VICTORIA, Seychelles, August 17, 2026/APO Group/ —
President Dr. Patrick Herminie delivered his maiden address to Heads of State and Government at the Official Opening Ceremony of the 46th Ordinary SADC Summit today, calling on the region to seize what he described as “Africa’s moment” to transform the continent’s resources into shared prosperity.
Speaking under the Summit’s theme of resilience, sustainable and inclusive industrialization through infrastructure development, agriculture and critical minerals transformation in pursuit of a just world, President Herminie told the Assembly of 16 African countries that the generation before had secured political liberation and laid the foundations for regional cooperation, and that the present generation was now called to convert Africa’s potential into tangible prosperity for its people.
The President stressed that industrialization, infrastructure, agricultural transformation and the responsible development of critical minerals were not separate priorities, but formed the foundation of a resilient, competitive and prosperous Southern Africa. He noted that as an island nation, Seychelles felt the effects of global disruptions directly, through the cost of food, fuel and essential goods, and through pressures on its tourism-dependent economy, underscoring that the resilience of every Member State depends on the resilience of the Community as a whole.
President Herminie called for deeper regional integration, describing it not as an aspiration but as an economic necessity, and urged Member States to connect their complementary strengths, in agriculture, critical minerals and trade gateways, into a single integrated regional economy. He further emphasised that industrialization was fundamentally about dignity and opportunity for Africa’s young people, and that the continent should no longer export raw materials only to import finished products at a premium.
The President concluded by affirming that history would judge the current generation not by the speeches delivered or declarations adopted, but by whether resources were transformed into opportunity, integration into prosperity, and shared vision into tangible progress for the people of the region. He reaffirmed that Seychelles stands ready to play its part in this shared endeavour.