Madagascar is participating in the SADC Summit in Durban, South Africa, in an unprecedented position. The country was set to participate as the outgoing president of the organization, but relinquished this mandate following the September 2025 crisis.
Unprecedented. This will be Madagascar's position during the 46th Summit of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) on Monday. The island nation was supposed to take part as the outgoing president of the regional organization. However, the political crisis of September and October 2025 has changed the scenario.
Elected to the presidency of the regional organization at the summit held in Antananarivo on August 17, 2025, the country was to lead the organization until this year's meeting. But the fall of Andry Rajoelina, former president of the Republic, in October, altered the course. In a statement published on November 1, the presidency of the Refoundation of the Republic announced that the island nation was withdrawing from the presidency of the Southern African Development Community.
"Malagasy authorities wish to concentrate their efforts on achieving the stages related to the country's refoundation process," the statement said. Beyond the political act, this withdrawal has concrete impact. During the Durban meeting, Madagascar no longer presents itself as the country leading the organization's work, but as a state whose transition progress is closely monitored by its regional partners.
The theme of this 46th SADC Summit continues that of Antananarivo last year. Discussions in Durban will focus on: "Resilient, sustainable and inclusive industrialization through infrastructure development, agricultural transformation and critical minerals valorization, for a more equitable world."
Unless there are changes, Colonel Michaël Randrianirina, head of state, will attend in Durban. This will be his first in-person participation in an SADC Summit. He has previously participated in extraordinary summits, but by videoconference. This will be an opportunity to observe, between the lines, Madagascar's relations with the regional organization, and the senior officer's relations with his peers. Although suspended from African Union activities, the island nation fully participates in SADC work.
An opportunity for clarification
Alice N'Diaye, Foreign Affairs Minister, has been in Durban since the beginning of the week and is participating in preliminary work for the Summit, notably the organization's Council of Ministers. Nevertheless, as previously indicated, SADC bodies are closely monitoring the evolution of the political situation in the country. The last extraordinary summit of the Southern African Development Community on June 30 specifically addressed the Madagascar issue.
"Leaders will examine the political and security situation in Madagascar, based on the report of the Organ for Political, Defense and Security Cooperation," the statement announcing the late June extraordinary summit reported. The missive resulting from this impromptu meeting sparked strong reactions from those in power and their supporters.
The request for "release of political detainees," the return of "political exiles" to the country, and the question of inclusivity in the national consultation process have provoked strong reactions from state decision-makers. There is also the question of respecting the Refoundation timeline. A schedule outlined in the document submitted to the regional organization on February 28, which provides for the various stages leading to an election or constitutional referendum and a presidential election before the end of 2027.
During a visit to Madagascar this week, Moussa Saleh Batraki, Secretary General of the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS), met with Colonel Randrianirina at Ambohitsorohitra Palace. Following this meeting, he indicated that "the delay in the [Refoundation] calendar" was discussed with the head of state.
According to reports from preliminary work at the Durban Summit, the Madagascar issue will not be explicitly on the agenda of discussions between heads of state and government so far. Based on the summary published on the SADC website, discussions between heads of state and government should focus on the summit's central theme. Nevertheless, for Madagascar, the challenge will be to transform participation in this meeting into an opportunity for clarification.
On Sunday, moreover, a meeting of the Troika of the SADC Organ Summit responsible for cooperation in political matters is scheduled.