Regional leaders gathered in Durban on Monday for the 46th Ordinary Summit of the Southern African Development Community, with President Cyril Ramaphosa calling for faster transformation to deliver jobs, electricity and economic opportunities to the region’s people.

The Summit, held at the Durban International Convention Centre, brought together heads of state and government under the theme of resilient and inclusive industrialisation through infrastructure development, agricultural transformation and the beneficiation of critical minerals.

Cultural celebration marks opening

The official opening was marked by a celebration of Southern African culture, with acclaimed South African poet Lebo Mashile delivering a moving poem dedicated to SADC that reflected on the shared history and interconnectedness of the region.

Cultural presentations showcasing South Africa’s heritage followed, bringing a distinctly local flavour to the regional gathering and serving as a reminder that SADC is bound by more than political and economic ties.

Welcoming regional leaders, Ramaphosa said they had come “not as strangers or visitors, but as brothers and sisters, as partners and as fellow custodians of a shared Southern African destiny”.

Historical significance of gathering

The President noted the historical significance of both the date and venue, highlighting that Durban was the city where the African Union was launched 24 years ago, and that the Summit took place exactly 34 years after the SADC Declaration and Treaty were signed in Windhoek, Namibia, on 17 August 1992.

“We therefore meet at the confluence of two defining moments in Africa’s history: the establishment of our Southern African Community and the birth of our continental Union,” he said.

While acknowledging progress through initiatives such as the SADC Free Trade Area and the Southern African Power Pool, Ramaphosa cautioned that the pace of transformation remained too slow.

“The people of our region are asking us to deliver the dividend of economic liberation. They want decent jobs, growing industries, reliable electricity, affordable food, quality healthcare, education and opportunities for young people,” he said.

From solidarity to economic integration

Ramaphosa reflected on SADC’s roots in the solidarity among Southern African countries during the struggle against colonialism, minority rule and apartheid, calling for this spirit to now underpin efforts to deepen regional economic integration.

“The story of SADC is a story of the triumph of solidarity over division and adversity. Before we became a development community, we were a community of solidarity,” he said.

He called for continued investment in preventive diplomacy and political dialogue, stressing that peace and development were interconnected.

“Peace without development is fragile. Development without peace is impossible,” he said.

The President also expressed solidarity with the Democratic Republic of Congo amid an Ebola outbreak, calling for stronger regional preparedness and urgent humanitarian response.

Implementation over declarations

Ramaphosa said SADC’s strength lay in bringing together countries with different histories and capabilities in pursuit of a common future.

“A tributary does not lose its identity when it joins a great river. It gains reach, depth and power. In the same way, regional integration does not diminish our sovereignty. It multiplies our collective capacity to secure the wellbeing of our people,” he said.

He urged leaders to ensure the Summit was remembered not for declarations adopted, but for decisions implemented.

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

“Let us turn our borders into bridges. Let us turn our resources into industries. Let us turn our youthful population into a powerful demographic dividend. Let us turn our solidarity into shared prosperity.”

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