Eight COMESA countries are expected to face significant trade challenges due to new reciprocal tariffs imposed by the United States government. According to a policy brief by COMESA’s Division of Trade and Customs, the tariffs could lead to substantial reductions in trade volumes for affected countries in 2025, despite the U.S. not being a primary…
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A Joint COMESA – World Customs Organisation virtual regional workshop was held from Tuesday April 22 – 24 to review the application of Cumulation of Origin protocols between the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and the COMESA Free Trade Area. The three-day event enabled the experts examine cumulation provisions and consolidate all the issues…
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COMESA Secretariat and the Government of India have committed to strengthen relations by opening up new channels of trade, support and collaboration through a renewed Memorandum of Understanding replacing the one signed in 2003. This move is expected to help boost trade levels between India and COMESA Member States which stood at US$ 18 billion…
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COMESA, the East African Community (EAC) and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the three Regional Economic Communities (RECs) implementing the 50 Million African Women Speak digital platform met 24-25 April in Arusha, Tanzania to review progress of the initiative and make recommendations on how to take it forward. The two-day meeting was…
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To strengthen engagement and information sharing with stakeholders across the region, the COMESA Secretariat participated in the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair in Bulawayo from 21 – 26 April 2025, whose theme was “Industrialisation and Economic Integration: Strengthening Africa’s Resilience.” The COMESA information booth was a bustling hub of activity, attracting visitors from the business community,…
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COMESA Secretariat, in collaboration with the Investment Climate Reform (ICR) Facility, organized a Public-Private Dialogue (PPD) workshop at the Kasumbalesa border between the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Zambia. This workshop marked the fourth and final edition of a series of dialogues aimed at economically empowering women and advocating gender-responsive trade policies throughout the…
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The Zambia-Tanzania-Kenya (ZTK) Power Interconnector Project has officially been relaunched in Lusaka by the three participating governments, with strong backing from the World Bank, the European Union and the United Kingdom. Aimed at linking the East African Power Pool (EAPP) with the Southern African Power Pool (SAPP), the ZTK project will create one of Africa’s…
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Noting the need to facilitate and enhance small-scale cross-border trade, the Government of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) signed an Interministerial Decree on 10 March 2025 to enable the implementation of the COMESA Simplified Trade Regime (STR) on its borders with neighbouring COMESA countries. The DRC shares borders with four COMESA countries Burundi, Rwanda,…
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Members of the Programme Steering Committee for the European Union funded Institutional Capacity Building Programme (ICBP) at COMESA Secretariat and EU Delegation in Zambia met in Lusaka to review progress in implementation of the Programme. Funded under the 11th European Development Fund, the initiative continues to be a cornerstone in COMESA’s efforts to strengthen institutional…
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Malawi is scheduled to hold general elections on 16 September 2025 to elect a President, Members to the National Assembly and representatives Ward Councils to serve for a five-year period. The 2025 elections come after the previous elections in 2019 that were initially nullified by the Supreme Court. The Court besides the nullification of elections…
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