COMESA held its 12th Annual Research Forum from 16 – 18 September 2026 under the theme “Accelerating Regional Integration Through Value Chain Development in Agriculture, Mining, Tourism and Climate Change Adaptation.” The three-day meeting brought together policymakers, researchers, private sector leaders, and development partners to exchange ideas, share knowledge, and propose evidence-based solutions that will…
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The Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), in partnership with the World Bank, will convene the inaugural ASCENT Week 2025 from 22 to 26 September at Ciela Resort, Lusaka, Zambia. This flagship event marks a turning point in the region’s energy transformation agenda. ASCENT Week will gather over 350 high-level participants from across…
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Recent studies by the COMESA Monetary Institute (CMI) have revealed that some Member States have experienced a significant impact on their financial stability caused by shocks from Non-Bank Financial Institutions (NBFIs). The impact of NBFIs’ shocks on financial stability has been mixed with some countries experiencing significant instability while for other countries, the impact was…
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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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Preparations for the development of COMESA’s 2026–2030 Medium-Term Strategic Plan (MTSP) have commenced with a two-day retreat for management and technical staff in Lusaka, held on March 24–25, 2025. The retreat’s agenda focused on reviewing the performance of the current 2021–2025 MTSP, identifying successes, challenges, and key lessons to inform the next five-year plan. Leading…
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Most Member States do not compile high-frequency measures of gross domestic product (GDP). If they do, the estimates come with a considerable lag, yet policy decisions need to be made often, particularly when major shocks such as COVID-19 pandemic or climate related shocks have occurred. This has inspired the COMESA Monetary Institute to come up…
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