Migration, security and jobs top agenda as South Africa takes SADC chairmanship

Southern African leaders are meeting in Durban for the 46th Ordinary Summit, where migration, regional security, economic development and job creation feature prominently as South Africa assumes the SADC chairmanship for the year ahead.

South Africa takes the chair

President Cyril Ramaphosa will assume the chairmanship of the 16-member regional bloc at the summit in Durban. South Africa will lead SADC for the next year, and the summit’s theme places economic transformation at the centre of the country’s chairmanship: “Resilient, sustainable and inclusive industrialisation through Infrastructure Development, Agricultural and Critical Minerals Transformation in Pursuit of a Just World.”

Migration debate at the top of the agenda

Migration is expected to be a key issue at the summit. Ramaphosa said the region should focus on the conditions driving people to leave their countries rather than relying solely on enforcement measures.

“Migration is a continental and global phenomenon. South Africa’s future is inseparable from the future of the African continent,”

he said.

He added:

“Migration pressures cannot be addressed through enforcement measures alone. They require peace where there is conflict, economic growth where there is stagnation, and opportunity where there is poverty.”

Ramaphosa said South Africa would work with neighbouring countries to develop sustainable solutions to migration, stating:

“Through SADC, the African Union, and in our bilateral relations with other countries, we will seek to find sustainable solutions to these challenges.”

The president also warned against xenophobia and discrimination, saying regional integration cannot succeed if citizens of neighbouring countries are treated as outsiders. He said:

“As South Africans, we are deeply concerned and ashamed that nationals from other countries have in recent months been subjected to discrimination and ill-treatment.”

Security and stability on the table

Security is a pressing concern for leaders at the summit amid ongoing instability in parts of the region. SADC Executive Secretary Elias Magosi said the bloc’s Organ Troika on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation remained central to maintaining peace and stability. Magosi described the Organ Troika as a “cornerstone for development and prosperity” and said peace and security were essential for the region to achieve its development objectives.

The SADC Organ Troika met in Durban on Sunday ahead of the main summit to discuss regional security and political developments. Security around the summit venue has been tightened, and three people were arrested on Sunday following an alleged attempt to gain unauthorised access to the summit venue.

Economy, jobs and industrialisation

The migration debate is expected to form part of wider discussions about how SADC can strengthen regional economies and create opportunities. International Relations and Co-operation Minister Ronald Lamola called for SADC to accelerate efforts to address youth unemployment and hunger, warning that the region’s development ambitions must translate into tangible improvements in people’s lives.

Critical minerals, infrastructure, agriculture and industrialisation are expected to feature in discussions as SADC countries seek to strengthen intra-regional trade and reduce dependence on exporting raw materials. Ramaphosa argued that Southern Africa must move towards greater beneficiation of its natural resources and create industries that generate jobs and economic value within the region.

Long-term plans and frameworks

The summit will consider progress towards SADC Vision 2050 and the Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan, which provide the framework for the bloc’s long-term integration and development agenda.

Leaders at the 46th Ordinary Summit will therefore confront a mix of immediate security concerns and longer-term economic priorities as South Africa begins its year-long chairmanship.