SANF 25 no 20 by Clarkson Mambo
Two decades after joining the Southern African Development Community, Madagascar steps into the spotlight on 17 August 2025, hosting its first-ever SADC Summit of Heads of State and Government.
This historic event is not just a celebration of the anniversary, but marks a new chapter in the country’s journey of regional integration with the organization.
At this historic summit, President Andry Rajoelina of Madagascar takes over the rotational chairmanship of SADC from President Emmerson Mnangagwa of Zimbabwe, underscoring the country’s growing role within the community and reflecting its commitment to regional unity and progress.
The SADC Summit is responsible for the overall policy direction and control of functions of the community, ultimately making it the policy-making institution of the organisation.
With a population of around 31 million people, Madagascar is the fifth largest island in the world and is located in the Indian Ocean off the south-east coast of Africa, separated from the mainland by the Mozambique Channel.
With its capital city, Antananarivo playing host to the SADC Summit, the country is raising its profile among its regional peers.
Madagascar gained independence from France on 26 June 1960 and has Malagasy and French as its official languages.
Its currency is known as the Ariary and some of its key economic sectors include agriculture, mining, light industry and tourism.
Touted as the “Treasure Island,” the country has a rich mix of wildlife, beaches and cultural experiences and is a popular tourist destination renowned for its iconic attractions such as the Strict Nature Reserve of the Tsingy of Bemaraha and unique species of lemurs, birds, reptiles and plants.
Madagascar was admitted as a SADC Member State at the 25th SADC Summit held in Gaborone, Botswana on 17 August 2005 and the island nation committed to implement programmes to drive regional integration, particularly the opening up of its markets to facilitate trade and investment.
Twenty years later the country is hosting the 45th SADC Summit, and will guide regional development for the 2025/26 period as chairperson under the theme: “Advancing Industrialisation, Agricultural Transformation, and Energy Transition for a Resilient SADC.”
Hosting of the summit is more than a diplomatic milestone for Madagascar; it gives the country an opportunity to play a leadership role in guiding development of the region during its tenure as SADC Chairperson.
The theme is in line with the industrialization thrust which has been a point of regional focus for the past decade and is aimed at transforming economies of SADC member states from being raw resource-dependent to economies that enjoy beneficiated products and are knowledge-driven, dynamic and diversified.
SADC member states acknowledge that industrial development is central to the diversification of their economies, development of productive capacity, and the creation of employment to reduce poverty and set their economies on a more sustainable growth path.
To guide this transformation, the regional organisation approved the SADC Industrialisation Strategy and Roadmap 2015-2063 during an extraordinary summit held in April 2015 in Harare.
Ahead of the SADC Summit, Madagascar hosted the Eighth SADC Industrialisation Week (SIW) which ran from 28 July to 1 August, 2025. The Industrialisation Week has been convened annually since 2016, bringing together public and private sector representatives and researchers to discuss ways to accelerate regional integration, enhance trade within the region and the continent, and increase investment.
It aims to advance the SADC Industrialisation Strategy and Roadmap 2015-2063, and identify projects that can be implemented jointly by the public and private sectors in the 16 member states.
From 12 to 14 August 2025, Madagascar hosted the SADC Council of Ministers, which serves as the preparatory platform for the SADC Summit. The Council reviewed progress on the implementation of the SADC Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan (RISDP) 2020-2030 and deliberated on key programmes, policies, and interventions aimed at accelerating deeper regional integration, strengthening peace and security, and fostering inclusive economic development.
At the meeting, the Minister of Foreign Affairs for Madagascar, Dr. Rafaravavitafika Rasata took over as chairperson of the SADC Council of Ministers from Professor Amon Murwira, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade for Zimbabwe.
The Council of Ministers oversees the functioning and development of SADC and ensures that policies are properly implemented. The Council consists of Ministers from each Member State, usually from the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Economic Planning, or Finance.
The 45th SADC Summit provides the leadership of the region a platform to forge the way forward for a more integrated, resilient, and prosperous southern African region. sardc.net