JOHANNESBURG, April 24 (Xinhua) -- The ongoing conflict in the Middle East has sent shockwaves through the global economy, with direct consequences for Southern Africa, South African Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Ronald Lamola said on Friday.

This photo taken on March 3, 2026 shows the debris inside a classroom of Shahid Mahallati School in Tehran, Iran. (Photo: Xinhua)

Lamola made the remarks in Pretoria while delivering closing remarks at a three-day inter-departmental workshop aimed at developing a strategy and identifying priorities for South Africa's chairship of the Southern African Development Community (SADC).

"Our societies are experiencing rising oil prices, higher fertilizer costs, and cost-of-living challenges. These pressures come at a time when many of our countries are already carrying a heavy debt burden," Lamola said.

Lamola said these developments would worsen the region's structural vulnerabilities, including unemployment, particularly among young people, climate-related shocks, food insecurity, disrupted livelihoods, transboundary animal diseases and the burden of communicable diseases.

"We meet at a time of considerable global uncertainty," he said. "The geopolitical and economic environment in which we assume our chairship responsibilities demands coordination, resolve and vigilance."

According to Lamola, South Africa's chairship of SADC must help provide steady leadership during a period of transition and shape regional integration in a practical, responsive and implementation-focused manner.

He said regional economic performance remains under pressure, with growth across the region still modest, intra-regional trade fluctuating between 19 percent and 23 percent, and manufacturing contributing just over 12 percent to regional gross domestic product.

South Africa was appointed as the interim chair of SADC in November 2025 and is expected to assume the official chairship from August 2026 to August 2027.