The COMESA Secretariat and COMESA Federation of Women in Business (COMFWB) held a joint planning meeting from 9 – 11 February 2026 in Salima, Malawi to align the Gender and Social Affairs Division’s strategic goals as outlined in COMESA’s Medium Term Strategic Plan (2026-2030 MTSP) with the COMFWB Medium Term Strategic Plan (2026–2030).

The three-day meeting featured discussions on areas of convergence and collaboration, particularly focusing on various projects that the COMFWB Secretariat will implement this year and all the way to 2030 when the new MTSP lapses.

Speaking at the opening of the meeting, Director for Gender and Social Affairs Ms Beatrice Hamusonde remarked that the meeting demonstrated the commitment to collaborate. 

She commended COMFWB for the good work done and observed that for meaningful integration to happen, the COMESA Business Council (CBC) and COMFWB have key roles to play.

“COMESA Secretariat is behind the work you are doing and will continue to support you,” she said.

COMFWB Board chairperson and chair of the COMFWB Zambia chapter Ms Maureen Sumbwe reaffirmed the commitment to represent the women in business in the national chapters and also lauded the COMFWB Secretariat for its resource mobilization efforts.

On his part, COMFWB Chief Executive Officer Mr Chikakula Miti thanked the COMESA Secretariat for pushing for deeper cooperation and collaboration and noted that it was important to harmonize the activities and interventions laid out in the respective plans of the two institutions.

The two institutions broadly deliberated on the areas of alignment with regard to strategic priorities and programs, as well as collaboration on projects which include COYWA, ECOWYERT and a COMFWB-AGRA initiative, all set to roll out in 2026.

Ms Esperance Belau, Ms Selina Mwenelupembe and Ms Edna Mukurazhizha, the COMFWB national chapter chairpersons for Democratic Republic of Congo, Malawi and Zimbabwe respectively, also participated in the planning meeting.