Mahalapye, Botswana – The Southern African Development Community Secretariat gathered regional officials in Mahalapye, Botswana, on 27 February 2026 for the third Technical Committee meeting of the Enhancing the Capability and Effectiveness of SADC’s Peace and Security Architecture Programme. The session focused on strengthening cooperation on peace, security and democratic governance across Southern Africa, with the Kingdom of Eswatini among the member states taking part.
The meeting drew representatives from the SADC Organ Troika, made up of the Republic of Malawi as Chair, the Kingdom of Eswatini as Incoming Chair and the United Republic of Tanzania as Outgoing Chair. Officials from the European Union Delegation to Botswana and SADC also attended, together with members of the SADC Secretariat.
Prof. Kula I. Theletsane, Director of the Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Affairs, welcomed delegates and spoke about the role of the ECESPA Programme in strengthening regional peace and security systems. The programme was launched in June 2024 and supports the implementation of the SADC Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan for 2020 to 2030 as well as SADC Vision 2050, both of which place peace and stability at the centre of regional integration and development.
Prof. Theletsane explained that the Technical Committee serves as the key forum where member states review the programme’s progress, assess financial and operational performance, examine risks and ensure that implementation follows agreed priorities. He also thanked the European Union for providing financial and technical assistance to the initiative, noting that the partnership continues to support regional efforts to strengthen peace and security structures.
Opening the meeting on behalf of the Chairperson of the Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation, Mr Memory Chibwana of Malawi spoke about the progress recorded so far under the programme. He said the gathering came at an important stage as ECESPA moves toward its mid term implementation milestone.
Chibwana said the meeting created an opportunity for delegates to review achievements, consider challenges that may arise and make sure the programme continues to move in the intended direction. He also spoke about the programme’s work in helping member states improve early warning systems, strengthen mediation and conflict prevention mechanisms and build partnerships with research institutions and think tanks to support evidence based responses to emerging threats in the region.
Delegates also discussed the need to speed up programme activities and expand technical support for member states during the remaining implementation period. The discussions reflected a shared view among participating countries, including Eswatini, that cooperation, strategic oversight and strong partnerships are necessary for the continued development of SADC’s peace and security architecture as the region responds to changing security dynamics.
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