COMESA Member States met in Kigali, Rwanda from 21-22 May 2025 to validate the revised COMESA Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Regulations. The regulations govern how the COMESA region should manage matters related to food safety, plant health and animal health. The review and revision of the SPS Regulations aimed to address the SPS risks which…
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The COMESA region holds significant untapped potential in its seed market, with an estimated demand of two million metric tons (MT) of quality and improved seed. However, current production and access remains below 500,000 MT. To address this gap, stakeholders from member states convened in Nairobi, Kenya on 20-21 May 2025 for a regional meeting…
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The COMESA Monetary Institute (CMI) is building the capacity of member central banks in Monetary Policy Formulation and Implementation in an Era of Inflation Targeting (IT) Regime. CMI has observed that IT has increasingly become a monetary policy framework of choice globally, including in emerging and developing countries hence the need for COMESA Member States…
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The Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) and UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, today signed an important Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen cooperation and collaboration to find lasting solutions for millions of people forced to flee their homes across the Africa due to conflicts and natural disasters. This partnership builds on pledges…
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The Zambia-Tanzania-Kenya (ZTK) Power Interconnector Project has officially been relaunched in Lusaka by the three participating governments, with strong backing from the World Bank, the European Union and the United Kingdom. Aimed at linking the East African Power Pool (EAPP) with the Southern African Power Pool (SAPP), the ZTK project will create one of Africa’s…
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Noting the need to facilitate and enhance small-scale cross-border trade, the Government of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) signed an Interministerial Decree on 10 March 2025 to enable the implementation of the COMESA Simplified Trade Regime (STR) on its borders with neighbouring COMESA countries. The DRC shares borders with four COMESA countries Burundi, Rwanda,…
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Members of the Programme Steering Committee for the European Union funded Institutional Capacity Building Programme (ICBP) at COMESA Secretariat and EU Delegation in Zambia met in Lusaka to review progress in implementation of the Programme. Funded under the 11th European Development Fund, the initiative continues to be a cornerstone in COMESA’s efforts to strengthen institutional…
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Malawi is scheduled to hold general elections on 16 September 2025 to elect a President, Members to the National Assembly and representatives Ward Councils to serve for a five-year period. The 2025 elections come after the previous elections in 2019 that were initially nullified by the Supreme Court. The Court besides the nullification of elections…
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Fifty staff from Central Banks in twelve COMESA countries have been trained in understanding the complex interaction between monetary policy and fintech. The comprehensive training will enable staff to provide advice for effective policy responses to the challenges and opportunities presented by fintech in the COMESA region. Organised by the COMESA Monetary Institute, the virtual…
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COMESA has launched the World Bank-funded Inclusive Digitalization for East and Southern Africa (IDEA) Programme which aims to empower 180 million people with internet access and provide digitally enabled services to 100 million people over the next eight years. Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Technology and Science of Zambia, Dr. Brilliant Habeenzu, launched the programme alongside, World…
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