GABORONE – July 29, 2025 – China’s ambassador to Botswana, Fan Yong, paid a courtesy call on SADC Executive Secretary Elias M. Magosi on Monday, reinforcing long-standing cooperation between the regional bloc and the Chinese government.
The meeting took place at the SADC Secretariat offices in Gaborone, where both parties discussed ongoing bilateral collaboration and shared interests spanning trade, infrastructure, investment, and development.
China has maintained a steady partnership with the Southern African Development Community, which includes Eswatini, offering financial and technical support to help drive the bloc’s development agenda. One key form of this support is an annual grant to the Secretariat, which contributes to operational planning and the implementation of the SADC Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan (RISDP) 2030–2050.
Magosi thanked the Chinese government for its continued assistance, pointing to how the grant helps improve internal capacity and enables the Secretariat to engage effectively with regional and continental institutions. These efforts are aligned with broader frameworks such as the African Union’s Agenda 2063 and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
Ambassador Yong said China values its partnership with the region and is eager to continue contributing to joint development efforts. He cited the consistency of China’s engagement with Africa through initiatives such as the Forum on China–Africa Cooperation (FOCAC).
During the most recent FOCAC summit in Beijing, China committed US$50 billion to support development projects across Africa over the next three years, signalling deeper ties with the continent.
SADC and China are expected to formalise additional areas of cooperation following this meeting, with a view to strengthening strategic collaboration.
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