ANTANANARIVO – Namibia’s foremost diplomat, trade and international relations minister Selma Ashipala Musavyi, says SADC must unite to bankroll its own development, as no one else will do it for them.
This, Ashipala-Musavyi said, is a position Namibia will fervently advance during the 45th SADC Heads of State and Government Summit in Antananarivo, Madagascar.
“Regional projects benefit everyone, but they strain national budgets. We must fund our own development; nobody will do it for us,” Ashipala-Musavyi said.
She said Namibia’s push is not only about energy but also about adding value to agricultural products and minerals before they are exported.
The seasoned diplomat said this in an interview with this publication yesterday on the sidelines of the summit, which officially kicks off on Saturday.
Namibia will also push for stronger regional value addition to raw materials, in line with an African Union decision that all commodities leaving the continent should have at least 20% value added at source.
“Most of our mineral resources are going out in raw form. Value addition is key. The African Union has set a target of at least 20% value addition for all commodities leaving our continent. We must meet that target and more so that we create jobs at home,” she said.
Namibia will use the summit to push for the establishment of the regional centre for renewable energy, a move the country says is vital for industrialisation and job creation in the region.
Ashipala-Musavyi, who is leading Namibia’s advance team ahead of President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah’s arrival, told this newspaper that the centre’s creation has been delayed because some member states have not yet ratified the agreement.
She added that Namibia is also aiming to champion a shift toward regional self-reliance, with plans to fast-track the renewable energy centre, saying it will host and deepen industrial value chains.
“If we have to industrialise, we have to have energy. You can’t do that without energy. We are going to be advocating for ratification so that we can set up that centre,” the minister said.
Her call lands as the SADC Secretariat formally tabled the region’s bill. In opening remarks to the Council of Ministers on Tuesday, executive secretary Elias Magosi said SADC has mobilised US$194.5 million in 2024/25, plus US$12.3 million in the first four months of 2025/26 from partners – but implementing priority projects under the RISDP will require about US$624.5 billion.
Member states are expected to cover only about US$89 million, leaving a US$624.4 billion gap to be filled. He urged the bloc to show tangible results and lean more on domestic resources to reduce exposure to fickle foreign aid.
DRC
While Namibia is not currently part of SADC’s military mission in the DRC, Ashipala-Musavyi said it continues to make financial contributions and advocate for peace.
“Peace in the DRC should concern everyone. We must ensure the territorial integrity and sovereignty of that country are fully respected,” she said.
On climate change, Namibia will revive the ‘Namib Declaration’ – first adopted 15 years ago to strengthen regional drought and desertification responses. The minister said the declaration will be used to mobilise international resources for resilience.
Additionally, Magosi underscored the importance of environmental protection and early warning systems in SADC’s strategy, while Rasata called for joint action to address climate impacts such as droughts, cyclones, and threats to natural resources.
On her part, Ashipala-Musavyi added that Namibia’s goals of energy integration, value addition and regional financing are closely aligned with the Secretariat’s call for deeper economic self-reliance and Madagascar’s vision for inclusive growth.
She said Namibia is anticipating success that will mean turning these priorities into concrete outcomes from the SADC by securing the renewable energy centre, launching the SADC Development Fund, and ensuring that industrialisation benefits every corner of the region.