Washington, D.C – SADC Executive Secretary Elias Magosi used the International Monetary Fund and World Bank Group Spring Meetings in Washington, D.C., to push Southern Africa’s economic priorities and lock in commitments from global financial institutions.
The meetings ran from April 13 to 18, 2026, bringing together heads of regional economic bodies, African ministers, private sector leaders and international financiers.
Magosi’s week of engagements opened on April 13 with a roundtable convened by World Bank Vice President for Eastern and Southern Africa, Dr. Ndiame Diop, where representatives of Africa’s Regional Economic Communities examined how global crises are affecting trade and regional stability. 
A day later, the SADC Secretariat and the World Bank reaffirmed their partnership during a high-level meeting at the Bank’s headquarters. The Secretariat currently manages a programme portfolio valued at US$31,566,210 spanning statistics, climate resilience, groundwater management and energy.
The World Bank has committed US$292 million for the Zambian portion of the Zambia–Tanzania Interconnector, a project designed to link the Southern African Power Pool and the Eastern Africa Power Pool to enable inter-regional power trade and increase transmission capacity in northern Zambia. The Bank is also engaging the governments of Angola and Namibia on financing the Angola–Namibia Interconnector.
The Secretariat expressed appreciation for the Bank’s backing of Phase Two of the SADC Regional Energy Transmission, Trade, and Decarbonization Programme, worth US$12 million and running until December 2028. Magosi called for swift conclusion of negotiations for Phase Three.
Later on April 14, Magosi addressed a World Bank roundtable attended by African ministers, private sector leaders and African Union officials. He pushed for faster delivery on Agenda 2063 priorities, including the African Continental Free Trade Area, the Single African Air Transport Market and the Free Movement of Persons. “Africa’s challenge is no longer agreeing on integration but delivering it in a coordinated and impactful way,” he told the gathering.
On April 15, Magosi met Dr. Ruth Kattumuri of the Commonwealth Secretariat to explore cooperation in trade, investment, youth empowerment, public health and resilience building, with a focus on small states that are members of both SADC and the Commonwealth.
He also sat down with Dr. Boniface Njenga, Deputy Director for Africa at the Bill Gates Foundation, where talks centred on SADC’s health priorities amid falling Official Development Assistance. Magosi stressed the need to protect gains made in the fight against HIV, tuberculosis and malaria while accelerating regional manufacturing. Dr. Njenga commended SADC’s leadership and pledged continued support for the upcoming Joint Meeting of Ministers of Health and Ministers of Finance.
On April 16, Magosi met SADC Ambassadors and Heads of Mission in Washington, hosted at the Embassy of South Africa as the current chair of SADC. Ambassadors pledged to step up engagement with international financial institutions to advance regional priorities.
During the week, Magosi also met Jason Grubb, Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary for African Affairs at the U.S. Department of State, where discussions covered priority sectors and visa policies affecting SADC Member States.
On the sidelines of the Spring Meetings, Magosi held talks with Zimbabwe’s Finance Minister, Professor Mthuli Ncube, who briefed the Secretariat on progress in Zimbabwe’s Arrears Clearance and Debt Resolution Roadmap. Zimbabwe has reached key milestones including a Staff-Level Agreement on a 10-month IMF Staff Monitored Programme and the establishment of a Debt Resolution Sector Working Group. Magosi called on international partners to match Zimbabwe’s reform efforts with coordinated support, noting that timely arrears clearance is critical for Zimbabwe to regain access to concessional finance and prevent spillover effects on regional investment flows and financial stability.
Magosi also attended IMF and World Bank sessions on the Global Financial Stability Report and the global economic outlook. The 2026 World Economic Outlook flagged that the global economy is entering a more fragile phase, shaped by tighter financial conditions, geopolitical tensions, climate shocks and elevated debt levels.
He was accompanied by Dr. Mario Lironel, Senior Finance and Investment Officer; Mr. Jagai Deedpchandsingh, Senior Programme Officer for Statistics; Dr. Lamboly Kumboneki, Senior Programme Officer for HIV/AIDS; and Ms. Barbara Lopi, Head of Communication and Public Relations.
