Online Reporter
Debra Matabvu
Senior Reporter
PRESIDENT Mnangagwa says Sadc will maintain a collective approach to address challenges facing the region, while strengthening cooperation and regional solidarity.
Speaking at State House last night after attending a virtual Extraordinary Summit of Sadc Heads of State and Government, President Mnangagwa, who is the immediate past Sadc Chairperson, said the bloc will continue to work together to find lasting solutions to the region’s challenges.
The Extraordinary Summit comes after the military government in Madagascar announced its withdrawal from the bloc recently, citing the need to focus on nation-building following political developments that saw former President Andry Rajoelina leaving his position recently.
“This was a meeting of all Sadc Heads of State on our collective thrust to solidify challenges facing our region,” President Mnangagwa said. “And I am happy that we are all in agreement on how we are tackling the challenges that face our region.”
The virtual summit was attended by 15 member States of the region which included Zimbabwe, South Africa, Madagascar, Zambia, Botswana and Namibia, among others.
Giving his opening remarks, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, who is also the incoming Chair, called on the regional leaders to come up with solutions that ensure peace, stability and prosperity.
“We gather today not merely, Your Excellencies and Your Majesty, to deliberate on the agenda before us, but to affirm our shared commitment to peace, stability and prosperity of our region,” he said.
“From its inception, SADC has stood as a beacon of solidarity, but also a community founded on the values of unity, peace, mutual benefit and sovereign equality.
“Our collective sense of regional solidarity at this time is in many ways our strongest currency. Solidarity at this moment demands courage to act decisively in defence of age-long regional aims.”
President Ramaphosa said the people of the region continue to look to their leaders for leadership that delivers the vision of a peaceful, inclusive and industrialised region, which has been set for 2050.
The extraordinary summit, he added, should therefore serve as a platform to come up with solutions for the region.
“This meeting must, therefore, serve as a platform to deeply reflect and collectively come up with pragmatic solutions to the challenges that are besetting our region.
“For these reasons, the issue that is on our agenda could not wait for ordinary meetings of the SADC institutions,” he said.
SADC Executive Secretary Mr Elias Magosi commended the regional leaders for convening to come up with a lasting solution on the Madagascar crisis.
“Considering these recent developments, the government of Madagascar on October 31, 2025 formally presented to SADC its decision to withdraw from its responsibilities as Chair of SADC, thus creating a vacuum within the SADC-Troika leadership,” he said.
“This summit is therefore convened to elect the SADC Chair for the remainder of the Madagascar State, which is due to end in August 2026.
“This process will ensure that the SADC-Troika is complete in line with our founding treaty, the SADC Treaty, and that our organisation continues to function seamlessly, while also ensuring uninterrupted progress towards deepening regional integration, economic development and peace and security.”
Mr Magosi said he was convinced that last night’s deliberations would strengthen SADC’s collective resolve to move forward with regional integration and development agenda.
“It is yet another testament of the resilience of our community that we find solutions for any situation that is placed before our leaders with the full confidence and trust that we will succeed in the effort.
“This is very rare with other organisations similar to ours.”
Madagascar said it was withdrawing from the SADC Chairmanship citing the need to focus on national recovery and institutional reform following the coming in of new leadership.
The decision affects the position the country assumed on August 17, 2025, less than three months ago.
Madagascar assumed the SADC chairmanship at the 45th Summit of Heads of State and Government under former President Rajoelina.
Shortly after a popular uprising led by Malagasy youths removed the administration, Colonel Michaël Randrianirina was sworn in as President on October 17.
He said institutional reform, national cohesion and lasting stability were central to his mandate.
