By EL-ALAMEIN — President Cyril Ramaphosa is set to lead the Southern African Development Community (SADC) delegation at the 8th African Union (AU) Mid-Year Coordination Meeting (MYCM). Taking place on Sunday, 4 October 2026, in El-Alamein, Arab Republic of Egypt, the high-level summit gathers Heads of State and Government from the AU Bureau, regional economic leaders, and international partners including the African Development Bank and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa.
As SADC Chairperson, President Ramaphosa will join continental leaders to evaluate the advancement of continental integration—a cornerstone of the AU’s Agenda 2063 (“the Africa We Want”). Discussions will centre on strengthening synergies and subsidiarity among the AU, Regional Economic Communities (RECs), and Member States to optimize resource allocation.
Key agenda items for the summit include:
- Division of Labour: Assessing implementation progress between the AU, RECs, and Member States.
- AUDA-NEPAD: Reviewing the agency’s role in accelerating regional integration, alongside an exclusive founders’ summit hosted by Egypt on 3 October 2026.
- Continental Trade: Evaluating milestones achieved under the African Continental Free Trade Agreement.
- Infrastructure & Peace: Receiving updates on water and sanitation infrastructure projects, as well as evaluating AU efforts in conflict prevention and early-warning mechanisms.
In addition to formal plenary sessions, the President will engage in bilateral discussions with continental counterparts on mutual strategic interests. Parallel events include an Egypt-hosted Business Forum running from 2 to 4 October 2026.
President Ramaphosa is accompanied by a high-ranking ministerial delegation comprising Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Ronald Lamola, Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, and Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition Parks Tau.
