The Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the African Development Bank (AfDB) have reaffirmed their joint commitment to accelerating regional economic integration, infrastructure development, and industrial growth across Southern Africa.
The agreement was reinforced during a high-level bilateral meeting held in Gaborone, Botswana, between SADC Executive Secretary Elias Magosi and the AfDB Director General for Southern Africa, Dr Kennedy K. Mbekeani.
A central priority of the talks was advancing the operationalisation of the SADC Regional Development Fund (RDF), a strategic financial mechanism designed to provide sustainable, long-term funding for major regional infrastructure and development programmes.
Beyond development financing, both leaderships underscored the urgent need to modernise cross-border management systems, enhance maritime connectivity, and drive regional industrialisation to strengthen trade corridors under the SADC Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan (RISDP 2020–2030).
Mbekeani reiterated the Bank’s focus under AfDB President Dr Sidi Ould Tah to expand private sector participation and deploy innovative financing solutions aimed at closing Southern Africa’s persistent infrastructure and trade gaps.
–ChannelAfrica/SADC–
