The Southern African Development Community (SADC) has set its sights on faster industrialisation, modern agriculture, and sustainable energy as the cornerstones of regional integration at the 45TH SADC Meeting held in Antananarivo, Madagascar on Sunday under the theme “Advancing Industrialization, Agricultural Transformation, and Energy Transition for a Resilient SADC.” Leaders outlined ambitious targets to diversify economies, strengthen food security, and reduce dependence on fossil fuels.
Madagascar’s President Andry Rajoelina, who assumed the rotating SADC chairmanship from Zimbabwe’s President Emmerson Mnangagwa, hailed the summit as “historic,” noting it was the first time Madagascar hosted the bloc since joining 20 years ago. Rajoelina urged member states to expand intra-African trade and fast-track industrial growth, pointing out that manufacturing accounts for just 11% of SADC’s combined GDP. The bloc is aiming for manufacturing to contribute 30% of GDP by 2030, a leap that would reduce reliance on raw commodity exports.
Currently, South Africa remains the region’s manufacturing hub, but leaders stressed that broader industrial capacity across the 16 member states is critical to creating jobs, boosting competitiveness, and achieving long-term resilience in the face of global economic shocks. The summit also highlighted the urgent need to modernize agriculture through technology and climate-smart practices, while promoting inclusive energy transitions that balance clean energy investment with the region’s developmental needs.
