Diplomatic Informer Magazine -South Africa

20/08/2025

🌍 You’re Invited!

The National School of Government, in partnership with the Chandler Institute of Governance , is proud to host the Chandler Good Government Index 2025 Regional Launch.

📌 Theme: Advancing High Performance Government in Africa

📅 Date: Tuesday, 26 August 2025
⏰ Time: 10:00 – 15:00 SAST
📍 Venue: Encore Complex, Pretoria

This regional launch will spotlight strategies and insights for building capable, ethical, and high-performing governments across Africa.

🔗 Register now: http://bit.ly/4mG5ZIF

18/08/2025

Madagascar Assumes Chair of SADC at the 45th Summit of Heads of State and Government in Antananarivo

The 45th Ordinary Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) convened this week at the IVATO Conference Centre in Antananarivo, Republic of Madagascar, marking a pivotal moment in the region’s collective journey toward deeper integration and resilience. Held under the theme “Advancing Industrialisation, Agricultural Transformation, and Energy Transition for a Resilient SADC,” the Summit encapsulates both the challenges and aspirations of Southern Africa at a time of global uncertainty and regional opportunity.

At the heart of the gathering, His Excellency Mr. Andry Rajoelina, President of the Republic of Madagascar, was elected as the new Chairperson of SADC. He succeeds His Excellency Dr. Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa, President of the Republic of Zimbabwe, whose tenure over the past year focused on advancing regional solidarity and enhancing collective resilience.

In his acceptance address, President Rajoelina emphasised the urgency of regional unity and shared responsibility in accelerating SADC’s integration agenda. He underscored that industrialisation, energy transition, and agricultural transformation are not mere aspirations but imperatives for sustainable development. “Our region must rise together,” he noted, “to secure economic resilience, strengthen peace and security, and deliver tangible benefits to our citizens.”

A New Wave of Leadership

This year’s Summit was further distinguished by the participation of four newly elected leaders, each addressing the Assembly for the first time:

Advocate Duma Boko, President of the Republic of Botswana,

His Excellency Mr. Daniel Chapo, President of the Republic of Mozambique,

Her Excellency Dr. Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, President of the Republic of Namibia, and

Honourable Prime Minister Dr. Navinchandra Ramgoolam, Prime Minister of the Republic of Mauritius.

Their maiden interventions signalled a renewed wave of political leadership across the region. Collectively, they reaffirmed their commitment to consolidating peace and security, strengthening democratic governance, and championing industrialisation and intra-African trade. Their voices brought fresh energy and perspectives to the deliberations, reflecting both continuity in SADC’s long-standing objectives and the dynamism of generational change in leadership.

Strategic Priorities Under Deliberation

The Antananarivo Summit is set to deliberate on critical issues of strategic importance, including:

Peace and Security: with a focus on sustaining stability in areas affected by conflict and ensuring the safety of civilians across the region.

Industrialisation and Trade: reinforcing SADC’s role as a driver of economic transformation through value addition, regional value chains, and stronger trade facilitation.

Climate Resilience and Energy Transition: addressing the dual imperatives of environmental sustainability and access to affordable, clean energy as global climate pressures intensify.

Food Security and Agricultural Transformation: advancing efforts to modernise agriculture and secure reliable food systems, a matter made urgent by global supply chain disruptions.

Towards a Resilient SADC

The convergence of experienced statesmanship with new leadership presents a defining opportunity for the region. The Summit has highlighted that Southern Africa’s future lies in its ability to transform its natural and human capital into engines of inclusive growth. With Madagascar now at the helm, the call for collective resolve is clear: SADC must harness industrialisation, safeguard peace, and embrace a green and resilient future to secure prosperity for generations to come.

As the Summit continues in Antananarivo, the regional bloc stands at a crossroads — to move beyond rhetoric and translate commitments into measurable action. The road ahead demands collaboration, innovation, and a shared determination to build a Better Africa, Better World.

SADC
Namibian Presidency
Ministry of International Relations and Cooperation-Namibia
African Union
Pan African Parliament
BW Presidency
Botswana High Commission Pretoria South Africa
Department of International Relations and Cooperation, SA
Eswatini Government
GIS Mauritius







📸 Credit: SADC

17/08/2025

🌍 The 45th SADC Summit, convened in the Republic of Madagascar, gathers Heads of State and Government under the forward-looking theme: “Advancing Industrialisation, Agricultural Transformation and Energy Transition for a Resilient SADC.”

This year’s summit is more than a meeting — it is a strategic dialogue on how Southern Africa can harness industrial growth, unlock agricultural potential, and drive a just energy transition that secures the region’s resilience in the face of global challenges.

As SADC marks another milestone in regional integration, the theme underscores a collective vision: transforming resources into opportunities and opportunities into sustainable prosperity for the people of
Southern Africa.

SADC
Department of International Relations and Cooperation, SA
African Union
Pan African Parliament
AUDA NEPAD

17/08/2025

His Excellency President Cyril Ramaphosa arrived at Ivato International Airport in Antananarivo, Republic of Madagascar, to participate in the 45th Ordinary Summit of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Heads of State and Government, scheduled for 17 August 2025.

On arrival, President Ramaphosa was warmly received by His Excellency Mr. Christian Ntsay, Prime Minister of the Republic of Madagascar, reflecting the spirit of solidarity and fraternity that continues to anchor regional cooperation within SADC.

The 45th Summit is convened in accordance with Article 10 of the SADC Treaty, which mandates the gathering of Heads of State and Government to provide strategic policy direction for the region. The deliberations will be informed by reports and recommendations from the Council of Ministers and the Organ Troika Summit, with a view to shaping the collective response to pressing challenges and advancing the aspirations of a stronger, more resilient SADC.


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📸 GCIS

16/08/2025

16/08/2025

🇰🇪 Former Kenyan Cabinet Minister. First African woman to chair WTO General Council (2005).



📷 By World Trade Organization/Studio Casagrande, CC BY-SA 2.0,

16/08/2025

16/08/2025

16/08/2025

100 Days to Go: South Africa Set to Make History as G20 Host

South Africa is gearing up to host the G20 Summit from 22 to 23 November 2025 in Johannesburg, marking a historic first for the African continent. This landmark event will convene global leaders and policymakers from the world’s major economies, providing a platform to deliberate on strategies for global economic stability, sustainable growth, and inclusive development.

The summit underscores Africa’s growing role in shaping international economic policy and highlights South Africa’s position as a strategic hub for diplomacy and multilateral engagement on the continent.

🇿🇦 | |

16/08/2025

🇿🇦🇩🇰 Our Embassy is growing! 🇿🇦🇩🇰

We are excited to announce that the Embassy of Denmark in South Africa is expanding to better support our efforts in building mutually constructive partnerships in the Southern African region!

👋 Let us introduce three valued staff members - both new and established - who play key roles in our diplomatic engagement efforts:

🔹 Eva – Deputy Head of Mission
Eva has joined us from the climate department in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) and will cover for Signe Dam during her maternity leave. In this role, Eva will coordinate and oversee the Embassy's activities, ensuring that they align with Denmark’s priorities.

🔹 Stefanie – First Secretary
Stefanie just arrived this month from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Copenhagen, where she recently worked on the Danish membership of the UN Security Council (2025-26). She will strengthen the Political Section at the embassy by among others leading implementation of the Danish Government’s Africa Strategy, which includes EU Global Gateway Projects. Additionally, she will monitor political developments in eSwatini and Lesotho and work to strengthen the embassy’s bilateral cooperation.

🔹 Mathias - Team Leader
As trusted member of the political team, Mathias has played a crucial role in advancing our priorities since his arrival early 2024, including key work on peace and security and fostering partnerships both in South Africa and in Southern Africa. In light of Denmark’s current EU presidency and elected membership of the UN Security Council (2025-26), Mathias will expand his work to include South Africa’s foreign policy, peace and security in the region, further enhance our bilateral relations with Angola, Zambia, and Zimbabwe, while also managing the activities and strategic direction of the Political Department as newly appointed Head of Political Affairs.

We look forward to working closely with Eva, Stefanie, and Mathias and benefiting from their expertise as we prepare for an exciting second part of 2025 with a series of summits and high-level visits to South Africa and the region 🌍🤝

16/08/2025

Africa Climate Summit 2: Charting a Bold African-Led Climate Future

This year, the Second Africa Climate Summit (ACS2) emerges as a defining moment for Africa’s leadership in global climate governance. More than a meeting, it is a declaration: Africa is not waiting for solutions—it is creating them.

Building on the momentum of the First Africa Climate Summit in Nairobi, which produced a powerful declaration and laid the foundation for a continental climate agenda, ACS2 takes the baton forward in Addis Ababa. The message is clear—Africa is determined to shape its own destiny in the climate era through justice, equity, and innovation.

At the heart of the Addis Ababa Summit lies Africa’s unified climate agenda, one that combines:

Policy strength – advancing stronger climate policies at both national and continental levels.

Inclusive partnerships – bringing governments, private sector actors, civil society, and youth voices into one shared framework.

Grassroots leadership – highlighting community-driven adaptation and mitigation strategies that are not only local but scalable.

Africa’s call is firm: the world must move beyond rhetoric and deliver expanded grant-based financing, fair access to technology, and transformative investment partnerships. This is not a plea for charity but a demand for climate equity—recognition that Africa, while contributing least to global emissions, bears some of the heaviest burdens of climate impacts.

Ethiopia, in collaboration with the African Union Commission (AUC), hosts this landmark Summit from 8–10 September in Addis Ababa. The gathering places Africa at the center of global climate dialogue, positioning the continent as a driver of financial reforms that align with Agenda 2063 and the world’s shared climate ambitions.

The significance of ACS2 extends beyond the policy rooms—it is about reimagining Africa’s role in the global climate narrative. From scalable green innovations to homegrown solutions, the Summit showcases Africa’s determination to shift from being seen as a victim of climate change to being recognized as a leader of climate resilience.

📸 Africa Climate Summit