29 Apr 2026

 Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the World Food Programme (WFP) have signed a renewed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), reaffirming their long-standing partnership to address food insecurity, climate shocks and humanitarian challenges across Southern Africa.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, in GaboronecTuesday, SADC executive secretary, Mr Elias Magosi, described the agreement as a vital step in strengthening cooperation between the two institutions following the expiry of the previous MoU in 2024.

“Our meeting today is a clear reaffirmation of our commitment to a partnership that has grown stronger over the years and remains relevant to our peoples,” said Mr Magosi said.

He highlighted the ongoing food insecurity affecting the region, driven largely by climate-related shocks such as droughts and floods, as well as intermittent conflicts.

He noted that SADC was still recovering from the severe 2024 drought, which prompted a regional humanitarian appeal of US$6.4 billion.

He said the renewed MoU focuses on key priority areas including food security, nutrition, social protection, disaster risk management and empowerment of women and youth.

Mr Magosi emphasised that youth empowerment was central to the agreement, pointing out that young people made up nearly 60 per cent of the region’s population, approximately 76 million individuals.

“Empowering youth is not only an act of inclusion, it is an investment in sustainable development and long-term stability,” he said, adding that the partnership would expand opportunities in agriculture, climate adaptation and emergency response systems.

He also stressed the importance of gender equality, noting that women played a crucial role in food production and community resilience but continued to face barriers in access to resources and decision-making.

Mr Magosi further said the agreement also aimed to enhance regional systems such as vulnerability assessments, local food procurement and school feeding programmes.

He highlighted the role of the SADC Humanitarian and Emergency Operations Centre (SHOC), a relatively new regional hub designed to improve disaster preparedness and response.

Mr Magosi called on WFP to support the centre through logistics expertise, resource mobilisation and training opportunities for young professionals in humanitarian operations.

WFP regional director for Eastern and Southern Africa, Mr Eric Perdison, described the renewed MoU as a strategic vehicle, to translate regional policies into practical systems that protect vulnerable communities.

“This renewal comes at a critical moment,” Mr Perdison said, reiterating rising climate shocks, food insecurity, displacement and fiscal pressures across the region.

He said according to WFP, nearly 45 million of the world’s 318 million food-insecure people lived in Southern Africa, with 7.7 million children under five suffering from malnutrition.

The region also hosts over 10 million internally displaced persons and more than one million refugees. Mr Perdison noted that the previous MoU delivered significant results, including strengthened vulnerability assessments, expansion of home-grown school feeding programmes and improved disaster preparedness systems.

He pointed out that today, national school feeding programmes supported through the partnership reached approximately 22 million children across Southern Africa.

The collaboration has also advanced food fortification, local procurement and agricultural value chains, while laying the groundwork for stronger emergency response systems through logistics, data and early warning tools.

Under the renewed agreement, SADC and WFP, Mr Perdison said would shift toward a more strategic approach focused on systems strengthening and regional coordination, with key priorities including early warning systems, anticipatory action, adaptive social protection and climate-resilient agriculture.

He said disaster risk management would remain a flagship area, with particular emphasis on operationalising SHOC and enhancing cross-border humanitarian logistics.

Mr Perdison underscored WFP’s broader role beyond food assistance, highlighting its expertise in supply chains, data systems, emergency telecommunications and logistics.

“The renewed MoU provides an opportunity to position the SADC-WFP partnership as a strategic platform for regional resilience and preparedness,” he said. ENDS