Africa-Press – Tanzania. Foreign ministers from the Southern African Development Community (SADC) concluded their meetings in Skukuza, South Africa, after three days of discussions addressing the implications of global geopolitical tensions on the region’s countries.
The meeting, held from May 22 to 24, was based on a decision made by the Council of Ministers during their meeting in South Africa in March, aimed at assessing the impacts of rapid international changes on the economies and food and energy security of Southern African nations.
In the final statement, the ministers emphasized that rising geopolitical competition, the war on Iran, the climate crisis, and disruptions in global trade, energy, tourism sectors, and financial systems have led to increased food and fuel prices, heightened currency volatility, and elevated risks threatening food and energy security in the member states.
The ministers stressed the need for a “collective action” to enhance the region’s capacity to cope with external shocks by deepening regional integration, coordinating economic and diplomatic policies, and strengthening regional institutions, allowing Southern African countries to speak more cohesively on international platforms.
The discussions covered five key areas, notably regional integration financing, investment, public debt management, manufacturing operations, trade chains, infrastructure, transport, logistics services, energy, oil and gas, and mineral resources, in addition to agriculture, agricultural inputs, supply chains, markets, and food security.
The ministers concluded that the outcomes of the Skukuza meeting should transform into a practical “roadmap” to accelerate regional implementation and coordination, renewing commitment to the “SADC 2050” vision aimed at building a more capable region for achieving development, improving living standards, and establishing peace and security in Southern Africa.
