By Thapelo Molefe
President Cyril Ramaphosa has urged Southern African leaders to act collectively and decisively to restore peace, constitutional order and stability in Madagascar.
He also warned that recurring political crises in the region pose a serious threat to the Southern African Development Community’s (SADC) long-term development goals.
Madagascar experienced a military takeover in October following mass youth-led protests against President Andry Rajoelina over prolonged water and power shortages.
Opening a virtual Extraordinary Summit of SADC Heads of State and Government on Wednesday, Ramaphosa said the instability in Madagascar highlighted the “urgent need to accelerate the implementation of our regional development objectives to achieve SADC Vision 2050”.
“As you will recall, the Republic of Madagascar experienced political challenges that resulted in the formation of a transitional government,” Ramaphosa said.
“The outcome of the fact-finding mission is contained in the report we will be considering this afternoon.”
Ramaphosa, who is currently chairing SADC, said the developments in Madagascar highlighted the importance of strengthening regional mechanisms to safeguard democracy, peace and political stability.
“Through our SADC Protocol on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation, we seek to promote and maintain peace, security, democracy and political stability in our region. The protocol also calls for solidarity amongst our people,” he said.
He noted that while SADC had made progress in consolidating democracy, improving governance and strengthening electoral integrity, serious political and security challenges persist across the region.
“The situation in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo remains of great concern,” Ramaphosa said, adding that SADC also stood in solidarity with Mozambique in addressing instability in Cabo Delgado.
Turning to Madagascar, Ramaphosa said the country’s political challenges were “systemic” and required sustained regional engagement.
“In 2009, SADC supported the people of Madagascar in their aspiration for a democratic and peaceful future. Although important achievements were recorded, the recent developments indicate that much more work needs to be done to foster sustainable peace,” he said.
Ramaphosa stressed that SADC had a collective responsibility to support Madagascar during its transitional period while ensuring accountability and a return to constitutional order.
“Like all peoples in our region and our continent, the people of Madagascar yearn for a durable peace and development. We have a collective responsibility as the SADC region to make this a reality,” he said.
The extraordinary summit is also expected to elect an interim incoming chairperson of SADC, following Madagascar’s decision to relinquish the role amid its internal political crisis. Ramaphosa said this step was necessary to ensure a fully functioning SADC troika to drive the regional peace and security agenda.
“This session will be expected to elect the interim incoming chair of our organisation, thereby ensuring that there is a full and complete troika to drive our regional peace, security and development,” he said.
Ramaphosa expressed confidence that the summit’s deliberations would lead to concrete outcomes.
“I wish that at this summit we have fruitful deliberations as we have always had in the past, and that our deliberations will lead to the resolution of the problems that Madagascar faces,” he said.
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