Cyril Ramaphosa, President of the Republic of South Africa and Chairperson of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), recently received a courtesy call from Jakaya Kikwete, former President of the United Republic of Tanzania and Chairperson of the SADC Panel of Elders.
The high-level engagement reaffirmed the region’s commitment to peace, stability, and conflict resolution across the African continent. Discussions focused on the ongoing work of the SADC Panel of Elders, a key structure tasked with mediation and preventive diplomacy within the region.
President Ramaphosa and former President Kikwete also reflected on the latter’s expanding continental role as the African Union High Representative for the Horn of Africa and the Red Sea. In this capacity, Kikwete continues to play a critical role in advancing peace initiatives in fragile regions, particularly South Sudan.
As Chair of the African Union’s Ad-Hoc High-Level Committee on South Sudan (C5), President Ramaphosa underscored the importance of coordinated regional and continental efforts in addressing political instability and fostering sustainable peace.
The meeting signals a strengthened alignment between SADC and the African Union, highlighting Africa-led solutions to Africa’s challenges through experienced leadership and sustained diplomatic engagement.
