Cooperation for a Strong Africa: Messages from the 45th SADC Summit in Antananarivo

On 17 August 2025, the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Summit convened in Antananarivo, Madagascar, offering a strong vision for the continent’s future. Leaders from 16 countries declared that Africa will no longer rely on external aid but will instead draw upon its own resources and collective will to chart a new course of development.

Elected as the new SADC Chairperson, Madagascar’s President Andry Rajoelina emphasized that this summit was not only a symbol of continental solidarity but also of Africa’s determination to take ownership of its own future. The fact that South African President Cyril Ramaphosa will succeed him ensures that this legacy will be strengthened under the leadership of one of the continent’s most powerful economies.

Peace, Security, and Honor

The summit once again highlighted the determination of African peoples to safeguard peace and security. Those who lost their lives in the SADC mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) were honored as heroes who sacrificed themselves for the independence and peace of the continent. Their courage stands as the clearest demonstration of SADC’s commitment to “African solutions to African problems.”

Moreover, the strong support expressed for the people of Western Sahara in their struggle for freedom and self-determination showed that SADC is committed not only to regional matters but also to continental and global justice. The call for a ceasefire in Palestine further demonstrated that Africa seeks peace not only for itself but for the world.

Industry, Agriculture, and Energy: Africa’s Development Triangle

The summit’s theme, “Advancing Industrialisation, Agricultural Transformation, and Energy Transition for a Resilient SADC,” was no coincidence. Africa no longer intends to remain just an exporter of raw materials. The goal is to build a continent that develops its own industries, modernizes its agriculture, and pursues a just energy transition.

By 2030, SADC aims to ensure that industry accounts for 30% of its GDP, nearly tripling today’s share. This means that value will remain on the continent, rather than being lost abroad. With climate-smart agriculture, irrigation systems, post-harvest efficiency, and the blue economy, Africa will feed its own people and secure its own food supply. In energy, the “Mission 300” summit held in Tanzania has set the path for an Africa that produces and uses its own energy.

Human-Centered Development

SADC’s vision goes beyond economics and security. At the summit, commitments were made to ensure greater political participation for women, to intensify the fight against gender-based violence, to strengthen animal disease control, and to establish presidential task forces against cholera. These decisions prove that people are at the heart of Africa’s development vision.

Conclusion

The most powerful message of the 45th SADC Summit was clear: Africa will determine its own destiny. No longer will conditional aid, imposed loans, or external dictates shape the continent’s future. Instead, Africa’s own resources, its own people, and its own vision will drive it forward.

The spirit of unity that rose in Madagascar will be remembered as a milestone in Africa’s journey from dependence to freedom. Africa is no longer a passive observer of global affairs—it is a force that speaks with its own voice, charts its own course, and inspires its people with hope.

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