Antananarivo: President Cyril Ramaphosa will attend the Southern African Development Community (SADC) 45th Ordinary Summit of Heads of State and Government this weekend. The summit marks a significant event for Madagascar, which joined SADC in August 2005.
According to South African Government News Agency, the summit 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. Vincent Magwenya, spokesperson to President Cyril Ramaphosa, highlighted that during the summit, Andry Rajoelina, President of the Republic of Madagascar, will officially assume the SADC Chairpersonship, succeeding Dr Emmerson Mnangagwa, President of the Republic of Zimbabwe.
Magwenya stated that the summit will review progress on the implementation of the SADC Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan (RISDP) 2020-2030, consider the 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'. He briefed the media on Thursday regarding the President's upcoming engagements.
This weekend's summit, taking place at the Ivato Conference Center in Antananarivo, will also see South Africa formally accepting its Chairship of SADC for 2026-2027.
Meanwhile, the President will lead South Africa's High Level delegation participation at the Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD9) in Japan next week. The 9th TICAD Summit will convene in Yokohama from 20-22 August 2025 under the theme 'People, Planet, and Prosperity in a Changing World'.
Launched by Japan in 1993, the Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD) is co-hosted with the UN, UNDP, World Bank, and African Union Commission and has become a premier forum for African development. Magwenya noted that TICAD has evolved from conflict prevention and human security to economic transformation, innovation, and universal health coverage.
The President will address a South Africa-Japan Business Engagement in Yokohama. 'Bilateral trade between Japan and South Africa has been expanding since the establishment of full diplomatic relations in 1992. Japan is one of the major investors in the South African economy and has a presence in South Africa of 273 companies, sustaining over 200,000 local jobs,' said the spokesperson.
TICAD 9 will gather over 20 African Heads of State and Government, senior AU, UN, World Bank, and AfDB leadership, philanthropic actors, and bilateral partners including the G7, G20, and BRIC.