Author: Mwangi Gakunga

Zambian student invents a medicine dispenser

One of the challenges people face in developing countries is access to health facilities owing to long distances. Overcrowding by patients seeking medical assistance in the available health facilities is quite prevalent, while in some far-flung rural areas, people barely have access to health personnel. This is what inspired Billy Munyenyembe, a final year student…
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Handling of small-scale cross border traders among key topics at border staff  training

COMESA has trained its Trade Information Desk Officers (TIDOs) that serve in selected borders in the region, on how to implement the Simplified Trade Regime and ensure the minimum standards for the treatment of small- scale cross border traders are upheld. The training was conducted on 23 September 2021 as part of capacity building for…
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States urged to strengthen value chains for post Covid-19 economic recovery

Regional states should strengthen existing value chains both at the regional and global level and develop new ones to unlock the transformative potential in manufacturing and industrial sectors in COMESA. This will enable the region to fully participate in the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) while keeping pace with changing production and consumption patterns…
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Digital Yellow Card helpdesk launched

The COMESA Regional Third-Party Motor Vehicle Insurance (Yellow Card) Scheme has launched a Digital Yellow Card Helpdesk System designed to track all queries reported by users. The Application which is accessible on https://yellowcardsupport.comesa.int will allow National Bureaux, Primary Insurance Companies and Motorists in member countries to channel all their queries and requests via Email, Phone…
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Burundi, DR Congo set to rollout out Simplified Trade Regime

Small cross border trade between Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo is set to flourish after the two countries begun the process towards implementation of the COMESA Simplified Trade Regime (STR). This will be done under the soon to be launched Great Lakes Trade Facilitation and Regional Integration Project, (GLTFIP) which covers the two…
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The 8th COMESA Annual Research Forum

Thursday, September 16, 2021: Over 200 participants drawn from the academia, think tanks, government and the private, the private sector from the region and globally participated in the eighth annual COMESA Research Forum which took place virtually on 13 – 16 September 2021. The four-day forum received presentations on research papers focusing on regional mitigation…
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File photo: Adam Willie

About $905m Worth of Intra-COMESA Exports Lost to COVID-19

Thursday, September 16, 2021: An estimated USD 905 million intra-COMESA exports were lost last year due to the response measures that member states applied to mitigate the Covid-19 pandemic. This is according to research carried out by Mr Adam Willie, Principal Economist, Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Enterprise Development of Zimbabwe. The research paper titled:…
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COMESA, development partners forum to enhance complementarity

Thursday, September 16, 2021: To ensure coherence in the implementation of regional integration programmes supported by development partners and enhance complementarity, COMESA Secretariat hosted the 3rd Joint Development Partners’ Coordination Forum on 15 – 16th September 2021. The forum sought to deepen engagement and commitment from the development partners and understand the sectors they focus…
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One year on, COVID-19 cases have risen by 747%

At this time last year, (September 15, 2020), COMESA region had 324,967 Covid-19 cases reported. One year on, the cases have gone up to 2,753,502 by September 14, 2021, an increase of 747%. An analysis by COMWARN shows that seven countries have contributed the bulk of the cases. They are Tunisia (685,799), Libya (325,221), Ethiopia…
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The 8th COMESA Annual Research Forum – Speeches

Speech by COMESA SG during the 8th Research Forum -13 September 2021 COMESA Annual Research Forum – Keynote address by Paul Akiwumi UNCTAD ACBF EXECUTIVE SECRETARY’S REMARKS – COMESA 8TH ANNUAL RESEARCH FORUM