SADC Extraordinary Summit elects Lesotho PM Matekane, appoints new Deputy Executive Secretary

CAPE TOWN, 21 October 2026- The Extraordinary Summit of the Heads of State and Government of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) was held virtually on Wednesday under the chairpersonship of South African President Cyril Ramaphosa.

The Summit elected the Right Honourable Mr. Ntsokoane Samuel Matekane, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Lesotho, as the Incoming Chairperson of the SADC Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation.

His election completes the Organ Troika, which now comprises His Majesty King Mswati III of the Kingdom of Eswatini as the Current Organ Chairperson, and His Excellency Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika, President of the Republic of Malawi, as the Outgoing Chairperson.

In a key appointment, the Summit approved the appointment of Ms. Treasure Thembisile Maphanga from the Kingdom of Eswatini as the new SADC Deputy Executive Secretary for Regional Integration.

Summit expressed confidence that Maphanga, a continental trade, industrial policy, digital economy and institutional development executive with over 30 years of experience, will accelerate the implementation of regional priorities under the SADC Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan 2020-2030.

The Deputy Executive Secretary for Regional Integration provides strategic oversight of programmes promoting regional trade, industrialisation, infrastructure development, food security, social and human development, and deeper economic cooperation among Member States.

The Summit also expressed gratitude to outgoing Deputy Executive Secretary Ms. Angèle Makombo N’Tumba, whose contract ends on 26 October 2026, for her dedicated service over the past four years.

On regional security and resilience, Summit congratulated Mozambican President Daniel Francisco Chapo, in his capacity as African Union Champion for Disaster Risk Management, for hosting the inaugural International Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction and Resilience in Africa in Maputo from 13 to 15 October 2026.

Summit further urged Member States to strengthen regional disaster preparedness, enhance anticipatory action and improve coordination in anticipation of the cascading impacts of the 2026/2027 El Niño and Cyclone Season in Southern Africa.

President Ramaphosa thanked all Heads of State and Government for their participation and reaffirmed the importance of collective efforts in promoting regional integration, peace, stability, and sustainable development across the SADC region.

SADC is an organisation of 16 Member States established in 1980 as the Southern African Development Coordinating Conference (SADCC) and later transformed into SADC in August 1992.

SADC’s mission is to promote sustainable and equitable economic growth and socio-economic development through deeper cooperation and integration, good governance, and durable peace and security, so that the region emerges as a competitive and effective player in international relations and the global economy.

Member States are Angola, Botswana, Comoros, Democratic Republic of Congo, Eswatini, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Seychelles, South Africa, United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.