South Africa has been appointed interim chair of the Southern African Development Community after Madagascar relinquished the position due to political developments that affected its capacity to lead the 16-member regional bloc, SADC leaders said on Thursday.
President Cyril Ramaphosa will serve as interim chairperson until August 2026, according to a communique from an Extraordinary Summit of SADC Heads of State and Government held in Pretoria. Madagascar, which assumed the rotating chairmanship in August, stepped down following a military coup in October that ousted President Andry Rajoelina.
The summit acknowledged Madagascar’s decision in line with Articles 9A(2)(b) and 10(4) of the SADC Treaty, which stipulate that when a sitting chair cannot fulfill duties, the incoming chairperson should assume interim responsibilities, the communique said.
“Summit expressed its appreciation to His Excellency Mr. Matamela Cyril Ramaphosa, President of the Republic of South Africa for convening the Extraordinary Summit and accepting to chair the regional body,” the document said.
The SADC Secretariat will engage member states to identify a new incoming chairperson by Nov. 30, 2025, according to the communique. Zimbabwe’s President Emmerson Mnangagwa, the outgoing chairperson, will host selected SADC meetings during the interim period.
Madagascar’s military government, led by Colonel Michael Randrianirina, announced on Nov. 1 it would step down from the SADC presidency to focus on building strong institutions and strengthening national unity following the October coup. Randrianirina took power after weeks of youth-led protests over water and electricity shortages that evolved into demands for Rajoelina’s resignation.
The African Union suspended Madagascar’s membership following the unconstitutional change of government, though SADC has not yet followed suit.
South Africa’s assumption of the interim leadership comes nine years after its previous tenure as SADC chairperson in 2017. The country will host the 46th SADC Summit in August 2026 as originally planned.
Leaders agreed to continue implementing the theme adopted at the 45th SADC Summit in August: “Advancing Industrialisation, Agricultural Transformation, and Energy Transition for a Resilient SADC.”
SADC, founded in 1992, brings together 16 southern African nations working to promote economic growth, peace, security and regional integration. The bloc’s combined gross domestic product exceeds $841 billion.
