On Wednesday 4 June 2025, the COMESA headquarters in Lusaka hosted a high-level delegation from the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat on a benchmarking mission to learn from COMESA’s implementation of the electronic Certificate of Origin (e-CO) system.
Speaking during the meeting, Dr Christopher Onyango, Director of Trade and Customs at COMESA described the interaction as timely and a positive move towards having a truly integrated continental market.
He explained that the benchmarking mission aimed at gaining insights into the design, implementation, and operationalisation of the COMESA e-Certificate of Origin, a digital innovation that supports efficient trade within the region. The visit underscored the alignment of regional and continental efforts to modernise trade processes and enhance intra-African trade.
“We are honoured to host this important benchmarking mission. Your presence reflects our shared commitment to advancing trade facilitation through digital transformation, and we deeply value our ongoing cooperation, particularly in the area of Rules of Origin,” said Dr Onyango to the visiting delegation led by Ms. Demitta Gyang, Director of Customs at the AfCFTA Secretariat.
The electronic Certificate of Origin system was launched by COMESA on the 27 November 2024 to replace the traditional manual system. The e-CO system streamlines the issuance and verification of certificates of origin, which are essential for traders to access preferential tariffs under the COMESA Free Trade Area. The system has been successfully piloted in Eswatini, Malawi, Zambia, and Zimbabwe, with other Member States currently in various stages of onboarding.
The e-CO system ensures interoperability between national and regional platforms and enhances trust and transparency, increases accuracy, and supports environmental sustainability by reducing paper-based processes.
Ms Gyang said experiences from regional economic communities like COMESA offer valuable practical inputs into shaping a robust and functional continental trade framework which the AfCFTA could benefit from.
Both parties agreed that the benchmarking mission reflected the broader collaborative efforts between COMESA and the AfCFTA Secretariat toward achieving the vision of the Abuja Treaty on the African Economic Community. The mission also served as a platform for exploring further areas of cooperation in customs and trade facilitation.