Lusaka, Friday, 16 August 2024: The European Union (EU) and the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) have officially launched a new regional Circular Economy Programme, following the signing of a €40 million financing agreement for the “SWITCH to Circular Economy in East and Southern Africa (SWITCH-2-CE in ESA)” initiative. The agreement was…
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In a bid to enhance its support for women entrepreneurship and women’s economic empowerment, the digital platform for women in business – 50 Million African Women Speak – has introduced a new section which provides a broad range of learning resources on various aspects of business. The resources are available via the landing page of…
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Ethiopia’s horticulture sub-sector is set for significant growth following the launch of the COMESA-EAC Horticulture Accelerator (CEHA) National Chapter. This initiative, unveiled in Addis Ababa on August 13, 2024, is part of a broader strategy to tap into the vast potential of the horticulture industry across the region. At the launch event, industry stakeholders praised…
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Bujumbura, Burundi, August 13,2024: The countdown to the 23rd COMESA Heads of State and Government Summit has officially begun with the signing of the Host Agreement between the Government of Burundi and the COMESA Secretariat. Burundi’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Development Cooperation, Ambassador Albert Shingiro, and COMESA Secretary General, Chileshe Kapwepwe, signed the agreement…
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Representatives from nine countries in eastern and southern Africa that implement the COMESA Simplified Trade Regime (STR) concluded a two Policy Dialogue in Machakos, Kenya on 6 – 7 August 2024. The dialogue was necessitated by the need to address emerging policy and technical issues facing implementation of the STR and make recommendations to policy…
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Financial stability is increasingly being tested by emerging Cyber, Fintech and Climate Change risks. These come amidst increased technological innovations in the financial sector to provide financial services efficiently, especially to the financially excluded. Moreover, the entry of non-financial firms into the financial space is increasing competition in the financial sector, reducing the market share…
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The year on year, inflation rate (annual percentage change) in the COMESA region as measured by the Harmonized Consumer Price Index (HCPI-COMESA) stood at 23.2.% for the month of June 2024, down from 23.7% registered in May 2024. A year earlier, the rate was 29.2%. HCPI-COMESA comprises twelve divisions of expenditure including food clothing housing,…
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Moroni, 2 August 2024. The COMESA Secretariat partnered with the Investment Climate Reform (ICR) Facility to organize a three-day training workshop on gender disaggregated data and statistics for Comoros from 31 July to 2 August 2024. The workshop held at Retaj Hotel aimed to equip statisticians, researchers, and policymakers from various sectors with the necessary…
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Antananarivo, July 26, 2024: Gender statistics are crucial for informed decision-making. They highlight areas where gender disparities exist, ensuring that policies and programs effectively address the needs of men, women, boys, and girls for inclusive social and economic development. In a novel initiative to enhance the collection, analysis, and use of gender-disaggregated data, the COMESA…
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The Zambian Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) is actively seeking collaboration with the COMESA to bolster the aviation sector through enhanced economic regulation and support to the Zambia Air Services Training Institute (ZASTI). This initiative underscores the CAA’s commitment to elevating aviation standards and ensuring sustainable growth within the sector. This collaborative effort was highlighted during…
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