Foreign ministers from across the Southern African Development Community (SADC) will meet in South Africa next week to craft a coordinated regional response to the mounting pressures and uncertainties of a rapidly shifting global geopolitical landscape.
The high‑level retreat, scheduled for 22–24 May at Skukuza in the Kruger National Park, comes as the international system undergoes profound transformation marked by intensifying rivalry among major powers, rapid technological change and evolving global economic dynamics.
These shifts have heightened geopolitical volatility, disrupted supply chains and reshaped global alliances, with direct implications for developing regions such as southern Africa.
SADC says the retreat will provide ministers with a strategic platform to assess these global trends and determine how the region can safeguard its interests while positioning itself more assertively on the international stage.
“The retreat will enable ministers to reflect on the implications of these changes and to chart a unified course that safeguards stability while advancing regional development,” SADC said in a statement on Thursday.
The bloc believes current global dynamics, although challenging, also present opportunities to deepen regional integration, accelerate industrialisation and strengthen collective influence in global forums.
“While these developments have introduced new uncertainties, they also present opportunities for regions such as SADC to strengthen resilience, deepen integration and amplify their collective influence in global affairs.”
South Africa’s International Relations and Cooperation Minister Ronald Lamola will open the meeting in his capacity as chairperson of the SADC Council of Ministers.
The discussions will draw on the region’s long‑term frameworks, including Vision 2050 and the Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan (2020–2030), as ministers consider practical measures to bolster resilience and unlock new avenues for growth.
Key issues on the agenda include infrastructure development, transport and logistics, and the free movement of people, goods and services—areas seen as essential for strengthening regional competitiveness in an increasingly fragmented global economy.
Ministers will also deliberate on industrialisation, regional value chains, trade, energy, oil and gas, and mineral resources, alongside food security, agricultural supply chains, investment, debt management and domestic revenue mobilisation.
SADC described the gathering as a critical moment for the region, saying the outcomes are expected to reinforce regional solidarity and strengthen collective action at a time when global power shifts are reshaping the future world order.
The bloc said the retreat will help chart a path that protects regional stability while positioning southern Africa to seize emerging opportunities in a rapidly changing geopolitical environment.
JN/APA