JOHANNESBURG, Dec. 17 (Xinhua) -- South African President Cyril Ramaphosa on Wednesday reaffirmed the Southern African Development Community's (SADC) commitment to promoting peace, security and political stability in the region through the implementation of the SADC Protocol on Politics, Defense and Security Cooperation.

Speaking as the interim chairperson of SADC at an extraordinary summit of SADC heads of state and government held virtually, Ramaphosa said that while progress has been made in advancing peace and stability, political and security challenges continue to affect parts of the region.

The South African president expressed particular concern over the security situation in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, describing it as a matter of "grave concern," and called for sustained regional efforts to restore stability.

Meanwhile, he also highlighted the evolving political and security situation in Madagascar, where ongoing challenges have led to the establishment of a transitional government. Ramaphosa said SADC had deployed a regional team to assess developments in the country, with a report expected to be presented at the summit.

Ramaphosa underscored SADC's collective responsibility to promote peace and security in member states affected by instability, stressing that development could not be achieved without a stable and secure environment. ■