Lusaka, November 13, 2019: The 40th COMESA Meeting of the Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Matters began in Lusaka today. The focus of the meeting is on strengthening the organization’s structures responsible for implementation of regional programmes at the national level.

Over 100 senior officials from Ministries that coordinate COMESA programmes in the 21 Member States are attending the three days meeting. The committee will review the 2020 Budget and expenditure submissions from COMESA Secretariat, its institutions and Organs that are funded by Member States including detailed work programmes. Its report will be presented to the Intergovernmental Committee scheduled for 25 – 27 November 2019.

Currently, COMESA is exploring sustainable financing mechanism, which will address some of the funding challenges such as low remittance levels of assessed contributions and gradually increase a proportion of Member States funding towards COMESA programmes. The initiative is led by the Ministers of Finance.

Established under Article 15 of the COMESA Treaty, the Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Matters provides technical advisory in internal controls and risk management oversight assurance services, budget policy, budgeting and its linkage with the Medium-Term Strategic Plan and decisions of COMESA Policy Organs.

Secretary General Ms Chileshe Kapwepwe addressed the delegates.

“As we mark 25th anniversary of COMEA later this month, we need to re-focus on strengthening both our internal and external systems in order to be more efficient in delivering on our mandate,” she said during the official opening at COMESA Headquarters.