SADC Executive Secretary Amplifies Regional Priorities at UNGA80
The Southern African Development Community (SADC) Executive Secretary, H.E. Elias Magosi, has reiterated the organisation’s commitment to advancing the region’s development agenda during high-level engagements at the 80th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA80).
Addressing the plenary, H.E. Magosi underscored SADC’s determination to accelerate progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly in areas aligned with the SADC Vision 2050 and the Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan (RISDP) 2020–2030.
On the sidelines of UNGA80, the Executive Secretary held a series of bilateral and multilateral meetings with key global partners. These included discussions with the Loss and Damage Fund (LDF) to explore climate finance opportunities for disaster preparedness and recovery, participation in the Fourth Industrial Development Decade for Africa (IDDA IV) mobilisation event alongside African leaders, and a courtesy meeting with African Development Bank (AfDB) President, Dr. Sidi Ould Tah, who reaffirmed the Bank’s commitment to supporting SADC’s infrastructure and resilience agenda.
Further talks with the United Nations Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs (DPPA) focused on Lesotho’s reform process, peacebuilding in Mozambique, and SADC–EAC cooperation in the Democratic Republic of Congo. H.E. Magosi also joined regional leaders at the launch of Zimbabwe’s candidature for a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council (2027–2028).
In engagements with the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), discussions centred on strengthening humanitarian response, disaster preparedness, and regional disaster response training. Additionally, a high-level meeting with the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT) advanced plans to operationalise the 2024 SADC–UNOCT Memorandum of Understanding, with emphasis on supporting the SADC Regional Counter-Terrorism Centre in Dar es Salaam.
Through these engagements, H.E. Magosi reinforced the region’s priorities on climate resilience, industrialisation, peacebuilding, humanitarian response, and counter-terrorism. His participation at UNGA80 reaffirmed SADC’s resolve to remain an active partner in multilateralism while ensuring Southern Africa’s development challenges and aspirations are heard at the global stage.
