South African President Cyril Ramaphosa on Thursday paid a visit to military troops that are part of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) mission in Mozambique.

Ramaphosa's made the visit in his capacity as Chair of the South African Development Community (SADC) Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation.

South Africa has deployed some 1,500 troops to shore up Mozambican forces in the northern region, where Islamists last year seized large parts of Cabo Delgado province.

Ramaphosa's visit to Mozambique came at the invitation of the country's President Filipe Nyusi.

He joined Mozambique in commemorating the 53rd commemoration of the Assassination of the founding President of Frelimo, Dr Eduardo Chivambo Mondlane.

In a statement, Ramaphosa urged the Southern African region to continue its efforts to tackle insecurity to ensure economic development.

"We must strengthen our partnership to pursue our common objectives, which are the promotion peace and security, sustainable economic development as well as regional and continental integration," he said.

"We must intensify our efforts to silence the guns on our continent, because there can be no economic development or social progress where there is conflict."