The event, which will take place at the Ivato Conference Centre in Antananarivo, will bring together regional leaders with the aim of deepening integration through strengthening industrial capacity, fostering regional value chains and modernizing agriculture, as well as promoting an inclusive energy transition to consolidate a more resilient, sustainable and cohesive SADC.

During the opening session, the Malagasy president, Andry Rajoelina, will officially assume the rotating presidency of SADC, succeeding the Zimbabwean president, Emmerson Mnangagwa.

Participants will review progress in the implementation of the Regional Strategic Development Indicative Plan 2020-2030, as well as achievements under the theme of the last summit:

“Promoting innovation to unlock opportunities for sustained economic growth and development towards an industrialized SADC”.

According to Vincent Magwenya, spokesman for the South African presidency, South Africa will also formally accept responsibility for leading SADC over the period 2026-2027, underlining its key role in regional transformation.

On the other hand, Ramaphosa will head next week a high-level delegation to the Ninth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD9), to be held in Yokohama, Japan, from 20 to 22 August under the motto “People, Planet and Prosperity in a Changing World”.

Launched by Japan in 1993 and co-sponsored by the UN, UNDP, the World Bank and the Commission of the African Union, TICAD has established itself as a key forum for associating African leadership with international cooperation in areas such as economic transformation and universal health.

The TICAD9 summit will be attended by more than 20 African heads of state, representatives from multilateral agencies and international partners, including members of the G7, G20 and BRICS.

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