Regional Agricultural Trade
Zambia and Malawi have signed a Mutual Recognition Agreement (MRA) on Conformity Assessment, marking a major milestone in COMESA’s drive to enhance regional agricultural trade and integration. The signing ceremony took place on 11 August 2025 at the Intercontinental Hotel in Lusaka.
The Agreement, facilitated by COMESA through the Enhancing Regional Agricultural Commodity Trade in Eastern and Southern Africa Project, will eliminate duplicate testing and certification for six key commodities including maize, groundnuts, rice, beans, soyabeans, and sorghum. This is expected to reduce trade barriers and lower transaction costs between the two Member States.
Zambia’s Minister of Agriculture Hon. Reuben Mtolo Phiri commended the agreement as a major step forward for regional integration, with the capacity to boost agricultural exports and drive economic growth.
Hon. Vitumbiko Mumba, Malawi’s Minister of Trade and Industry who signed on behalf of the government, highlighted that the agreement will eliminate costly and time-consuming duplicate inspections, testing, and certifications for goods crossing between the two countries.
Speaking on behalf of COMESA, Assistant Secretary General for Programmes Amb. Dr. Mohamed Kadah commended the collaborative spirit that led to the signing. “This MRA is a testament to the value of regional cooperation and technical harmonization. It opens new opportunities for farmers, traders, and consumers across our region,” he said.
The Malawi–Zambia MRA builds on COMESA’s broader MRA pilot involving Kenya, Malawi, Rwanda, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe, supported by the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) and the Foreign Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO). The pilot has established mutual recognition frameworks, governance structures, and national technical working groups to strengthen inspection and sampling.
This agreement marks the beginning of the implementation phase and reinforces COMESA’s commitment to unlocking the full potential of regional trade for inclusive economic growth.
COMESA’s Assistant Secretary General for Administration & Finance Dr Dev Haman, senior government officials and development partners witnessed the signing.