SADC Summit Watch: South Africa’s chair push for regional industrialisation, trade and critical minerals is colliding with a politically sensitive migration agenda as Pretoria presses members to ratify the stalled Protocol on the Facilitation of Movement of Persons, while some states resist elevating migration to leaders’ talks. Energy Security for Madagascar: A major diesel shipment for JIRAMA—67 million litres—has arrived at Toamasina on the Sunda 1 tanker, aimed at keeping power plants running and ending the long-standing private import monopoly. Regional Performance Pressure: A new SADC assessment rates the bloc’s overall progress at 5.06/10, citing weak growth and youth unemployment despite gains in security, agriculture and mobility—setting the tone for Durban. Ocean Minerals Backlash: Madagascar is among six African countries supporting a precautionary pause on deep-sea mining at the ISA, arguing for stronger science and governance before critical-mineral extraction accelerates. Agro-Industry Inputs: Experts warn agroecology momentum is outpacing public research, finance and extension capacity—an issue that matters for farm productivity and food supply chains. Connectivity Tech: Airtel and Starlink launched Africa’s first satellite-to-phone service in the DRC, extending basic messaging and light data where mobile coverage is thin. Business Linkages: A Mauritius–Madagascar business forum opened in Antananarivo with firms spanning agriculture, construction, energy, mining, logistics and textiles.