The 43^rd Ordinary Summit of the Heads of State and Government of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) was held on 17^th August 2023, in Luanda, Republic of Angola.

• Summit was attended by the following Heads of State and Government, or their representatives:

Angola:                                               H.E. President João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço

Botswana:                                          H.E. President Dr Mokgweetsi Eric Keabetswe Masisi

Democratic Republic of Congo:     H.E. President Félix Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo

Kingdom of Eswatini:                       His Majesty King Mswati III

Kingdom of Lesotho:                       The Right Honourable the Prime Minister Samuel Ntsokoane Matekane

Malawi:                                               H.E. President Dr. Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera

Mozambique:                                    H.E. President Filipe Jacinto Nyusi

Namibia:                                            H.E. President Dr. Hage Gottfried Geingob

South Africa:                                     H.E. President Matamela Cyril Ramaphosa

Zambia:                                              H.E. President Hakainde Hichilema

Zimbabwe:                                         H.E. President Dr. Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa

Seychelles:                                        H.E. the Vice President Mr. Ahmed Afif

United Republic of Tanzania:          H.E. the Vice President, Dr. Philip Isdor Mpango

Mauritius:                                           Hon. Mr. Soomilduth Bholah, Minister of IndustrialDevelopment, Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and Cooperatives

Comoros                                            H.E. Mr Hamada Madi, Diplomatic Adviser to the Presidentand Former Prime Minister

• Summit was also attended by the Executive Secretary of SADC, and the Acting Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA).

• Summit elected His Excellency João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço, President of the Republic of Angola, as Chairperson of SADC, and His Excellency Dr. Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa, President of the Republic of Zimbabwe, as the Incoming Chairperson of SADC.

• Summit also elected His Excellency Hakainde Hichilema, President of the Republic of Zambia, as Chairperson of the Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation, and Her Excellency Dr. Samia Suluhu Hassan, President of the United Republic of Tanzania as Incoming Chairperson of the Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation.

• Summit received a report from the Chairperson of the Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation, His Excellency Dr. Hage Gottfried Geingob, President of the Republic of Namibia, and commended him for his outstanding leadership and continued efforts in sustaining peace andsecurity in the region during his tenure of office.

• Summit received an update on the political and security situation in the Kingdom of Lesotho andconveyed its appreciation for progress made and for the commitment of the Government of Lesotho to finalise the comprehensive reforms process. Summit commended the Panel of Elders led by H.E. Dr Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete, Former President of the United Republic of Tanzania, for facilitating this process.

• Summit endorsed the extension of the SADC Mission in Mozambique (SAMIM) by twelve months,and commended Member States, SAMIM Mission Leadership and Personnel for their dedication and contribution in supporting the Mission to achieve peace and security in the Cabo Delgado Province in northern Mozambique and the commencement of a phased drawdown of SAMIM.
• Summit received a progress report on the implementation of the Mechanism in Honour of the SADC Founders and handed over a medal to His Excellency Lieutenant General Dr. Seretse Khama Ian Khama, Former President of the Republic of Botswana and son of Sir Seretse Khama, First President of the Republic of Botswana and one of the Founders of SADC in recognition of his legacy and contribution to SADC.

Summit also received an update on the security situation in the eastern DRC and endorsed the deployment of the SADC Mission in the DRC (SAMIDRC) to restore peace and security in the eastern DRC.

Summit noted the outcome of the Quadripartite Summit, and reiterated the call to strengthen the coordination and harmonisation of peace initiatives in eastern DRC, by various actors includingthe East African Community (EAC), Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS), the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR), SADC and United Nations (UN) and the African Union Commission (AUC), and commended H.E. President João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço, as AU Champion, for leading Peace and Reconciliation processes in the continent.

Summit noted the readiness of the Member States that will hold elections during the year, namelythe Republic of Zimbabwe in August, the Kingdom of Eswatini in September, the Republic of Madagascar in November and December, the Democratic Republic of Congo in December, andSouth Africa in 2024 and Botswana in 2024 and wished the Member States peaceful elections.

Summit received progress reports on the status of implementation of the SADC Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan 2020-2030, notably, the region’s socio-economic situation, regional economic performance, infrastructure development, industrialisation, regional food and nutrition security situation, gender and development, the status of health in the region, and on disaster risk management.

Summit noted progress in the implementation of the theme of the 42^nd SADC Summit of Heads of State and Government, regarding “Promoting industrialization through, agro-processing, mineral beneficiation, and regional value chains for inclusive and resilient economic growth”, and commended the Outgoing Chairperson of SADC, H.E. President Félix Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo, for his exemplary leadership in delivering on the key areas of the theme during his tenure.

Summit endorsed the theme of the 43^rd SADC Summit of Heads of State and Government, titled “Human and Financial Capital: The Key Drivers for Sustainable Industrialisation in the SADC Region’’. The theme seeks to address two of the most critical enablers in supporting regional industrialisation in the context of climate change and 4^th Industrial Revolution.

Summit also endorsed the Regional Gas Master Plan, 2023-2038 as a gas infrastructure investment blueprint to facilitate coordinated harnessing of natural gas resources within the region and directed that progress on its implementation to be reported on biennial basis.

Summit noted the progress made towards the operationalisation of the SADC Humanitarian Emergency Operations Centre (SHOC) and urged Member States who have not done so to fast-track national processes to sign the Memorandum of Agreement in order to pave way for the entry into force of the Agreement and the establishment of SADC Humanitarian and Emergency Operations Centre by October 2023.

Summit approved and signed the SADC Declaration on Accelerating Action to end HIV and AIDS as a Public Health Threat in the SADC Region by 2030, in which Heads of State and Government committed to provide strong leadership and working in partnership with local communities and the international community in keeping the fight against HIV and AIDS a top priority for the Region.

Summit also approved and signed the SADC Protocol on Employment and Labour which, among others, provides a strategic regional co-operation framework on employment and labour related matters to facilitate the achievement of decent work for all.

Summit endorsed and provided solidarity and support to candidates from Member States vying for positions in continental and international organisations.

Summit approved the appointment of Dr. Judith Kateera, a citizen of the Republic of Zimbabwe, as the new SADC Deputy Executive Secretary for Corporate Affairs.

Summit commended the outgoing Deputy Executive Secretary for Corporate Affairs at the SADC Secretariat, Ambassador Joseph Nourrice, a national of the Republic of Seychelles, whose tenure is coming to an end in October 2023, for serving the SADC Secretariat and the region diligently, professionally, and with unwavering commitment.

Summit extended its appreciation to the Government and the people of the Republic of Angola for successfully hosting the 43^rd SADC Summit of Heads of State and Government.

The Chairperson of SADC, His Excellency João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço, President of the Republic of Angola, expressed gratitude to all Heads of State and Government for attending the 43^rd Summit of SADC Heads of State and Government and electing him to lead the region.

Done on 17^th August 2023 Luanda, Republic o fAngola

SADC Day Message by the SADC Chairperson, H.E. President Félix-Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo, President of the Democratic Republic of Congo, 17 August, 2023

It is with great honour and humility that I extend to you my best wishes on the SADC Day 2023. This day has become an annual commemoration since the historic decision of the 14^th SADC Summit in August 1994 to declare 17 August as SADC Day in honour of the good work done by our organisation to promote development and unity in the Region.

Since its establishment in 1980, SADC has consistently demonstrated unfailing solidarity and unity in addressing the many challenges facing the Region. The Region enjoys relatively stable peace and security, despite recurrent threats to the security of some SADC Member States, including the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Mozambique, where armed groups continue to cause untold suffering among civilians, particularly women and children. In this regard, I would like to acknowledge the dedication and leadership of His Excellency Dr Hage Geingob, President of the Republic of Namibia and Chairperson of the SADC Organ on Political, Defence and Security Cooperation, as well as the dedication shown by the staff of various regional structures, who bear a crucial responsibility and contribute tirelessly to ensuring that our Region remains peaceful and stable.

Despite some challenges, our Region continues to do well, as shown by the African Union Commission’s Multidimensional Regional Integration Index, which gave SADC a high score for regional integration, particularly in terms of financial, infrastructural, trade and environmental integration.

Considering where SADC is today, I think the words spoken by one of our founding fathers, the late President Mr Seretse Khama of the Republic of Botswana, who in his closing remarks at the historic Mulungushi Summit in Lusaka, Zambia, where our regional organisation was established in 1980, still ring true: “Either we move forward together, or we perish”.

As a united regional community of 16 member states, with a combined gross domestic product of around $720 billion and a total population of over 360 million, 75% of whom are young people, we have a market with considerable potential for investment and economic development.

Since its establishment, the SADC Region has achieved a number of milestones that we should be proud of. Let me take this opportunity to encourage SADC Member State officials, including SADC Ambassadors and High Commissioners around the world, as well as the media, to intensify their efforts to raise awareness of SADC, its role, mandate and achievements. SADC is still relevant and will remain so for a long time to come. It allows us to promote regional integration and the economic and socio-political development of our Community.

As our Region and the rest of the world still face the effects of natural disasters and emergencies, we should continue to ensure that SADC comes out stronger and more resilient from the crisis caused by these disasters and emergencies. Uncertainties and risks still weigh heavily on our economies, with high inflation, weak growth and the effects of climate change affecting lives and livelihoods.

Industrialisation is a priority for our Region, as it is necessary to support regional integration. In this regard, for the 42^nd Ordinary Summit of the SADC in 2022, the DRC has focused on the theme “Promoting industrialisation through agro-processing, mineral beneficiation and regional value-chains for inclusive and resilient economic growth”.

This theme took into account the need to improve the deployment of SADC’s industrialisation and market integration programmes, as set out in SADC Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan (RISDP, 2020-2030). The theme was also intended to drive forward the implementation of the SADC Industrialisation Strategy and Roadmap, which would help the region’s economies diversify away from dependence on primary commodities, such as raw minerals and agricultural products, and focus on high value-added manufactured goods. I am delighted that the theme for the coming year, “Human and Financial Capital: The Key Drivers for Sustainable Industrialisation in the SADC Region”, as proposed by the incoming SADC Chair, the Republic of Angola, will enable our Region to continue to drive forward the industrialisation agenda by developing, mobilising and harnessing human and financial capital.

We have the daunting task of ensuring that the aspirations of SADC citizens for sustainable economic well-being, justice and freedom are met. This means that we should relentlessly deploy our energies and channel our resources towards realising the aspirations of our founders.

As we commemorate SADC Day 2023, let us all reflect on the progress we have made as a Region so that our children can live in an even better Region than the one we inherited from our Founders. The joy of our generation will surely be even greater on the day when inclusive cultural activities such as “Miss SADC”, “SADC Games”, will expedite the brotherhood between our children and grandchildren across our borders, in a fully pacified and prosperous region.

I wish you all a happy SADC Day.               

H.E. President Félix-Antoine TSHISEKEDI TSHILOMBO