SADC

SADC Public Lecture at the University of Kwazulu Natal in Durban, South Africa on 14 August 2026

His Excellency President Cyril Ramaphosa delivers SADC Public Lecture His Excellency President Cyril Ramaphosa delivers SADC Public Lecture

SADC PUBLIC LECTURE-Durban, South Africa

His Excellency President Cyril Ramaphosa delivers SADC Public Lecture His Excellency President Cyril Ramaphosa delivers SADC Public Lecture

𝗦𝗔𝗗𝗖 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗨𝗻𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝗞𝘄𝗮𝗭𝘂𝗹𝘂-𝗡𝗮𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗹𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗜𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝗞𝗻𝗼𝘄𝗹𝗲𝗱𝗴𝗲-𝗕𝗮𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗥𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗜𝗻𝗱𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻

13 August 2026, Durban, South Africa: The SADC Executive Secretary, His Excellency Mr. Elias M. Magosi, has emphasised the importance of preserving and promoting Indigenous Knowledge Systems (IKS) as a valuable resource for the region's development during a visit to the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) in Durban, on 13th August 2026. The visit took place ahead of the SADC Public Lecture, scheduled to be held at UKZN on 14 August 2026, at which His Excellency President Cyril Ramaphosa of the Republic of South Africa and SADC Chairperson, will deliver the keynote address.

H.E. Magosi visited the African Institute in Indigenous Knowledge Systems (AIIKS), a United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Centre, where he met with Prof. H.O. Kaya, Director of the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation–National Research Foundation (DSTI-NRF) Centre of Excellence in Indigenous Knowledge Systems and Coordinator of AIIKS.

The engagement focused on a proposed framework for collaboration between AIIKS and SADC, exploring how Indigenous knowledge, youth innovation and digital technologies can contribute to regional industrialisation, food security, climate resilience and sustainable development.

H.E. Magosi stressed that Indigenous knowledge is an important regional asset that must be preserved, documented and passed on to future generations. He also emphasised the need for greater value addition within the region.

Prof. Kaya and the AIIKS team presented the Institute's vision of linking Indigenous Knowledge Systems with contemporary science, technology and innovation. The presentation highlighted AIIKS as the place where researchers, communities and Indigenous knowledge holders collaborate to develop solutions to real-world challenges.

The proposed collaboration places particular emphasis on youth and digital innovation, including strengthening regional youth networks, innovation exchanges and initiatives that apply Indigenous knowledge to agriculture, climate resilience, environmental conservation and sustainable livelihoods.

The Executive Secretary also received presentations from young learners participating in AIIKS programmes, who showcased their work and shared how they are applying knowledge and innovation in their communities. He subsequently toured the Institute viewing displays showcasing Indigenous knowledge, research, innovation and community-based initiatives.

The engagement highlighted the potential for stronger cooperation between SADC, UKZN and AIIKS in preserving Indigenous knowledge while ensuring that it contributes meaningfully to the region's economic transformation and sustainable development.

H.E. Magosi was accompanied by Dr. Mike Masiye, SADC Director of Policy Planning and Resource Mobilisation, Mr. Dhunraj Kassee, SADC Director of Industrial Development and Trade, Mr. Maxwell Parakokwa, Acting SADC Director of Social and Human Development; and other SADC Secretariat officials.

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Department of International Relations and Cooperation, SA

𝗭𝗮𝗺𝗯𝗶𝗮 𝗩𝗼𝘁𝗲𝘀: 𝗦𝗘𝗢𝗠 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝗢𝗯𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗢𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗳 𝗣𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗟𝘂𝘀𝗮𝗸𝗮

As Zambians cast their votes today, 13 August 2026, the Head of the SADC Election Observation Mission (SEOM), Honourable Samuel B. Tembenu, SC, Former Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs of the Republic of Malawi, accompanied by the SEOM leadership, visited polling stations in Lusaka to observe the opening procedures and commencement of voting.

The Head of Mission’s delegation witnessed the opening of the polling station at Kabulonga Boys Secondary School, where it observed the procedures undertaken before voting commenced.

The visit forms part of SEOM’s observation of Zambia’s 2026 General Elections and its assessment of the electoral process against the Revised SADC Principles and Guidelines Governing Democratic Elections (2021).

SEOM observers have been deployed across the country to observe all key Election Day processes, including the opening of polling stations, voting, closing, counting and the transmission of results.

The Mission remains committed to conducting its work objectively, impartially and independently.

𝗦𝗧𝗔𝗧𝗘𝗠𝗘𝗡𝗧

𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗯𝘆 𝗛𝗶𝘀 𝗘𝘅𝗰𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗰𝘆 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗳𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗼𝗿 𝗔𝗿𝘁𝗵𝘂𝗿 𝗣𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗠𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗸𝗮, 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝗽𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗰 𝗼𝗳 𝗠𝗮𝗹𝗮𝘄𝗶 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗶𝗿𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗔𝗗𝗖 𝗢𝗿𝗴𝗮𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝗣𝗼𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗰𝘀, 𝗗𝗲𝗳𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗦𝗲𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗖𝗼𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗲𝘃𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗭𝗮𝗺𝗯𝗶𝗮’𝘀 𝗚𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗘𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘀𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗱𝘂𝗹𝗲𝗱 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗼𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗿𝗼𝘄, 𝟭𝟯 𝗔𝘂𝗴𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲.