South Africa’s (SA) Minister of International Relations and Co-operation, Ronald Lamola, says Pretoria is ready to take decisive steps to strengthen the Southern African Development Community (SADC) as the region grapples with political and security pressures.
Lamola was speaking during a virtual address to a strategic reflection workshop hosted by the Department of International Relations and Co-operation in partnership with the University of SA. The engagement forms part of preparations for SA’s assumption of the SADC Chairmanship in August.
With expectations mounting ahead of the leadership handover, Lamola stressed the need for a posture that is both firm and principled. He told delegates that the region must act with confidence rather than hesitation, while maintaining a human-centred approach in its diplomacy and interventions.
A recurring theme during the discussions, he noted, was the high stakes attached to the regional integration project. If integration falters, the developmental and economic ambitions of Southern Africa risk being undermined.
Lamola referenced reflections by former SADC Executive Secretary, Tomaz Salomão, who cautioned that recurring political crises within member states can drain the bloc’s collective energy. According to Salomão, when SADC is compelled to shift its focus from long-term integration to urgent crisis management, the broader regional agenda can lose momentum.
Lamola acknowledged the dilemma facing the bloc: how to remain responsive to emerging instability without allowing crises to sideline its core mission of economic co-operation, industrialisation and deeper regional unity.
–ChannelAfrica–
