Barbara Lopi Highlights Journalism’s Role in Advancing SADC Regional Integration

23 June 2026.

Remarks by Barbara Lopi at the 31st SADC Regional Adjudication Committee Virtual Meeting for the 2026 SADC Media Awards, chaired by the Republic of South Africa.

Honourable Kenny Morolong, Deputy Minister in the Presidency of the Republic of

South Africa,

Mr. William Baloyi, Chief Director for Media Engagement at the Government

Communication and Information System in the Republic of South Africa, and SADC

National Media Coordinator for the Republic of South Africa, and Chairperson of

the 31st SADC Regional Adjudication Committee,

SADC National Media Coordinators,

Members of the SADC Regional Adjudication Committee representing SADC

Member States present here,

Senior Government Officials and Chief Executive Officers from the Media

Institutions in the Government of the Republic of South Africa,

Colleagues from the SADC Secretariat,

Esteemed Members of the Media,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Good morning, and a very warm welcome to you all. It is a true honour, on behalf of the

Secretariat of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), to deliver remarks

at this 31st session of the Regional Adjudication Committee for the 2026 SADC Media

Awards.

Today, we gather to select winners, and to celebrate the power of journalism, its ability to

shape narratives, inform societies, and strengthen our shared vision of regional

integration, and cooperation. Journalism is more than reporting; it is a force that connects

communities, amplifies voices, and builds bridges across borders.

I extend heartfelt appreciation to the Republic of South Africa, our current Chair, for the

support and collaboration in hosting this session. We are honoured to be joined today by

Honourable Kenny Morolong, Deputy Minister in the Presidency of the Republic of South

Africa. Your dedication to advancing strategic communication leadership is deeply valued.

Equally, I express sincere gratitude to Mr. William Baloyi, Chief Director for Media

Engagement at the Government Communication and Information System of the Republic

of South Africa, who is the SADC National Media Coordinator and our Chairperson for the

31st SADC Regional Adjudication Committee. Together with his committed team, he has

provided invaluable support and worked closely with the SADC Secretariat in organising

this year’s Regional Adjudication Committee meeting. Their professionalism, dedication,

and spirit of partnership have been critical in ensuring the success of this important

process, exemplifying the unity and cooperation that define our region.

The media plays a critical role in our community. In our interconnected regional

community, media transcends boundaries. A headline in one nation can spark dialogue in

another, a local story can inspire regional, and even, global solidarity. The media tells our

stories, highlights our achievements, and challenges, and gives voice to our aspirations.

Through the SADC Media Awards, we honour professionalism, creativity, and the

dedication of journalists who inspire and empower the citizens of Southern Africa.

Established in 1996, following the approval of the SADC Council of Ministers in 1995, the

SADC Media Awards celebrate outstanding reporting on regional cooperation, integration,

and community-building. More than individual recognition, the Media Awards reinforce the

importance of elevating awareness of SADC’s transformational role in driving sustainable

development, peace, and economic growth.

Honourable Minister, distinguished Media Coordinators and Adjudicators,

This year, we are adjudicating 28 entries from 11 of the 16 SADC Member States: Angola,

Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa,

Zambia, and Zimbabwe. The entries include: 9 in Print, 4 in Photo, 6 in Radio, and 9 in

Television categories. We thank our National Media Coordinators and Ministries

responsible for Information, Publicity, and Broadcasting Services for their efforts in

promoting the Media Awards in the SADC Member States. To the journalists, editors, and

media professionals whose work brings SADC closer to its people, we salute your

contribution to strengthening regional integration through the power of storytelling.

The winners of the 2026 SADC Media Awards will be announced at the 46th SADC

Summit of Heads of State and Government in Durban, South Africa, on 17 August 2026.

First-place winners will receive Certificates and cash prizes of US$2,500, while runners-

up will be awarded US$1,000 and a Certificate. These prizes are more than rewards, they

are symbols of our collective appreciation for excellence in communicating stories of

SADC’s regional integration agenda.

To the Regional Adjudication Committee, I express deep gratitude for your time, expertise,

and commitment. Your role is important in upholding fairness, diligence, and integrity,

ensuring that the best work receives the recognition they deserve. To our new members

on the Regional Adjudication Committee, welcome to this distinguished team.

Honourable Minister, distinguished Media Coordinators and Adjudicators,

In August last year, the SADC Council of Ministers approved the SADC Communication,

Awareness and Visibility Strategy 2025–2030, which is designed to strengthen public

understanding of SADC’s mandate, its priorities, and its impact. Key to this Strategy is the

need for collaborative efforts of the Secretariat and Member States through the National

Contact Points, National Media Coordinators and the communicators present here today.

Through our joint efforts in promoting SADC, its programmes and impact, we can

showcase the value of regional integration and cooperation and bring our citizens closer

to SADC. This Strategy ensures that the achievements of SADC are communicated

brightly, inclusively, and proudly across every Member State. Communication is our

spotlight, because progress without visibility risks being unseen. With effective

communication, our achievements will not only be seen, but they will also inspire.

Honourable Minister, distinguished Media Coordinators and Adjudicators,

SADC is more than an institution. It is a trusted platform. A platform for harmonising

policies, pooling resources, and confronting shared challenges. SADC enables countries

to achieve more together than they ever could alone. Since its establishment in 1980,

SADC has delivered transformative outcomes, harmonising trade regulations, building

cross-border infrastructure, strengthening governance, responding to security threats,

advancing regional integration, and promoting peace and economic development.

These milestones are engines of progress, driving integration, advancing sustainable

development, and uplifting the lives of millions. They remind us that unity is strength, and

that when SADC stands together, we rise together toward a future of prosperity and

peace.

As we move forward, I call upon all stakeholders, SADC National Contact Points, Media

Coordinators, development partners, and media houses, to join hands in building a

regional narrative that inspires pride, unity, solidarity, and hope. Together, let us ensure

that every citizen feels part of something greater, something transformative.

To the Member States that did not submit entries this year, I urge you to make extra efforts

to submit entries next year. That will require intensifying awareness and promotion of the

SADC Media Awards at national level, working closely with media houses and media

professional bodies. Surely, every Member State has a SADC story to tell, a story of

regional cooperation, integration, and development that deserves to be shared through

this competition.

Honourable Minister, distinguished Media Coordinators and Adjudicators,

As I conclude, I wish to pause and pay special tribute to a colleague in the

Communications and Public Relations Unit at the SADC Secretariat, Mr. Peter Mabaka,

who retired from the Secretariat on the 14th of this month. Since joining in May 2016,

Peter has been a driving force in coordinating the SADC Media Awards, safeguarding

professionalism and credibility with patience, care, and dedication.

Ahead of this meeting, Peter shared a message with us at the Secretariat, and I quote:

“In the past 10 years RAC has done tremendous work to honour deserving journalists. I

encourage them to continue to work hard to promote the Awards and increase the

participation of more Member States as well as the quality of the entries.”

Please join me in expressing our heartfelt gratitude to Peter for his years of service, and

in wishing him a blessed and fulfilling retirement.

I wish you a productive and insightful meeting. May this week’s deliberations reward the

talent and dedication of our journalists, and may they strengthen the bonds that unite us

as a region.

Thank you! Muito Obrigada! Merci Beaucoup! Asante Sana! Siyabonga!

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