Regional Leaders’ Summit partner regions sign declaration to reaffirm commitment to enhancing mutual economic resilience and growth
The 12th Regional Leaders’ Summit (RLS) was held in Cape Town, Western Cape, from November 3-5, 2025.
This important multilateral forum convenes every two years, allowing partner regions to further solidify and build on key commitments to a host of priorities, among them economic growth, job creation, and responses to severe weather events.
The 12th iteration of the RLS was hosted against the backdrop of a complex and rapidly evolving global landscape, marked by trade tensions and conflicts.
“Despite these challenges, the 7 partner regions remain committed to working through whatever challenges come our way, with the more than 180 million people we represent of paramount importance. We recognise the important role of subnational governments in tackling urgent challenges, and through inter-regional cooperation, I am confident we will be able to achieve our goals, as set out at the 12th RLS,” said Premier Alan Winde.
On the final day of the summit, partner regions made a joint declaration reaffirming their shared commitment to:
- Deepening regional cooperation;
- Diversifying trade relations;
- Strengthening regional trade and connectivity;
- Advancing resilient infrastructure and sustainable development;
- Supporting local and international initiatives that enhance global competitiveness; and
- Exploring strategic public-private collaboration to unlock comprehensive economic growth.
The 12th RLS will build on the commitments made at the 11th RLS, held in Shandong Province, China, in 2023, with the central aim of advancing economic resilience and regional growth across all member regions. Since then, the global landscape has undergone dramatic changes. Global economic recovery remains uneven, and geopolitical tensions have intensified.
The final declaration states, “The Regional Leaders acknowledge the outstanding contributions made by experts across various workstreams and placed emphasis on the practical areas of collaboration identified in investment, trade, infrastructure, and the connected economy, technology and innovation, economic opportunity and workforce development, as well as cultural capital and sporting excellence.”
Partner regions welcomed and accepted the invitation from the State of São Paulo, Brazil, which will take over the Chairmanship of the RLS from the Western Cape, to host the 13th RLS in 2027. The Western Cape Government will continue to fulfil its role as secretariat to support the workstreams and to maintain continuity, ensuring that the progress achieved at the 12th RLS carries forward in the years to come.
In his address at the closing ceremony, Premier Winde told delegates, “This summit represents hope - hope that cooperation can triumph over division, that innovation can overcome adversity, and that leadership, when guided by partnership, can deliver real change.
Media enquiries:
Regan Thaw
Media Liaison Officer to the Premier
Cell: 083 627 7246
E-mail: Regan.Thaw@westerncape.gov.za
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