The Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) met in Bangkok on 12 October 2026 to advance a partnership for regional industrialization and trade. The discussions, held alongside IMF and World Bank meetings, targeted infrastructure, critical mineral processing, and the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area.
Partnership Objectives for SADC and Afreximbank
During the 2026 Annual Meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank Group (WBG) in Bangkok, SADC Executive Secretary Elias M. Magosi and Kanayo Awani, Executive Vice President for Intra-African Trade and Export Development at Afreximbank, held talks to discuss the progress made in developing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). This agreement aims to mobilize financial and technical resources to support the SADC Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan (RISDP) 2020–2030 and SADC Vision 2050.
Ms. Awani detailed the capacity of Afreximbank to provide advisory services, trade finance, and other financial instruments. These tools are intended to facilitate exports, support businesses, and utilize digital solutions to increase access to financial opportunities. The meeting explored specific cooperation in rail interconnectivity, strategic industrial programmes, automotive development, and the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
SADC, Afreximbank pledge closer ties on trade and industrialisationhttps://t.co/qgHmrZwNYS pic.twitter.com/fcoUBKBOlK
The institutions identified several flagship areas for cooperation, including the development of regional value chains for pharmaceuticals and critical minerals. A primary focus is shifting regional economies away from raw material exports toward local value addition and processing. The discussions also addressed the automotive sector as a key driver for manufacturing growth and investment, alongside the need for improved energy infrastructure and interconnected electricity grids to reduce regional trade costs. Other priority areas include promoting trade in agricultural inputs, specifically fertilisers, to improve food security and agricultural productivity.
The two parties emphasized the need for practical flagship initiatives that produce tangible results in trade facilitation, value addition, and industrialisation. Discussions highlighted the role of Afreximbank in financing and preparing bankable industrialisation and regional infrastructure projects. This would complement SADC initiatives such as the Project Preparation and Development Facility (PPDF) to attract investment for priority projects. The meeting noted that Afreximbank, established in 1993 and based in Cairo, Egypt, is a Pan-African multilateral financial institution tasked with facilitating trade within Africa and globally.
#𝗦𝗔𝗗𝗖 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗔𝗳𝗿𝗲𝘅𝗶𝗺𝗯𝗮𝗻𝗸 𝗗𝗶𝘀𝗰𝘂𝘀𝘀 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗻𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝗼𝗻 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗱𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗜𝗻𝗱𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗗𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁Bangkok, Thailand, 12 October 2026: The Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank)… pic.twitter.com/7aQSoWuGfw
Mr. Magosi was accompanied by Dr. Mike Masiye, SADC Director for Policy, Planning and Resource Mobilisation; Mr. Thokozani Mlotsa, Programme Officer for Resource Mobilisation; and Mr. Hamilton Thomas, Programme Officer for Capital Market. Ms. Awani was accompanied by Mr. Haytham El Maayergi, Executive Vice President for Global Trade Bank at Afreximbank, and Mr. Peter Adeshola Olowonomi, Director for Regional Operations for Southern Africa at Afreximbank.
Strategic Collaboration with the Thailand International Cooperation Agency
On the same margins of the Bangkok meetings, SADC leadership also engaged with the Thailand International Cooperation Agency (TICA) to explore opportunities to establish a strategic framework for cooperation. Director-General Chulvat Narinthrangura noted that Thailand’s experience in agricultural transformation—specifically its advanced rice value chain—could provide a model for SADC member states looking to enhance their own agro-processing capabilities. The talks focused on mineral beneficiation, agricultural transformation, and regional value chains to increase productive capacity and economic diversification.
Elias M. Magosi expressed appreciation to the Kingdom of Thailand and TICA for their continued support of development initiatives and the sharing of expertise. He stressed the necessity of turning this relationship into practical interventions for regional industrialisation. In response, Chulvat Narinthrangura described development cooperation as a blueprint for partnership and mutual engagement
and agreed that continued capacity building could help address the priorities of SADC Member States.
The potential partnership extends to disaster management. Given the SADC region’s vulnerability to climate-related impacts like El Niño, Chulvat Narinthrangura noted that Thailand’s expertise could contribute valuable insights and support to the SADC Humanitarian and Emergency Operations Centre (SHOC) to improve regional emergency response and preparedness.
Japan Supports Technical Training for SADC Member States
The SADC Secretariat highlighted the success of existing capacity-building initiatives as a foundation for these new partnerships. Specifically, the Third Country Training Programme (TCTP) has served as a conduit for technical development, supported by Japan through the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). Member states including Angola, Malawi, Mozambique, the United Republic of Tanzania and Zambia have already utilized this framework for institutional training.
While the technical teams from SADC, Afreximbank, and TICA continue to refine the scope of these proposed Memoranda of Understanding, the next steps include facilitating the accreditation of Thailand’s Ambassador to SADC to strengthen diplomatic engagement and institutional relations.