SADC Executive Secretary Engages with Africa Working Party of the EU Council
The Executive Secretary of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), H.E. Mr. Elias Magosi, held a high-level meeting on 9 April 2025 with the Africa Working Party of the Council of the European Union (COAFR) at the SADC Secretariat Headquarters in Gaborone, Botswana.
The COAFR delegation was led by Ms. Yamina Guerfi, Chair of the Africa Working Party from the European External Action Service (EEAS), and included representatives from EU Member States, the European Commission, the Council Secretariat, and the EU Delegation in Botswana.
Mr. Magosi was accompanied by Deputy Executive Secretary for Regional Integration, Ms. Angèle Makombo N’tumba, along with senior officials from the SADC Secretariat.
In his remarks, Mr. Magosi welcomed the delegation and reaffirmed SADC’s appreciation for the EU’s ongoing support in critical areas such as peace and security, trade development, and sustainable economic growth.
He emphasized the importance of continued collaboration in addressing regional challenges and advancing integration.
Ms. Guerfi highlighted that the purpose of the visit was to enhance understanding of Sub-Saharan Africa’s challenges and explore ways to strengthen the Africa-EU partnership.
She reiterated COAFR’s role in shaping EU external policies towards the region and its collaboration with institutions like SADC and the African Union.
Discussions focused on enhancing cooperation through information exchange and shared priorities. Both parties reaffirmed their commitment to building a resilient and prosperous Southern African region.
The SADC-EU partnership, implemented under the Global Gateway initiative via the Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument (NDICI – Global Europe), has yielded eight cooperation agreements worth EUR 163.9 million since 2023.
These agreements focus on peace and security, trade and transport facilitation, natural resource management, agri-food systems, institutional capacity building, and digital transformation across the region.
