The Southern African Development Community (SADC) is under growing pressure to fast-track regional integration and remove visa requirements across Africa. Advocates say that free movement of people would drive trade, tourism, and unity, helping the continent unlock its full economic potential.
Kenya’s recent decision to grant all African travellers visa-free entry has been hailed as a bold move. Many argue that SADC nations should follow this example collectively, ensuring that such measures benefit the entire region. Supporters believe decisions that directly improve people’s lives, such as free movement, should be agreed and implemented as a bloc, not individually.
Zimbabwe’s presidency of SADC, led by President Emmerson Mnangagwa from August 2024 to August 2025, raised expectations for policies that could bring lasting change. While there was progress in some areas, major challenges remain. Leadership has now passed to Madagascar’s President Andry Rajoelina, who takes over during a period of both opportunity and uncertainty.
At the opening of the SADC Council of Ministers meeting in Madagascar, Zimbabwe’s Foreign Minister, Professor Amon Murwira, stressed that peace and security are the bedrock of development. Without them, he warned, the region’s ambitions for economic growth and integration will not succeed.
“The threats to the peace we enjoy as a region, if not contained, will undermine intra-SADC trade and the very fabric of our integration agenda,” Murwira said. He pointed to ongoing conflicts in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo and northern Mozambique as key threats to stability.
Murwira also urged member states to accelerate the ratification of SADC protocols and agreements, saying that delays weaken the region’s ability to establish a strong, rules-based framework for cooperation. “This delay is not just a procedural concern, it strikes at the very heart of our shared vision for a united, prosperous, and resilient region,” he added.
Reflecting on Zimbabwe’s year as Council chair, Murwira noted progress in health, education, infrastructure, and gender equality, but called for greater investment in industrialisation and regional value chains. He praised Mauritius, Seychelles, and Zimbabwe for removing visa requirements to encourage free movement, urging other SADC members to follow suit.
For Murwira, the message is clear: without regional peace and security, economic growth and integration will remain out of reach. But with unity, stability, and freedom of movement, southern Africa has the chance to turn its potential into lasting prosperity.
