Africa-Press – Lesotho. THE Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the Federal Republic of Germany have reaffirmed their longstanding partnership during the latest round of bilateral negotiations on development cooperation, held from 5th to 6th November 2025 at the SADC Secretariat Headquarters in Gaborone, Botswana.
Co-chaired by H.E. Mr. Elias Magosi, the Executive Secretary of SADC, and Ms Birgit Gerhardus, Head of the Division for Southern Africa at Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), the high-level talks underscored the enduring collaboration between the two parties. H.E. Ms Gabriela Bennemann, German Ambassador to Botswana and Special Representative to SADC, also participated in the discussions.
The biennial negotiations mark over four decades of cooperation between SADC and Germany, a relationship built on mutual respect, shared vision, and a commitment to sustainable development.
The previous round took place in Berlin in December 2023.
Germany pledged an additional 26.1m Euro in bilateral development support for the 2025 cycle. This funding will be directed toward key regional priorities, including regional economic integration and trade, transboundary water management, natural resource and biodiversity conservation, with a focus on reducing human-wildlife conflict, and institutional strengthening and capacity building. The support will be implemented at both the regional and Member State levels.
In addition to bilateral funding, Germany committed resources from its continental envelope to support several strategic initiatives. These include SADC’s Law Enforcement and Anti-Poaching Strategy (LEAP), the Regional Energy Master Plan, the North-South Corridor infrastructure initiative, and the “Silence the Guns” Plan of Action on illicit arms control.
Germany will also assist in fostering decarbonised, inclusive, and transformative value chains for transition minerals across the region. Furthermore, Germany’s global programmes will continue to support SADC in areas such as disaster risk management, gender-based violence prevention, and aquatic food systems.
Both parties acknowledged the increasingly complex global landscape, shaped by geopolitical tensions and economic shifts. In this context, they emphasised the strategic importance of their partnership in advancing regional integration, poverty eradication, and sustainable development, aligned with SADC Vision 2050 and the Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan (RISDP 2020–2030).
The SADC Secretariat expressed gratitude for Germany’s continued support and reaffirmed its commitment to working collaboratively with all partners to implement the expanded development agenda.
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