MASERU — Lesotho has been elected incoming chair of the Southern African Development Community’s Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation, ending a contest with Angola and restoring the Kingdom to one of the regional bloc’s most influential leadership structures.
The decision was taken at a virtual extraordinary summit of SADC heads of state and government on Wednesday, 21 October 2026. An official SADC statement confirmed Prime Minister Ntsokoane Samuel Matekane as the incoming chairperson of the organ.
The outcome resolves an issue left open at the 46th ordinary SADC summit in Durban in August, when member states could not reach consensus between Lesotho and Angola. The matter was deferred to an extraordinary summit after both countries sought the incoming-chair position.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, who chaired Wednesday’s meeting in his capacity as SADC chairperson, thanked Angola for helping the bloc reach agreement and said Lesotho would contribute to strengthening peace and security across Southern Africa.
“We are confident that Lesotho will make a valuable contribution to advancing the work of the organ and strengthening the foundations of peace and security in Southern Africa,” Ramaphosa said in remarks reported by SABC News.
What the appointment means
The organ is SADC’s principal structure for political, defence and security matters. Its responsibilities include supporting democratic governance, conflict prevention and mediation, regional security cooperation and election observation.
It is managed through a troika made up of the current chair, incoming chair and outgoing chair. As incoming chair, Lesotho will join the leadership group before assuming the chairmanship in the next rotation.
The appointment gives Lesotho a direct role in discussions about some of the region’s most difficult challenges. These include continuing conflict and displacement in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, violent extremism in northern Mozambique and growing pressure from climate-related disasters.
Ramaphosa told the summit that insecurity in eastern DRC remained a serious concern because of the humanitarian suffering and displacement of civilians. He also said the threat of terrorism and violent extremism in northern Mozambique required sustained regional vigilance and cooperation.
Climate emergencies formed part of the same security discussion. Ramaphosa said disasters were placing pressure on public finances, destroying productive assets and forcing governments to redirect money from development towards relief and reconstruction. He called for stronger early-warning systems, improved disaster preparation and investment in resilient infrastructure.
A return to SADC’s top table
The election carries particular weight for Lesotho because the country had spent years outside SADC’s senior security leadership while regional leaders monitored its domestic political instability and reform process.
SADC removed Lesotho from the Organ Troika’s agenda in August 2025 after noting progress in consolidating peace and stability. That decision reopened the way for the Kingdom to pursue leadership roles within the bloc.
Lesotho formally signalled its interest in the incoming-chair position earlier this year. Angola later entered the contest, leaving leaders unable to settle the issue at the August summit. The compromise reached this week gives Lesotho the post while SADC develops clearer criteria and guidelines for future appointments.
Ramaphosa said the summit had instructed the SADC Secretariat to draft those guidelines and submit a report to the Ministerial Committee of the Organ in July 2027.
The appointment also follows growing recognition of Lesotho’s role in continental peace and security affairs. Earlier in 2026, the Kingdom was elected to serve on the African Union Peace and Security Council.
Regional responsibility
The new position brings prestige, but it also places greater responsibility on the Matekane administration. Lesotho will be expected to help shape collective responses to elections, political crises, armed conflict and cross-border security threats across the 16-member region.
The country may also host meetings of senior officials, ministers and heads of state connected to the organ’s work, creating opportunities for its hospitality sector and diplomatic profile.
For Lesotho, the election completes a journey that appeared uncertain two months ago. The Kingdom entered the August summit seeking a return to SADC’s security leadership but left without a decision. Wednesday’s extraordinary summit converted that bid into a formal regional mandate.
Sources: Southern African Development Community; SABC News; The Presidency of South Africa.
Featured image: SADC member-state flags at the 45th Summit. Credit: X/@DIRCO_ZA via SABC News.