Desire Mathews- Antananarivo, Madagascar –
August 18, 2025

Outgoing SADC Chairperson, President Emmerson Mnangagwa, yesterday delivered his final address as leader of the regional bloc at the 45th SADC Summit of Heads of State and Government in Madagascar.

In his speech, Mnangagwa reflected on the progress made under Zimbabwe’s chairmanship, paid tribute to departed leaders, urged deeper regional integration, and called for renewed efforts to advance industrialisation, food security, peace and stability. He also expressed gratitude to SADC member states for their support during his tenure, while once again calling for the unconditional removal of sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe.

Below is the full text of his speech:

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SADC Summit Speech by President Emmerson Mnangagwa

“I am honoured to address the 45th Ordinary Summit of SADC Heads of State and Government, graciously convened under the esteemed leadership of my Dear Brother, His Excellency Rajoelina, President of the Republic of Madagascar, and incoming Chairperson of SADC.

May I express profound gratitude to you, Your Excellency and through you, to the Government and people of the Republic of Madagascar, for the warm hospitality extended to me and my delegation since our arrival.

Our presence here attests to the enduring solidarity that unites us in our quest for a peaceful, inclusive, modern and industrialised region, where citizens enjoy sustainable economic development, justice and freedom.

Your Majesty, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen; this year, we sadly lost one of our Founding Fathers, a revolutionary, His Excellency Dr Samuel Nujoma, former President of the Republic of Namibia.

We also lost a revered Statesman, His Excellency Dr Edgar Chagwa Lungu, former President of the Republic of Zambia. May their enduring legacies bring solace and inspiration to their families and the SADC region.

May their souls continue to rest in peace. It is my pleasure to welcome Her Excellency, Dr Nandi-Ndaitwah, who is joining our Summit, as Head of State and Government of our sister Republic, Namibia.

I am confident that her astute leadership and experience will provide valuable insights in shaping the strategic direction of our regional Organisation.

Your Majesty, Excellencies; this event marks the end of Zimbabwe’s Chairmanship. On behalf of the people and Government, I express our gratitude to you, my brothers and sisters, the African Union Commission and the United Nations, and International Cooperating Partners, for the partnership and support you rendered to my Government and indeed to me, during the past year.

It has truly been a privilege to serve our region, and to work with you all. I would also like to extend my heartfelt appreciation to the SADC Executive Secretary, His Excellency Mr Magosi, and his team for their dedication to the achievement of our shared objectives.

The mid-point of our regional blueprint, the Regional Indicative Strategic Plan, comes at a time when the world is witnessing unprecedented geo-strategic tensions and global economic policy uncertainties.

We express gratitude to the Executive Secretary for his report on the performance of our region over the past five years, which shows areas where we have laid a firm foundation in advancing our vision.

The report also highlights the unprecedented threats facing our region, and most importantly, suggests areas that require our introspection and concerted efforts. The Mid-Term Review, which is underway, must be leveraged for this purpose.

Events of the SADC Industrialisation Week, are now an annual occurrence and platforms facilitating environments for networking, towards enhanced industrialisation, trade and investment.

Regrettably, our exports continue to be driven by primary products, and intra-regional trade remains far less than our business with other Regions. Our prosperity is inevitably tied to the success of our neighbours and to that of our region as a whole, and the continent.

Your Majesty, Excellencies; our efforts towards food and nutrition security and the development of our agro-based value chains have borne mixed results due to adverse climate events. We should not be deterred and instead scale up investment in innovative strategies for climate change adaptation, mitigation and resilience.

I applaud our Incoming Chairperson, His Excellency, Rajoelina, for the timely theme, ‘Advancing Industrialisation, Agricultural Transformation and Energy Transition for a Resilient SADC’. This rallies us to accelerate our efforts towards an industrialised, resilient Region, where citizens have food and nutrition security as well as energy self-sufficiency.

I am encouraged by the progress we have made in the stewardship of our shared natural resources. The SADC Trans-Frontier Conservation Areas International Conference and Summit was held in Harare this May. The gathering provided us with an opportunity to reaffirm our combined commitment to the sustainable utilisation of our God-given resources for the benefit of local communities.

Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen; the integration we envisage heavily depends on our ability to develop infrastructure, which facilitates the free movement of people, capital, goods and services across our borders.

Major milestones have been recorded in implementing high-impact regional infrastructure projects, however, the development of strategic corridors, one-stop border posts and digital infrastructure must remain top priority. The full potential of our regional bloc has, regrettably, been largely inhibited by budgetary constraints.

It is imperative that our SADC region urgently comes up with inventive and sustainable sources of funding. In this regard, let us not shy away from tapping into partnerships with the private sector, our Diaspora, and other non-traditional sources. The SADC Regional Development Fund is a low-hanging fruit, which, when operationalised, will provide alternative financing for critical infrastructure projects.

I am pleased to report that Zimbabwe has ratified the Protocol. However, the number of ratifications remains far below the threshold required. The need to expedite internal processes on this matter, within our respective jurisdictions, is essential to drive progress.

Our region remains on high alert with regard to public health emergencies. Successes and gains in the fight against Malaria, Tuberculosis, HIV and AIDS, should be safeguarded. The financing gap created by the change in policy by some of our partners must be closed.

We also need to enhance the representation of women, the youth and persons with disabilities in all socio-economic and political endeavours.

Your Majesty, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen; collectively we realised successes in developing institutions that underpin democracy and good governance. Together with His Excellency, Advocate Boko, President of the Republic of Botswana, we commissioned the construction of our Regional Logistics Depot in Botswana.

The facility plays an important role in enhancing our preparedness and response to conflict and humanitarian emergencies. We remain grateful to the Government and people of the Republic of Botswana for supporting this project.

Member states are urged to equally provide the requisite funding to ensure the timely completion of this critical infrastructure.

The peace and stability prevailing in our region, is worth applauding as reflective of our joint obligation to silencing the guns. I commend the outgoing Chairperson of the Organ, Her Excellency, Dr Samia Hassan, and the Organ Troika Member States, for their gallant work over the past year, for the realisation of durable consolidating peace and security in our region.

We have remained steadfast in our commitment to ensuring peace to the eastern parts of the DRC, we appointed five Former Heads of State to facilitate inclusive dialogue, build trust and peacebuilding initiatives. We welcome the outcome of the Joint SADC-EAC Summit held earlier this week and the African-led Peace Process which reinforce our philosophy of ‘African solutions to African problems’.

The Peace Agreements brokered by the US and Qatar, are welcome and complement our African-led processes towards peace, stability and development in Eastern DRC.

Your Majesty, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen; as the SADC Region, we firmly believe in the cardinal principles of the United Nations Charter with regards to sovereign equality and territorial integrity of nations being sacrosanct.

Unilateralism and coercion, among other inexcusable violations of international law, cannot be allowed to become the norm within the comity of nations.

The future well-being, development and a higher quality of life of all peoples, particularly us in Africa and the global south, depend on a just, inclusive and rules-based multilateral system.

For the good of both present and future generations, us, the current crop of leaders, have a duty to defend and continuously improve the international order bequeathed to us by our predecessors. In that spirit, allow me to express gratitude to you, our brothers and sisters of SADC and Africa, for resolutely standing with Zimbabwe in our calls for the unconditional removal of all sanctions.

These are indeed a hindrance to the prosperity of the entire SADC Region. Zimbabwe remains open and ready to Engage and Re-engage with all progressive members of the international community.

Finally, Your Majesty and Your Excellencies; as I hand over the mantle to my Dear Brother, His Excellency Rajoelina, I would like to wish him every success in the discharge of his responsibilities.

I also wish His Excellency, Dr Chakwera, success in the execution of his important mandate.

I am confident in your leadership towards advancing our regional integration agenda. I am confident that the region will lend you, Your Excellency, President Rajoelina, the same level of cooperation and support as we enjoyed.

We all have the solemn duty to build a strong and more prosperous SADC. The SADC we want shall only be built by ourselves and no one else.

I thank you for your kind attention. I wish us fruitful deliberations.

Long live SADC. Long live our unity. Long live our solidarity.

Merci beaucoup. Obrigado. Asante Sana.