Implementing digital trade facilitation reforms have positive impacts on intra-COMESA exports. It is estimated that an increase of 10 percent in the adoption of digital trade technologies would result in a 5.5 percent increase in intra-COMESA exports. The regional organization is therefore scaling-up the Free Trade Area (FTA) to a Digital Free Trade Area (DFTA),…
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COMESA has developed a draft strategy to harness the benefits of the Blue Economy for its 21 Member States. The draft strategy was presented to delegates from the Members States on 26-27 April 2022 in Lusaka, Zambia, where it was reviewed and validated. The concept of the Blue Economy has been embraced by the COMESA…
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The current portfolio of World Bank supported projects in the COMESA region is close to five billion dollars and set to rise as other programmes are set to come on board. The largest project is the Regional Infrastructure Finance Facility (RIFF) of US$ 425 million whose objective is to promote access to long-term finance and…
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Burundi is set to join the global agenda cracking-down financial crimes including money laundering by creating its Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU). Towards this goal, COMESA is supporting the country to conform to the international standards set by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) in line with Burundian needs. Recently, Burundi FIU Board officials comprising of…
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Plans are underway to establish a regional Agricultural Commodity Exchange Centre as part of the implementation of the 2021-2031 strategy for the Alliance for Commodity Trade in East and Southern Africa (ACTESA). The centre shall link small-scale farmers to national, regional and international markets within the Common Marker for Eastern Africa (COMESA) the East African…
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Monday, April 11, 2022: Industry experts from COMESA region are meeting this week to consider a concept paper on strengthening industrial integration in the region. This initiative aims at attaining comprehensive industrial integration taking into account continental programmes such as the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and ‘Made in Africa’ initiative by the government…
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April 07, 2022: The Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) and COMESA hosted a virtual workshop with students, staff of two universities that have rolled out the COMESA Masters Programme in Regional Integration to disseminate two ECA reports namely: “Assessing Regional Integration in Africa (ARIA X) focusing on the theme of Services Trade Liberalization and integration…
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e-COMESA Newsletter 688
The first COMESA labour migration statistics report is set to be published after undergoing review by stakeholders in March 2022. The report, which is yet to be validated, is aimed at facilitating trade and investment by harnessing the potential of effective migration management in the region. It is a product of collaboration between COMESA, the…
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The governments of Zambia and Zimbabwe with support from COMESA Secretariat, the United Nations Economic for Africa (UNECA) and the African Development Bank (AfDB) are working on modalities to establish a Joint Agro Industrial Park. The proposed project is expected to increase the availability of industrial goods and services for the bilateral market and expand…
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