President Cyril Ramaphosa calls for SADC commitments to translate into construction projects, factories, power infrastructure, water systems, businesses and jobs that deliver tangible improvements to people’s daily lives.
The symbolism of the summit is important.
SADC was born out of the political struggle against apartheid and colonial rule. Its founding states understood that the liberation of one country could not be separated from the freedom and stability of its neighbours. That history remains part of the organisation's identity.
But the challenges facing Southern Africa today are less about political liberation and increasingly about economic liberation.
A truck travelling from Zambia to South Africa can encounter multiple border crossings, administrative procedures and infrastructure bottlenecks before its goods reach their destination. Electricity shortages in one country can affect businesses across another. Drought does not stop at a national boundary. Neither do security threats, migration or economic shocks.
