South Africa has assumed the chairmanship of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), putting regional trade, industrialisation and infrastructure at the centre of its agenda as the bloc contends with sluggish economic growth and continuing trade obstacles.
SADC’s latest assessment found that intra-regional trade stood at 20% in 2025. Nine non-tariff barriers remain unresolved, while manufacturing’s share of gross domestic product has declined to 10.9%—far short of the bloc’s target for 2030.
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President Cyril Ramaphosa also raised concerns about tensions surrounding undocumented migrants and discrimination against citizens of neighbouring countries. Over its year-long term, South Africa intends to advance regional value chains by supporting the processing of critical minerals and agricultural products, while bolstering SADC’s Regional Development Fund.
