Category: News

Small Cross Border Traders Adopt New Business Tactics to Manage Pandemic Restrictions

May 24, 2020: Since the first case of Covid-19 was reported in the Great Lakes region in mid-March 2020, small scale traders have been unable to cross borders as they have traditionally done either to buy or sell goods. The regional supply of primary agricultural commodities, most of which are traded under the Simplified Trade…
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COVID-19 Emergency Kit Sent to Border Personnel and Traders

Lusaka, May 24, 2020:  Corona-virus preventive measures taken by various Member States including testing, quarantines and restrictions of gatherings along border points have made it almost impossible for cross-border transactions to take place normally. Clearance of cargo has also been tremendously slowed down leading to long queues hindering supply of essential pharmaceuticals and food items.…
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Measures in COMESA Member States in Response to COVID-19 #7

Follow the link for a consolidated list of measures that COMESA Member States have out in place in response to Coivid-19. Measures in COMESA Member States in Response to COVID-19-Vol. 7

Taking Stock of the Implementation of Regional Integration Support Mechanism

Lusaka, May 23, 2020: The Regional Integration Support Mechanism (RISM), which is implemented through the COMESA Adjustment Facility (CAF) is approaching the end of its lifecycle later this year and has begun taking stock of the current and remaining activities. On Thursday, May 21, 2020, countries benefiting from the project participated in a consultative virtual…
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Energy Project Steering Team Meets to Track Progress

Lusaka, May 22, 2020: COMESA region currently has the lowest electricity generation with approximately 630 million people living without reliable access to electricity and 790 million people forced to rely on solid biomass to cook their food and heat their homes. Studies show that about 1.3 billion people worldwide still lack access to modern energy.…
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Region Adopts Common Guidelines for Safe Trade During Covid-19

Lusaka, May, 15, 2020:Ministers responsible for commerce, trade and industry in the COMESA region have agreed on a set of guidelines, which are expected to play a key role in facilitating coordination and uniform application of measures across the borders while ensuring public safety and safe trade. The decision was made during the 8th Extraordinary…
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Measures that Member States have put in Place in Response to COVID-19

Get the consolidated list of preventive and trade facilitation measures that COMESA Member States have put in place in response to the COVID-19 pandemic Measures in COMESA Member States in Response to COVID-19

COMESA States Want a Socioeconomic Study on the Impact on COVID-19

Lusaka, May 12, 2020: COMESA Member States have asked the Secretariat to conduct a socioeconomic study on the effects of the Coronavirus to inform ongoing COVID-19 containment measures and recovery strategies. The request was made by Permanent/ Principal Secretaries (PSs) from ministries that coordinate COMESA regional integration programmes during the COMESA Intergovernmental Committee meeting conducted…
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Climate Change: Virtual Training of Experts on the Paris Agreement

Lusaka, May 9, 2020: COMESA countries will this week participate in a three-day virtual training on the implementation of the Paris Agreement. This initiative is part of capacity building support to Parties and a joint effort between the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the COMESA Secretariat. The training will focus on…
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COMESA Agency Strikes-off 12 Anti-Competition Trade Agreements

More than 12 trade agreements which have been operational in the Common Market for several years have been assessed and some banned for being anti-competition. The action was taken by the COMESA Competition Commission (CCC) after assessing the agreements in place up to 2019. The banned Agreements were found to have the potential to bar…
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