STAFF WRITER
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has called on Southern African Development Community (SADC) member states to deepen regional economic integration and add value to raw materials to create jobs.
Speaking after taking over as chairperson of SADC, Ramaphosa said the region must work together to improve productivity, industrial growth and economic development.
“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. The peoples of this region stood together against colonialism, minority rule and apartheid,” he said.
Ramaphosa said SADC countries must give economic and social meaning to the political liberation that enabled them to fight colonialism.
“We are a Community of 16 nations and more than 400 million people. We possess abundant mineral resources, vast agricultural potential, a youthful population and growing industrial and technological capabilities,” he said.
He said the region had already made progress, including through the SADC Free Trade Area, which has created a platform for greater regional commerce.
Ramaphosa also pointed to the SADC Real-Time Gross Settlement System, which facilitates cross-border payments, and the Southern African Power Pool, which allows countries to share electricity infrastructure and resources across borders.
“Through regional cooperation, we are strengthening our collective capacity to prevent conflict, support democratic governance and respond to political and security challenges,” he said.
Ramaphosa said SADC must accelerate the implementation of the Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan 2020–2030 to deepen industrialisation and build regional value chains.
“The minerals and agricultural commodities of our region must become the foundation of Southern African manufacturing. We must process more of what we mine, add value to more of what we grow and manufacture more of what we consume,” he said.
He also called for greater investment in regional infrastructure.
“We need roads that link our countries, efficient railways that carry minerals and manufactured goods, and modern ports that connect Southern Africa to continental and global markets,” Ramaphosa said.
He said infrastructure must connect not only capitals and commercial centres, but also rural communities, border towns and underserved regions.
“We must strengthen our energy, water and digital security. We must expand electricity generation and transmission capacity and deepen cooperation through the Southern African Power Pool,” he said.
Ramaphosa also called for wider access to safe water and adequate sanitation, as well as affordable digital connectivity.
“We must expand affordable digital connectivity so that every community, entrepreneur and young person can participate fully in the digital economy,” he said.
He said SADC must also build climate-resilient food systems.
“Our region has the land, climate diversity and agricultural expertise to feed itself and become a major global producer of food,” Ramaphosa said.
He called for improved agricultural productivity, stronger regional food reserves and agricultural value chains, as well as greater support for smallholder and emerging farmers.
Ramaphosa said SADC should become a platform where businesses can access a continental market of more than 1.4 billion people.
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