Honourable Professor Amon Murwira, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade of the Republic of Zimbabwe, and Outgoing Chairperson of the SADC Council of Ministers,
The Republic of Zambia, Interim Incoming Chairperson of the SADC Council of Ministers, represented by the Permanent Secretary, Ms Etambuyu Anamela Gunderson,
Honourable Ministers and Heads of Delegations,
Your Excellency, Mr Elias Mpedi Magosi, Executive Secretary of SADC,
SADC Deputy Executive Secretaries and the entire SADC Secretariat Staff,
Senior Officials and Experts from Member States,
Members of the media,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

Good evening,

Allow me to warmly welcome you to South Africa and to the Kruger National Park. I hope this morning’s game drive offered a moment of rest and a chance to take in the beauty of this landscape.

The beauty of this place is inseparable from its history. This is also a landscape that invites us to read history with greater care.

In his book Safari Nation, Jacob Dlamini reminds us that this place cannot be understood solely through the language of wilderness, tourism and conservation.

It also carries a deeper and often neglected history – one in which the people of southern Africa occupy a central place in the making of the park.

That way of reading history against the grain is important for us as SADC.

We meet here in a landscape shaped by shared rivers, migration, trade routes, labour, culture and memory. To the east of this park is South Africa’s border with Mozambique and to the north lies our border with Zimbabwe.

This is a reminder that long before modern borders divided our maps, the peoples of this region were connected through movement, kinship, trade and common struggle. This park is a living testimony to an ecological and human story that predates our modern states.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Indeed, we meet at a defining moment in global affairs – a moment akin to what Italian political philosopher, Antonio Gramsci, had in mind when he wrote about a time when the old world is dying while a new one struggles to be born.

The international system is undergoing profound transformation as it transitions towards a more multipolar order, marked by intensified geopolitical competition, economic fragmentation, technological rivalry and growing uncertainty surrounding global peace, security and development cooperation.

Unlike previous eras dominated by a single or bipolar power structure, today’s geopolitical landscape is characterised by multiple centres of power competing across economic, political, technological and strategic domains. The tensions arising from this power shift are increasingly disrupting global supply chains, reshaping investment flows, intensifying territorial and resource competition and weakening multilateral cooperation.

Dear colleagues,

When we last met in the format of the Council of Ministers in March, we were already acutely aware of the consequences that the current geopolitical environment was having on our region and our peoples.

At that meeting, we shared common experiences, including inflationary pressures, rising food prices, the high cost of living and strained public finances, all intensified by the prevailing geopolitical context.

Together, we arrived at the conclusion that the resilience of our region, and indeed of our continent, was once again being tested by developments far beyond our borders.

We also reflected on how these developments carry far-reaching implications for SADC’s industrialisation agenda, integration, infrastructure development, food security, peace and security architecture and broader long-term development aspirations.

What emerged clearly from our discussions was the urgent need for SADC to adopt more resilient, coordinated and forward-looking regional responses to the geopolitical context.

In our discussions, we affirmed that two important questions faced us then:

The first was: What does it mean to pursue the vision of a resilient SADC in the face of the current geopolitical context?

The second was: What strategies can we use to insulate ourselves and protect our economies, as well as the millions of people of our region, from these external shocks?

These questions are just as relevant today.

This retreat was born out of the recognition that there is an urgent need for us to confer, assess the impact of evolving global geopolitical developments and collectively map a path forward for our region.

It was born out of the belief that we cannot afford to be passive observers while the decisions of the powerful reshape the global order in ways that risk reversing the gains we have recorded over decades.

Fellow Ministers, Ladies and Gentlemen,

The moment has come for us to confer, reflect honestly and agree on a practical way forward for our region.

During our time here, our discussions will focus on interrelated thematic areas that are central to our common future.

These include infrastructure, transport and logistics; industrialisation, value chains and trade; energy, oil, gas and mineral resources; migration, agriculture and food security; as well as financing regional integration.

One of the thematic areas of engagement is on the movement of goods and people.

This discussion will also be taking place during a period where a wave of protests against illegal immigration is happening in South Africa particularly against immigrants of African descent.

South Africa recognises migration as an important contributor to regional development when it is managed properly and effectively.  No country is an island and can succeed in isolation.

The South African government has condemned in the strongest terms any attacks against Foreign Nationals and that no one has the power to take laws into their own hands, it is the responsibility of law enforcement to enforce the law not private citizens.

Migration itself is not a problem. The challenge facing South Africa is irregular migration.

South Africa is one of the seven SADC countries, out of sixteen member states, that has ratified the 2005 SADC Protocol on the Facilitation of Movement of Persons. Similarly, South Africa supports and aligns itself with the African Union Free Movement of Persons Protocol.

For this reason, the region and the continent must hold constructive and comprehensive discussions on the push and pull factors of migration, including the related socio-economic, governance and security dimensions.

These discussions must also include the principle of burden sharing, with proper attention given to countries of origin, transit and destination. The driving forces of irregular migration must be examined honestly and collectively.

Together, these themes reflect the multidimensional nature of contemporary geopolitical tensions and their implications for regional integration, economic sovereignty and sustainable development.

Distinguished Colleagues,

I want to suggest that we hold on to three principles throughout our discussions in the days ahead. These principles are best expressed through the wisdom carried in our rich traditions and proverbs.

First, let us recognise that we are meeting at a challenging moment. In many ways, our economies, our societies and our people are buckling under the weight of multiple external shocks, including wars waged far beyond our borders.

But crises can also present windows of opportunity. As we engage in dialogue and exchange over the next few days, let us approach our discussions with an eye for the advantages that may not yet be obvious to us.

On every question and on every theme, let us ask: what opportunities does this moment present for our region and our continent? How can we exercise our collective agency, not only as a defence against what is already unfolding, but as a bulwark against what may come in the future? How do we move decisively from absorbing shocks and managing crises to building resilience for the long term?

Second, this is a retreat organised in the spirit of frankness and trust.

In the words of Chinua Achebe: “The fox must be chased away first; after that the hen might be warned against wandering into the bush.”

The wisdom of this proverb is that we must first name the external pressures and dangers that confront us. But because this is a space we have created to reflect jointly as leaders entrusted with steering our countries and our region out of this challenging moment, we must also be honest enough to examine our own choices, our own weaknesses and the areas where we can do better.

Third, I want to encourage us to approach our discussions with creativity and strategic ambition. The informal nature of this gathering is designed to make precisely that possible.

Ladies and gentlemen, Excellencies,

I leave you with the words of Carlos Lopes, a leading development economist and a most fervent voice for Africa’s transformation, who reminds us that:

“The current global disorder presents an opportunity for power to be exercised in new ways. But the window will not stay open forever. The rules will be rewritten. The only question is: will Africa be one of the authors?”

May this retreat give SADC the clarity, courage and unity required to steer our region through this difficult moment.

Thank you.

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