SADC summit in Harare as the region faces multiple challenges

Heads of state and government from the 16-nation Southern African Development Community (SADC) convened in Zimbabwe’s capital, Harare, on Saturday for a summit amidst multiple regional crises. The gathering focused on pressing challenges such as a severe drought, ongoing conflict in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), and the outbreak of a new and more deadly strain of the mpox virus.

The DRC has become the epicenter of the mpox outbreak, which has spread to at least nine neighboring countries and even reached as far as Sweden and Pakistan. Earlier this week, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the spread of this new strain a public health emergency of international concern.

SADC’s Executive Secretary, Elias Magosi, expressed the organization’s solidarity with the affected member states and called for international support. “We further request the World Health Organization, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, and other partners to provide resources for the mpox response in the region,” he said.

Food security was another critical issue on the summit’s agenda. SADC estimates that approximately 68 million people in Southern Africa are suffering due to a drought that has devastated crops across the region. The drought, which began earlier this year, has severely impacted crop and livestock production, leading to widespread food shortages and damaging the economies of several countries.

During the summit, Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa assumed the leadership of SADC, marking a significant moment for his administration. He emphasized the importance of continuity in regional leadership, stating, “Each chairperson carries forward the vision of the region. If I am going to carry my own vision, I will align it with the vision of the region.”

The summit took place amid growing international concerns about Zimbabwe’s crackdown on human rights, including the arrests of opposition members and activists. Despite these concerns, the leaders focused on addressing the region’s urgent challenges, seeking to coordinate a collective response to the crises affecting Southern Africa.