Southern African Research and Documentation Centre

Download the publication for the 45th Summit of SADC Heads of State and Government held in Antananarivo, Madagascar on 17 August 2025, under the theme, "Advancing Industrialisation, Agricultural Transformation, and Energy Transition for a Resilient SADC.” wp.me/p4h5b0-2SI

This approach may treat biodiversity conservation an economic development as integral aspects of the same process of sustainable development.

A new approach is needed for biodiversity conservation in southern Africa that respects and incorporates African Values and Indigenous Knowledge Systems, involves local people in biological resources management, can control the loss of biodiversity in every country in the region.

SARDC joins the world in celebrating World Environment Day 2026!!!

𝗠𝗲𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗳 𝗦𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗼𝗿 𝗢𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 #𝗦𝗔𝗗𝗖 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗶𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗠𝗶𝗻𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗝𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲/𝗔𝘁𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗻𝗲𝘆𝘀 𝗚𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘄𝗮𝘆 𝗶𝗻 𝗩𝗶𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗮 𝗙𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘀, 𝗭𝗶𝗺𝗯𝗮𝗯𝘄𝗲 The Meeting of Senior Officials of the Committee of Ministers of Justice/Attorneys General is convening from 1- 4 June 2026 at Elephant Hills Resort in Victoria Falls, Republic of Zimbabwe. This technical meeting brings together Senior Officials from SADC Member States to review and clear documents on a number of legal and institutional matters for the SADC region. The meeting serves as a preparatory platform for the Meeting of the Committee of Ministers of Justice/Attorneys General, scheduled for 5 June 2026, which will provide legal oversight and strategic guidance on regional cooperation, governance and harmonisation of laws across SADC Member States. The Meeting of Senior Officials is chaired by Advocate Kalayvani Pillay, Acting Director-General of the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development of the Republic of South Africa. The Republic of South Africa currently serves as the Interim Chair of SADC. The Republic of Zimbabwe is hosting the meeting in its capacity as the Outgoing Chair, while the Republic of Zambia serves as the Interim Incoming Chair. Read full story on the SADC Website at: sadc.int/latest-news/sa… @EliasMagosi @AngeleMakombo @sardcnet @DIRCO_ZA @southerntimes

#𝗦𝗔𝗗𝗖 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗰𝘀 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗶𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗲 𝗠𝗲𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝘂𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗖𝗮𝗽𝗲 𝗧𝗼𝘄𝗻 The SADC Statistics Committee meeting, currently underway in Cape Town, Republic of South Africa, entered its second day today as statistical experts and policymakers from across the SADC region continued deliberations on the implementation of key regional statistical programmes and frameworks. Building on discussions from the opening day, delegates are considering critical areas including macroeconomic, trade, poverty, gender, agriculture and labour statistics. The meeting is also focusing on strengthening national and regional statistical systems to improve the production, coordination and dissemination of quality statistics across Member States. Among the key matters under consideration is progress towards the signing and ratification of the SADC Protocol on Statistics, aimed at supporting harmonised, comparable and reliable statistical data across the region. Participants are further sharing experiences and best practices to enhance evidence-based policymaking and regional integration through strengthened statistical development and cooperation. The meeting is scheduled to conclude on 28 May 2026. Read full story in the three (3) SADC working languages on the SADC website at: sadc.int/latest-news/sa… @EliasMagosi @sardcnet @AngeleMakombo @StatsSA @DIRCO_ZA @BWGovernment For more information on #SADC follow us on these platforms: 🌐 Website: sadc.int 📺 YouTube: @SADCnews 📘 Facebook: @SADC 🐦 X (formerly Twitter): @SADC_News 💼 LinkedIn: Southern African Development Community (SADC) 📸 Instagram: @SADC_secretariat 💬 WhatsApp Channel: Southern African Development Community (SADC)

#𝗦𝗔𝗗𝗖 𝗮𝗱𝘃𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗸𝗲𝘆 𝗿𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗳𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗲𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀 The SADC Statistics Committee meeting has officially started in Cape Town, Republic of South Africa, and is currently underway from 26 - 28 May 2026. The meeting has brought together statistical experts and policymakers from across the SADC region to review progress on the implementation of key regional statistical programmes and frameworks. The meeting is deliberating on key areas including macroeconomic, trade, poverty, gender, agriculture and labour statistics, while also focusing on strengthening national and regional statistical systems. The meeting is further considering progress towards the signing and ratification of the SADC Protocol on Statistics to support harmonised and reliable data across Member States. Read full story in the three (3) SADC working languages on the SADC website at: sadc.int/latest-news/sa… @EliasMagosi @DIRCO_ZA @StatsSA @sardcnet @AngeleMakombo @DIRCO_ZA @BWGovernment For more information on #SADC follow us on these platforms: 🌐 Website: sadc.int 📺 YouTube: @SADCnews 📘 Facebook: @SADC 🐦 X (formerly Twitter): @SADC_News 💼 LinkedIn: Southern African Development Community (SADC) 📸 Instagram: @SADC_secretariat 💬 WhatsApp Channel: Southern African Development Community (SADC)

#𝗦𝗔𝗗𝗖 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗶𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗠𝗶𝗻𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗝𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲/𝗔𝘁𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗻𝗲𝘆𝘀 𝗚𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝘁𝗼 𝗺𝗲𝗲𝘁 𝗼𝗻 𝗿𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗹𝗲𝗴𝗮𝗹 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗴𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗩𝗶𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗮 𝗙𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘀, 𝗭𝗶𝗺𝗯𝗮𝗯𝘄𝗲 SADC with support from Zimbabwe, will host the Meeting of Committee of Ministers of Justice/Attorneys General on 5 June 2026 in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe. The meeting will focus on strengthening regional cooperation, governance and the harmonisation of laws across SADC Member States. The meeting will also review progress on important legal and institutional matters affecting the region. Honourable Mmamoloko Kubayi, Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development of South Africa will chair the meeting. Key issues to be discussed include: ✅Re-operationalisation of the SADC Tribunal ✅Review and amendment of SADC legal instruments and protocols ✅Appointment of judges to the SADC Administrative Tribunal ✅Draft Agreement amending the SADC Treaty ✅Establishment of the SADC Pharmaceuticals Pooled Procurement Services to improve access to affordable medicines ✅Draft SADC Tourism UNIVISA to promote easier regional travel and tourism Ahead of the ministerial meeting, SADC Senior Legal Officials will meet from 1–4 June 2026. Read full story in the three (3) SADC working languages on the SADC Website: sadc.int/latest-news/sa… @EliasMagosi @DIRCO_ZA @AngeleMakombo @sardcnet For more information on #SADC follow us on these platforms: 🌐 Website: sadc.int 📺 YouTube: @SADCnews 📘 Facebook: @SADC 🐦 X (formerly Twitter): @SADC_News 💼 LinkedIn: Southern African Development Community (SADC) 📸 Instagram: @SADC_secretariat 💬 WhatsApp Channel: Southern African Development Community

#𝗦𝗔𝗗𝗖 𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗿 𝗿𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗰𝗼𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝗿𝗲𝗵𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗿𝗲𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝗻 𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗿𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗰𝗲𝘀 SADC Member States have called for stronger investment in correctional infrastructure, psychosocial support, restorative justice and capacity building to improve offender rehabilitation and reintegration across the region. The call was made during the SADC Heads of Corrections, Prisons and Penitentiary Services Conference held in Salima, Malawi, from 19-22 May 2026 under the theme: “Pathways to Change: Facilitating Effective Offender Rehabilitation and Reintegration in Corrections/Prisons.” The Conference emphasised the need to move beyond traditional prison systems towards modern correctional approaches focused on rehabilitation, human dignity, public safety and successful reintegration into society. Key issues discussed included prison overcrowding, violent extremism, intelligence gathering, technological advancement and reducing repeat offending through evidence-based rehabilitation programmes. The conference concluded with the adoption of recommendations aimed at strengthening correctional services and enhancing regional cooperation among SADC Member States. @EliasMagosi @AngeleMakombo @sardcnet @MalawiGovt @sardcnet Read full story on the SADC website at: sadc.int/latest-news/sa… For more information on #SADC follow us on these platforms: 🌐 Website: sadc.int 📺 YouTube: @SADCnews 📘 Facebook: @SADC 🐦 X (formerly Twitter): @SADC_News 💼 LinkedIn: Southern African Development Community (SADC) 📸 Instagram: @SADC_secretariat 💬 WhatsApp Channel: Southern African Development Community (SADC)

The 63rd anniversary is being commemorated under the theme, “Assuring Sustainable Water Availability and Safe Sanitation Systems to Achieve Agenda 2063.”

This year marks the 63rd anniversary since the leaders of 32 independent African states met in Addis Ababa to form the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), now the African Union (AU), to drive the Pan-African vision for an Africa that is united, free and in control of its destiny

🚨 ATTENTION: The Chairman, Professor Peter H. Katjavivi, and the Board of the Southern African Research and Documentation Centre (SARDC) announce the appointment of Mr Joseph Ngwawi as the SARDC Executive Director with effect from 1 May 2026. Read more: sardc.net/en/news-announ…

Mwalimu Julius Kambarage Nyerere joins the soils of Tanganyika and Zanzibar at a ceremony to mark their union as the United Republic Tanzania on 26 April 1964.

These developments led to their decision to unite on April 26, 1964. This agreement, known as the Act of Union, was signed by Julius Nyerere President of Tanganyika  and Abeid Amani Karume President of Zanzibar. Together, they gave birth to a new state Tanzania.

Tanganyika gained independence in 1961 under the leadership of Julius Nyerere, while Zanzibar became independent in 1963. However, political developments, including the Zanzibar Revolution of January 1964, accelerated discussions toward unity between the two territories.

This milestone was made possible through the leadership of Julius Kambarage Nyerere, known as Baba wa Taifa. He was the driving force behind the independence of Tanganyika on 9 December 1961 and played a central role in forging unity with Zanzibar on 26 April 1964.

April 26 was a special day for the United Republic of Tanzania, commemorating the Unity Day, a moment that marks the historic coming together of Tanganyika and Zanzibar in 1964 to form one nation.

Research plays a critical role in earth conservation by strengthening analytical and technological capacity, generating knowledge, and enabling innovations that mitigate environmental degradation and support sustainable resource management.

The Southern African Research and Documentation Centre (SARDC) joins the world in celebrating Earth Day 2026 under the theme ‘Our Power Our Planet’.

“Today, we from Mozambique are here to celebrate independence. We have come to say to the people of Zimbabwe, now we are independent. Mozambique was not independent because Zimbabwe was still under domination.” Samora Machel at Rufaro Stadium on 18 April 1980

The Zambian President, Dr. Kenneth David Kaunda, hosted the launch of SADCC in Lusaka on 1 April 1980, and went on to Zimbabwe’s independence celebration just over two weeks later, in Salisbury, now Harare. He told the ululating crowd that, “the impossible has happened.”