Southern African countries must deepen regional cooperation to shield their economies from growing global geopolitical and economic shocks, Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Ronald Lamola said on Thursday.
Lamola made the remarks while opening the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Council meeting of Ministers in Pretoria.
He warned that rising geopolitical tensions, economic volatility and disruptions to global supply chains are increasingly affecting countries in the region.
“The international system is marked by heightened geopolitical tensions, economic volatility, climate-induced shocks and disruptions to global supply chains,” Lamola said.
According to the Minister, the current global environment underscores the urgency of strengthening regional cooperation and integration to protect the region’s economies and people.
“These realities make the case for regional cooperation and integration even more urgent. They also reinforce the urgency of implementing the commitments undertaken under SADC Vision 2050, which seeks to build a peaceful, inclusive, competitive and high-income industrialised region where citizens enjoy sustainable economic well-being, justice and freedom,” he said.
Global conflicts threaten food and energy security
Lamola said ongoing global conflicts are already having ripple effects on economies in Southern Africa.
He noted that tensions involving the United States, Israel, and Iran have contributed to rising oil prices and could increase fertiliser costs, which in turn may drive up food prices across the region.
“As a community, we will not emerge unscathed from this. Our public finances are likely to come under even greater strain, and it is our people who will bear the cost,” he said.
The minister also warned that Gulf states could reassess overseas investments as security concerns grow, potentially affecting infrastructure, energy and mining investments in the region.
“This could carry consequences for investment flows, growth prospects and development finance across our region,” he said.
Lamola said these external pressures are being felt at a time when many African countries are already grappling with heavy debt burdens.
Citing the African Leaders’ Debt Relief Initiative, he said the continent is facing its worst debt crisis in eight decades.
“More than 750 million Africans live in countries that spend more on debt servicing than on health or education,” Lamola said.
In many cases, he added, governments are spending more on interest payments than on schools, hospitals and other social priorities.
Region must leverage critical minerals
Despite the challenges, Lamola said Southern Africa also has significant opportunities, particularly through its vast reserves of critical minerals needed for the global energy transition.
He noted that the region holds around 90% of the world’s platinum group metal reserves, more than half of cobalt reserves, as well as significant graphite and copper deposits.
Demand for such minerals is expected to grow significantly as countries move toward cleaner energy technologies.
“The choice before us is clear: we can either engage the world from a position of unity and strength or approach it from a position of division and dependency,” Lamola said.
Focus on industrialisation and regional growth
Lamola said the meeting would assess progress in implementing the SADC Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan (RISDP) 2020–2030 and discuss ways to strengthen economic integration.
He noted that intra-regional trade in the bloc remains relatively low at about 22%, while food insecurity and youth unemployment remain major challenges.
However, the region has also recorded progress in areas such as digital expansion and energy generation.
Internet penetration in the region has increased to 54%, while more than 14,000 megawatts of new electricity generation capacity have been added in recent years.
The Minister said the council will focus on ensuring that regional integration translates into tangible benefits for citizens.
“The work before us over the next two days is therefore of real importance. Its success will not be measured simply by the number of decisions we adopt, but by the progress we make in transforming our economies and improving the well-being of our people,” he said.
He also emphasised that ordinary citizens across the region expect cooperation among governments to produce real economic opportunities.
“The young entrepreneur in Lusaka, the farmer in Lilongwe, the miner in Lubumbashi, the trader in Gaborone and the worker in Johannesburg are not primarily concerned with the adoption of frameworks or strategies.
“Their concern is whether regional integration produces meaningful economic opportunities and improves their prospects for a better future.
“If integration remains rhetorical, confidence in our common agenda will diminish. But if we act decisively and implement agreed commitments effectively, our region has the potential to emerge as a dynamic force for industrial growth, innovation and sustainable development,” Lamola said. – SAnews.gov.za
