Tag Archives: Southern African Development Community (SADC)

Politics, Regional

SADC leaders convene virtually to strengthen regional cooperation, policy action

MaraviPost

JOHANNESBURG-(MaraviPost)-On Wednesday, 17 December 2025, leaders from Southern African Development Community (SADC) Member States gathered in a virtual forum to deliberate on pressing regional priorities and strategies for collective action.

The session opened with formal greetings to all participating dignitaries, including Heads of State, government ministers responsible for international relations, and key SADC officials, reflecting the high-level nature of the meeting.

Vice President Jane Ansah represented Malawi on behalf of President Peter Mutharika, highlighting Malawi’s commitment to active engagement in regional matters.

Speakers underscored SADC’s pivotal role as a unifying regional body and emphasized the urgent need to strengthen its policy-making and decision-making mechanisms to respond effectively to political, economic, and social challenges across the region.

Throughout the conference, participants stressed the importance of solidarity, collaboration, and adherence to shared principles in addressing the diverse issues facing Member States.

The virtual gathering concluded by reaffirming SADC’s ongoing dedication to regional integration, cooperative action, and a coordinated approach to emerging developments in Southern Africa.

Lifestyle

Lazarus Chakwera attends SADC transfrontier conservation summit in Harare

Burnett Munthali

By Burnett Munthali

President Dr. Lazarus Chakwera is currently attending the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Transfrontier Conservation Area (TFCA) Summit.

The high-level summit is taking place at the prestigious Rainbow Tower Hotel in Harare, Zimbabwe.

This gathering brings together heads of state and government officials from across the SADC region to deliberate on matters related to transboundary natural resource management and conservation.

President Chakwera’s attendance underscores Malawi’s commitment to regional cooperation in the sustainable management of shared ecosystems.

The summit is also a platform for enhancing collaboration among SADC member states on environmental protection and biodiversity preservation.

By participating in this summit, President Chakwera is expected to advocate for increased investment in conservation initiatives and improved livelihoods for communities living in and around protected areas.

The Transfrontier Conservation Areas initiative is a flagship programme of SADC, aiming to promote peace, socio-economic development, and ecological sustainability through cross-border conservation efforts.

The presence of key regional leaders at the event reflects the growing importance of environmental issues on the political agenda in southern Africa.

President Chakwera is also expected to engage in bilateral discussions with other leaders on the sidelines of the summit.

These engagements provide an opportunity for Malawi to strengthen diplomatic and environmental partnerships within the region.

The outcomes of the TFCA Summit are anticipated to shape future policy directions on sustainable natural resource management in the SADC bloc.

Politics, Regional

Chakwera, SADC endorse DRC peace efforts roadmap

MaraviPost

LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-President Lazarus Chakwera on Monday evening, March 24, 2025 held high level discussions with fellow Heads of State and Government of the East African Community (EAC) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) in a joint virtual joint Summit.

The summit which was co-chaired by President William Ruto of the Republic of Kenya and Chairperson of the EAC, and his counterpart President Emmerson Mnangagwa of the Republic of Zimbabwe and Chairperson of SADC, was convened to allow the heads to deliberate on a report on the security situation in the East of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), which was presented during a similar Joint EAC-SADC Ministerial Meeting, that took place in Harare, Zimbabwe earlier this month.

In his opening remarks Zimbabwe’s President Emmerson Mnangagwa, thanked the regional blocs for demonstrating a sense of solidarity in the face of adversity, in order to address the security issues in the DRC.

On the other hand, Co-Chairperson of the summit President William Ruto of Kenya, congratulated both Presidents Felix Tshisekedi of DRC and Paul Kagame of Rwanda-both in attendance-for their commitment to tackling the issues that affect the continent at large.

Meanwhile the joint summit applauded the co-chairpersons for collaborating admirably as they chaired the various summits.

This is the 2nd joint EAC – SADC Summit of Heads of State and Government, necessitated by the escalating security status in the DRC.

The first meeting was convened in Dar E’s Salaam on 8th February 2025.

In a communique following the deliberations of the 2nd meeting, the joint summit adopted the report on the state of security in the DRC, with a view to establishing short, medium and long term attainment of “peace and stability” in the DRC.

DRC has been mired in conflict for three decades with the recent conflict surging, following the seizure of the City of Goma in January this year, and at least three other locations by rebels.

Other leaders who were in attendance during Monday’s joint EAC-SADC Summit were President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa; President Samia Hassan Suluhu of Tanzania; President Hakainde Hichilema of Zambia and President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda, among other leaders and representatives.

Regional, SADC

SADC dates Malawi media on regional integration reporting

Dorica Mtenje

LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-Journalists from different media houses in Malawi had an opportunity to learn about effective reporting for the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region.

Sustainable Development Goals Center for Africa (SDGC/A) in collaboration with Center for Youth Empowerment and Civic Education (CYECE) organised the training on Wednesday, April 26, 2023 in the capital Lilongwe.

The training aimed at enhancing media participation in generation of quality and quantity of reporting on the SADC regional integration matters.

Media Council of Malawi (MCM) Chairperson, Wisdom Chigwede said that there is need of passing ideas from veteran journalists to the new media personnel in order to build up SADC reporting.

Chimgwede observes there is need for positive reporting on SADC integration to enhance the countries interaction.

On his part , CYECE Executive Director, Lucky Mbewe said that the purpose of the workshop is to increase stakeholders understanding and awareness on SADC regional integration, structures and processes.

Mbewe said that the workshop enhances journalists’ quality and quantity of reporting on the SADC integration matters in the regional and national media.

He said the training targets journalists from newspapers, magazines, news agencies and online media.

The project will be implemented in the SADC region in Malawi, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

The project is themed at Engagement for effective results.

Health

SADC chair Chakwera chides UK, USA on segregated travel ban over new COVID-19 Variant

Lloyd M’bwana

LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-Malawi President Lazarus Chakwera has condemned travel bans imposed on Southern African countries by  the United Kingdom and United States.

Chakwera, who is also chairperson of Southern African Development Community (SADC), has issued a statement today following travel bans against Southern African countries over the discovery of a new Covid-19 variant called Omicron.

“We are all concerned about the new COVID-19 variant and owe South Africa’s scientists our thanks for identifying it before anyone else did. But the unilateral travel bans now imposed on SADC countries by the UK, EU, US, Australia, and others are uncalled for. COVID-19 measures must be based on science, not Afrophobia,” Chakwera chides on his Facebook page.

The new variant which was first discovered in South Africa has been classified by World Health Organization as B.1.1.529 (Omicron) and is characterized by an increased risk of re-infection as compared to the other variants of concern.

Following its discovery, Britain on Friday placed South Africa, Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Namibia and Zimbabwe on its red list. Travellers from these countries will be required to do a day 2 PCR test and self-isolate until they have got a negative result.

United States also announced restrictions which apply to South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Lesotho, Eswatini, Mozambique and Malawi.

Reuters reported that most non-U.S. citizens who have been in those countries within the prior 14 days will not be allowed into the United States.

Australia, Israel and Singapore have also issued bans against countries in Southern Africa.

On Saturday, November 27, 2021 Ministry of Health in Malawi said it had not found the Omicron variant among samples collected in the country.

The ministry added that Malawi Government has intensified the screening of travelers at all points of entry to prevent importation of Covid-19 cases.

However, WHO continues to remind people to follow measures on COVID-19 including wearing facemasks, social distance and among others.