter
Gibson Mhaka-Zimpapers Politics Hub
THE Southern African Development Community will convene an Extraordinary Heads of State and Government Summit later this week to deliberate on the unexpected withdrawal of Madagascar from its annual rotating chairmanship, the bloc’s Secretariat confirmed on Tuesday.
The decision by the regional body to call a special summit, expected to be held in Angola, comes after the military government in Madagascar, under Colonel Michael Randrianirina, announced its withdrawal on Saturday, citing the need to focus on “building” strong institutions in Madagascar and to strengthen national cohesion”.
South Africa, which deputises Madagascar, will assume the chairmanship according to the regional body’s statutes.
Speaking to Zimpapers, the Sadc Secretariat’s head of communications and public relations, Ms Barbara Lopi, confirmed the importance of the impending meeting.
“Communication from Madagascar has been received and considered, and it is going to be one of the agenda items at the Extraordinary Sadc Summit, which is scheduled to meet later this week. Among other issues, the withdrawal of Madagascar from the position of chair of Sadc will be discussed,” Ms Lopi said.
She stressed that a formal decision on the future leadership and the Secretariat’s official position on Madagascar’s presentation would only be available after the Heads of State meeting.
“It is only after that meeting that we will be able to give the official position on what Madagascar has presented.”
The withdrawal places South Africa in line to assume the interim leadership of the regional body, as dictated by institutional protocols.
Addressing the legal and procedural basis for the transition, Ms Lopi cited the guiding SADC Treaty provisions.
“From a legal point, Articles 9A (2) (b) and 10A of the SADC Treaty stipulate that the incoming chairperson should assume interim leadership when the sitting chairperson is unable to perform their duties,” she explained.
This mechanism ensures the continuity of SADC’s administrative and political functions.
South Africa, as the next country in the rotational Troika system, is positioned to take over these responsibilities immediately on a temporary basis.
Ms Lopi reiterated that the final confirmation and the specific duration and scope of the interim chairmanship will be determined by the regional leaders at the upcoming meeting.
“However, the Summit will discuss this issue, and we will feed back after that,” she said.
The extraordinary summit is expected to provide clarity on the legal implications of Madagascar’s military-led withdrawal and solidify the path forward for regional stability and cooperation under new, transitional leadership.
