President Cyril Ramaphosa is set to formally assume the SADC chairpersonship for the 2026/27 term at the 46th Ordinary SADC Summit taking place in Durban on 17 August 2026. This follows South Africa’s tenure as Interim Chair since November 2025, a role the country took on after Madagascar relinquished the position.
Government priorities for the upcoming term centre on five key pillars: peace and security, regional industrialisation, infrastructure development, human capital growth, and migration governance. The administration aims to significantly boost intra-SADC trade from its current level of approximately 20% to 50% by fostering regional value chains and focusing on mineral beneficiation.
“Let us use this moment to renew our commitment to bridging the distance between the ambitions expressed in our regional instruments and the capacity of our institutions to realise them,” said Ronald Lamola, Minister of International Relations and Cooperation.
The strategic focus on mineral beneficiation is aligned with the 2020–2030 Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan and Vision 2050. By processing critical minerals like cobalt and graphite locally rather than exporting raw materials, South Africa hopes to drive sustainable economic growth across the bloc.
“The security of one Member State is inseparable from the security and stability of the entire Community,” stated DIRCO spokesperson Chrispin Phiri.
Regarding migration, South Africa is actively pushing for member states to ratify the SADC Protocol on the Free Movement of Persons. This initiative is intended to move beyond informal migration patterns and establish an orderly, integrated regional labour market that addresses both South Africa’s domestic pressures and the developmental needs of the wider region.
The formal transition follows a sequence of leadership milestones, including South Africa assuming the chair of the SADC Standing Committee of Senior Officials on 6 August 2026 and the SADC Council of Ministers on 12 August 2026. Officials have confirmed these dates through official government channels.
We are awaiting further details on the specific mechanisms for monitoring the ratification of the migration protocol and will check in with the Department of International Relations and Cooperation for updates following the conclusion of the summit.