On the 17 August 2026, the 46th Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) Ordinary Summit in Durban, South Africa elected King Mswati III as chairperson of the SADC Organ on Politics, Defence, and Security Cooperation. The Organ is responsible for promoting peace, security, political stability, democratic governance, and the rule of law within the SADC region.
The assumption of this regional leadership role by Eswatini presents a significant development for the country’s civil society organisations (CSOs), particularly those working on human rights, democracy, civic participation, accountability and freedom of association and expression. SADC presents opportunities for regional advocacy and solidarity for CSOs, through the SADC Civil Society Forum. The SADC CSO Forum is an annual gathering where non-governmental groups, activists, and community leaders from Southern Africa meet to discuss regional and national compliance issues and share recommendations with government leaders.
This appointment is likely to heighten risks for individuals and groups, and further narrowing down the advocacy space; while it can optimistically be seen as an opportunity to invoke the Eswatini’s unresolved political issues, and the national dialogue promised to EmaSwati by King Mswati and SADC, and agreed to by the Multi-Stakeholder Forum.