President Cyril Ramaphosa to participate in the 45th Ordinary Summit of Southern African Development Community (SADC) Heads of State and Government

 

President Cyril Ramaphosa has arrived in Antananarivo in the Republic of Madagascar to participate in the 45th Ordinary Summit of Southern African Development Community (SADC) Heads of State and Government, which takes place on Sunday, 17 August 2025. 

The Summit is convened in terms of Article 10 of the SADC Treaty to provide overall policy direction of the functions of SADC informed by reports, and recommendations from the Council of Ministers and the Organ Troika Summit which affect SADC region. 

The theme for this year’s the Summit is: “Advancing Industrialisation, Agricultural Transformation, and Energy Transition for a Resilient SADC.”

Leaders will focus on accelerating regional integration through key pillars: strengthening industrial capacity and regional value chains, modernising agriculture, and promoting an inclusive energy transition – all aimed at building a resilient, sustainable, and cohesive SADC region.

The Summit will review progress on the implementation of the SADC Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan (RISDP) 2020–2030, consider a report from the Chairperson of the Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation, and review achievements under the 44th Summit theme: “Promoting Innovation to Unlock Opportunities for Sustained Economic Growth and Development towards an Industrialised SADC.”

The Summit is of particular strategic importance for South Africa, considering that South Africa will be elected as the Incoming Chair of SADC and host the 46th Summit of SADC Heads of State and Government in August 2026. 

Being the fourth time to join the SADC Summit Troika, South Africa’s Chairship in 2026 will provide a unique opportunity for the country to assume a strategic leadership role in the region, nine years after the previous tenure as Chairperson in 2017.  

During the Summit, the following instruments will be signed:

i. SADC Protocol on Industry (2019)
ii. SADC Protocol on Statistics (2021)
iii. Declaration on the Protection of Persons with Albinism (2024)
iv. Agreement Amending the SADC Protocol on Tourism Development (2019)

The hosting of the SADC Summit marks a historic moment for the Republic of Madagascar.

Among the four island states in the SADC region, the Republic of Madagascar is only the second Indian Ocean Island State to host the SADC Summit and assume the Chairship, after the Republic of Mauritius.

At this Summit, the Republic of Zimbabwe will formally hand over the leadership of the SADC region to the Republic of Madagascar.

The Opening and Closing Ceremonies of the Summit will be broadcast live on 17 August 2025 on the official platforms of the Republic of Madagascar and the SADC Secretariat, including the SADC Facebook page and YouTube channel.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of The Presidency of the Republic of South Africa.