On 26 March 2026, the COMESA Regional Investment Agency (RIA), in collaboration with the Government of the Republic of Kenya, through the Ministry of Trade, Investment and Industry, and the Kenya Investment Authority (InvestKenya), hosted the 2nd COMESA Investment Forum (CIF) on 26 March 2026 in Nairobi, Kenya. The forum was convened under the theme “COMESA: The Single Market Leap”, focusing on advancing regional economic integration and investment opportunities within the COMESA region.

The Forum brought together over 250 policymakers, business leaders, and investors, providing a strategic platform for exploring avenues to augment investments within the COMESA region. It facilitated substantive business-to-business (B2B) and business-to-government (B2G) interactions, thereby fostering connections between projects, entrepreneurs, and prospective investors.

In a statement delivered on behalf of H.E. President William Samoei Ruto, Mr. Abubakar Hassan Abubakar, Permanent Secretary for the State Department for Investment Promotion, emphasised the importance of translating regional integration into tangible investment opportunities. He underscored that regional integration is imperative, calling for innovative strategies to enhance intra-COMESA trade and investment. Mr. Abubakar highlighted COMESA’s readiness for business, citing improved policies, advancing infrastructure, growing markets, and a talented workforce. He urged stakeholders to translate dialogue into tangible outcomes, including partnerships and deals.

COMESA Secretary General, H.E. Chileshe Mpundu Kapwepwe, reaffirmed that the Investment Forum is a key platform for mobilising regional and international investment. Despite a record $65 billion FDI inflow in 2024, she cautioned Member States from sitting back, emphasizing the need to stay competitive and resilient. The Secretary General highlighted three key strategies: boosting intra-regional trade and investment while attracting foreign investors, leveraging global supply chain shifts by improving investment regimes and environments, and collectively promoting all Member States and strengthening collaboration among investment agencies.

Ms. Heba Salama, Chief Executive Officer of COMESA RIA, noted that COMESA’s share of global FDI has grown significantly, reinforcing the region’s position as a leading investment destination in Africa. She emphasized that this growth underscores COMESA’s emergence as a premier investment destination. To sustain this momentum, she outlined four key priorities: promoting manufacturing and value addition, scaling up digital infrastructure, investing in human capital, and strengthening data and policy frameworks to provide investors with clarity, stability, and predictability. She concluded by underscoring the forum’s objective of fostering partnerships and securing transformative deals.

During the forum, the Secretary General launched the COMESA Interactive Investment Map, a digital platform enabling Member States to showcase investment opportunities and directly connect with investors.

Further, the Secretary General and the Permanent Secretary, State Department for Investment Promotion, jointly launched the Investor’s Guide to Kenya with InvestKenya CEO Mr. John Mwendwa. The guide showcases Kenya’s investment opportunities and value proposition, offering a practical perspective for potential investors.

Immediately after the Forum, CEOs of COMESA Investment Promotion Agencies (IPAs) convened their annual technical meeting, under the joint chairmanship of COMESA Assistant Secretary General for Programs, Amb. Dr. Mohamed Kadah, and COMESA RIA CEO, Ms. Heba Salama. The meeting was also attended by UNCTAD, UNIDO, and COMESA Secretariat representatives, where issues related to investment promotion, capacity building and regional coordination were examined in detail. Participants also deliberated on COMESA’s partnerships with UNCTAD and UNIDO as well as the forthcoming edition of the COMESA Investment Report, to be launched jointly by UNCTAD and COMESA later this year.

Link to Pictures: https://imagepictureservices.wfolio.pro/disk/cif-comesa-investment-forum-at-radisson-blue-hotel-1pbdnx/speeches

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Click on the link below to download the Press Release

• Press Release – COMESA Investment Forum Nairobi Kenya ENGLISH
• Press Release – COMESA RIA Hosts 2nd Regional Investment Forum_ARABIC
• Press Release – COMESA RIA Hosts 2nd Regional Investment Forum_FRENCH

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