(3 Minutes Read)
The Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the Government of Germany are set to hold bilateral negotiations on development cooperation from 5 to 6 November 2025 at the SADC Secretariat headquarters in Gaborone, Botswana.
According to a joint statement released on 30 October 2025, the discussions will offer both parties a valuable opportunity to review and deepen their longstanding partnership. The talks aim to enhance collaboration on shared priorities such as regional integration, poverty reduction, and sustainable development.
The negotiations will be co-chaired by H.E. Elias Magosi, SADC Executive Secretary, and Birgit Gerhardus, Head of Division for Southern Africa at Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).
Since the establishment of SADC in 1992, Germany has been a consistent partner in supporting the regional body’s integration and development agenda. Its assistance has focused on areas such as regional economic integration, cross-border water management, sustainable natural resource management, and institutional capacity building—both at the regional and member state levels.
The upcoming negotiations will provide a platform to review progress, align strategic priorities, and agree on new funding commitments, guided by both Germany’s development cooperation objectives and the SADC Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan (RISDP) 2020–2030.
Key focus areas of the discussions will include:
- Trade facilitation, industrialisation, and economic resilience across SADC member states.
- Transboundary water management and joint protection of natural resources to promote biodiversity conservation, climate adaptation, and sustainable livelihoods.
- Identification of complementary initiatives beyond these priorities to bolster institutional capacities at regional and national levels and to address emerging developmental challenges.
The bilateral talks will reaffirm SADC and Germany’s shared commitment to improving the quality of life for the people of the SADC region and to contributing towards global and continental development frameworks such as the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the Paris Agreement, and the African Union’s Agenda 2063.
During their visit to Botswana, the German delegation will tour several institutions benefiting from SADC–Germany cooperation. These include the Okavango River Basin Water Commission (OKACOM) Secretariat, which promotes transboundary water governance and ecosystem management across Angola, Namibia, and Botswana.
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The delegation will also visit the SADC Accreditation Unit, which supports the development of regional quality infrastructure through harmonised standards and conformity assessment, the SADC Accreditation Service (SADCAS)—a multi-economy accreditation body providing internationally recognised certification services—and the Botswana Bureau of Standards (BOBS).
Overall, the 2025 bilateral negotiations underscore the enduring partnership between SADC and Germany and their mutual dedication to achieving inclusive, resilient, and sustainable growth across the Southern African region.
