COMESA summit calls for deeper regional trade, increased financing for small businesses

“We have much to celebrate. But one challenge now demands our collective attention: Sustainable and predictable financing for our programmes and our institutions. We cannot be ambitious in our plans and timid in our financing,” President Ruto said.

Incoming Chairperson President Mnangagwa pledged to build on Kenya’s achievements and urged member states to implement agreed programmes aimed at improving people’s livelihoods.

“It should be more about improving the livelihoods of our people than mere talk. We are rich in natural resources – let us put in measures to add value, fund our own programmes, buy from each other and compete fairly,” President Mnangagwa said.

COMESA Secretary General, Chileshe Kapwepwe, presented the State of Integration Report, which highlighted key developments recorded over the past year. The report also emphasised the need to establish regional value chains that connect farmers to processors and young people to economic opportunities.

“More importantly, we must ask ourselves a fundamental question: how do we finance this transformation? The answer must include stronger Domestic Resource Mobilisation efforts,” Kapwepwe said.

She also outlined the 2026–2030 COMESA Medium-Term Strategic Plan, which will provide the strategic framework for the bloc’s work over the next five years. The plan focuses on consolidating the regional market, addressing infrastructure and connectivity challenges, and promoting inclusion through gender, youth and social affairs programmes.

“For our young people in particular, regional integration must ultimately be measured by opportunity – opportunities to acquire skills, establish enterprises, access finance, find productive employment and participate in regional value chains,” Kapwepwe said.

Meanwhile, President Hakainde Hichilema handed over the Certificate of Title for the 14 hectares of land allocated by Zambia to COMESA for the construction of its new headquarters in Lusaka to President Mnangagwa in his capacity as Chairperson of the COMESA Authority.

AfCFTA Secretary General, Dr Wamkele Mene, commended COMESA’s collaboration with the continental trade body and urged member states that had yet to gazette AfCFTA instruments to do so.

“We value the collaboration with COMESA, and we rely on you who have been working in the area of regional integration for many years,” Mene said.

United Nations Economic Commission for Africa Executive Secretary, Claver Gatete, called on member states to make regional trade easier and less costly by addressing barriers that hinder cross-border commerce.

“We must make regional trade easier and less costly…removing tariffs and non-tariff barriers. Let us prioritise trade finance and infrastructure development,” Gatete said.

During the summit, four journalists from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Madagascar and Uganda were recognised and awarded for their contributions to COMESA’s regional integration programmes.

The summit also saw Dr Justice Ahmed Tharwat Ibrahim Mohamed of Egypt sworn in as a judge of the COMESA Court of Justice.

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