Ramaphosa calls for faster SADC integration and stronger regional cooperation

President Cyril Ramaphosa has called for renewed commitment to regional integration, industrialisation and economic development as he officially opened the 46th Ordinary Summit of SADC Heads of State and Government in eThekwini on Monday.

Welcoming regional leaders to South Africa, Ramaphosa said the summit was taking place at an important moment in the history of the continent, noting that 17 August marked 34 years since the signing of the SADC Declaration and Treaty in Windhoek, Namibia.

He also highlighted Durban’s role in the history of African unity, noting that the African Union was officially launched in the city 24 years ago.

Ramaphosa said these milestones should encourage SADC leaders to assess whether the region was moving quickly enough towards the vision of a united, integrated and prosperous Africa.

He thanked outgoing SADC chairperson and Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa for his leadership, as well as Zambia, the SADC Troika, the Secretariat and member states for their cooperation.

The President said SADC had evolved from a community built around solidarity against colonialism, minority rule and apartheid into a regional bloc focused on peace, democracy, cooperation and development.

However, he warned that the region’s economic integration was progressing too slowly.

SADC recorded economic growth of about 3.4% in 2025, while intra-regional trade accounted for only around one-fifth of the region’s total trade, according to Ramaphosa.

He said the region continued to import products that could be manufactured locally and export raw materials that could instead be processed within Southern Africa.

“We continue to export raw materials that we could process and beneficiate ourselves,” Ramaphosa said.

He argued that greater local processing and manufacturing would create jobs and retain more value within the region.

Ramaphosa said SADC’s 16 member states had the resources, agricultural potential, skills and a population of more than 400 million people needed to drive economic development.

He said citizens expected regional integration to translate into tangible improvements, including decent jobs, reliable electricity, affordable food, quality healthcare, education and opportunities for young people.

The President outlined several priorities for accelerating the region’s development.

These include deepening industrialisation and building regional value chains, investing in roads, railways and ports, strengthening energy, water and digital infrastructure, developing climate-resilient food systems and taking greater advantage of the African Continental Free Trade Area.

He called for more minerals and agricultural products to be processed within the region and for stronger cooperation to expand manufacturing.

Ramaphosa also called for improved electricity generation and transmission, cross-border water infrastructure and affordable digital connectivity.

On agriculture, he said SADC had the potential to feed itself and become a major global food producer by improving productivity, strengthening food reserves and supporting smallholder and emerging farmers.

He further urged member states to remove non-tariff barriers, improve border management and harmonise standards to make it easier for goods, services, capital and skills to move across the region.

“Regional integration must be seen and felt in the daily lives of our people,” he said.

Ramaphosa also placed peace and security at the centre of regional development, saying economic progress could not be sustained without political stability.

He called for continued investment in preventive diplomacy, mediation and political dialogue, while urging member states to resolve differences peacefully and uphold democratic principles.

The President also addressed the ongoing Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, expressing condolences to affected communities and calling for stronger regional cooperation on disease surveillance, emergency preparedness and health security.

He called for a humanitarian ceasefire in affected conflict areas and safe humanitarian access for health workers.

Ramaphosa said the response to the outbreak should also include investment in resilient health systems, research and the African production of vaccines, diagnostics and medicines.

As the summit got underway, Ramaphosa urged SADC leaders to ensure that decisions taken at regional meetings are translated into practical projects.

“Our communiqués must become construction sites, factories, power lines, water systems, laboratories, businesses and jobs,” he said.

He called on leaders to use the eThekwini summit to renew their commitment to building an integrated regional economy and to ensure that SADC’s vision delivers tangible benefits for people across Southern Africa.

Ramaphosa formally declared the 46th Ordinary Summit of SADC Heads of State and Government open on Monday.