Ramaphosa takes SADC helm, pledges to drive trade, industrialisation and regional integration

President Cyril Ramaphosa assumed the chairmanship of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) at the 46th Ordinary Summit, pledging to focus on trade, industrialization and regional integration. Ramaphosa accepted the responsibility with humility and a deep sense of duty, acknowledging the support South Africa received from SADC nations during the apartheid struggle. He emphasized the importance of building on the work of previous chairpersons and advancing the implementation of SADC Vision 2050.

A key priority for South Africa's chairmanship would be deepening regional integration, facilitating the efficient movement of goods, services, capital and skills across borders. The country also aimed to strengthen regional value chains, expand intra-African trade and mobilize investment in infrastructure. Ramaphosa committed to working closely with every SADC member state, guided by the principles of sovereign equality, mutual respect, solidarity and consensus. He stressed that the strength of SADC lay in the solidarity of its member states.

South Africa would approach its chairmanship as a servant of the region, listening, consulting and seeking consensus. The industrialization agenda would be at the forefront, placing young people, women and entrepreneurs at the center of the region's economic transformation. Ramaphosa thanked outgoing chairperson President Emmerson Mnangagwa for Zimbabwe's leadership and congratulated the country on securing a non-permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council.

He pledged to carry out his chairmanship with integrity, diligence and an unwavering commitment to the unity of the region, accepting the honor humbly.