Online Reporter
Zimpapers Politics Hub
The Southern African Development Community (SADC) will convene a virtual Extraordinary Summit of Heads of State and Government today, bringing regional leaders together to deliberate on the escalating political and security crisis in Madagascar.
President Mnangagwa is one of the leaders expected to attend the Summit.
The high-level meeting, scheduled for 17:00 hrs, will be chaired by South African President Matamela Cyril Ramaphosa in his capacity as the current Chairperson of the SADC.
Heads of State are expected to deliberate extensively on the situation in the Indian Ocean island nation, guided by a comprehensive report from the Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation
In a statement, SADC said:
“The Southern African Development Community (SADC) will convene a virtual Extraordinary Summit of Heads of State and Government on 29 June 2026 at 17:00 hrs. The Summit will be chaired by His Excellency President Matamela Cyril Ramaphosa, President of the Republic of South Africa and current Chairperson of SADC.
“Leaders will deliberate on the political and security situation in Madagascar, guided by the report of the Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation.”
The upcoming summit follows months of sustained diplomatic engagement by the regional bloc.
Madagascar has been in turmoil since October 2025, when youth-led protests over persistent water and electricity shortages escalated into a full-blown political crisis, culminating in a military-backed transitional government assuming power under Colonel Michael Randrianirina.
In response, SADC has been actively pursuing a peace-building agenda. A December 2025 Extraordinary Summit approved the deployment of a high-level Panel of Elders, led by former Malawian President Dr. Joyce Banda, to facilitate dialogue and support the restoration of constitutional order. The Panel of Elders has since undertaken three missions to Madagascar between January and May 2026, engaging stakeholders and former Mozambican President Joaquim Chissano, the SADC Special Envoy to Madagascar.
SADC leaders have consistently urged the transitional government to initiate an inclusive, Malagasy-owned national dialogue and to create conditions conducive for the return of political exiles and the holding of credible elections.
