Category: Latest News

COMESA States Want a Socioeconomic Study on the Impact on COVID-19

Lusaka, May 12, 2020: COMESA Member States have asked the Secretariat to conduct a socioeconomic study on the effects of the Coronavirus to inform ongoing COVID-19 containment measures and recovery strategies. The request was made by Permanent/ Principal Secretaries (PSs) from ministries that coordinate COMESA regional integration programmes during the COMESA Intergovernmental Committee meeting conducted…
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COVID-19 a Setback to Intra-Regional Trade, but fiscal policies will play a leading role in mitigating the shock

Due to its openness to international trade and migration, COMESA region should brace for the adverse effects of COVID-19, which are both exogenous and endogenous, according to a report by the COMESA Monetary Institute. According to the report prepared by the Director of the COMESA Monetary Institute (CMI) Mr. Ibrahim Zeidy, the exogenous effects arise…
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Climate Change: Virtual Training of Experts on the Paris Agreement

Lusaka, May 9, 2020: COMESA countries will this week participate in a three-day virtual training on the implementation of the Paris Agreement. This initiative is part of capacity building support to Parties and a joint effort between the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the COMESA Secretariat. The training will focus on…
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COMESA Agency Strikes-off 12 Anti-Competition Trade Agreements

More than 12 trade agreements which have been operational in the Common Market for several years have been assessed and some banned for being anti-competition. The action was taken by the COMESA Competition Commission (CCC) after assessing the agreements in place up to 2019. The banned Agreements were found to have the potential to bar…
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COMESA Staff Supports Zambia’s Efforts on COVID-19

Lusaka, Thursday, May 7, 2020: COMESA Secretariat Staff presented assorted sanitation and protective materials worth $20,000 last week towards supporting efforts of the government of Zambia in its response to the Coronavirus pandemic. Funds to procure the items were raised by the COMESA Secretariat staff as a Corporate Social Responsibility Initiative. They included 15,000 facial…
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COVID-19: List of Preventive & Trade Facilitation Measures in Place in COMESA

On the link below is a consolidated list of preventive and trade facilitation measures that COMESA Member States have put in place in response to COVID-19 pandemic Consolidated list of Measures on COVID-19 in COMESA Member States

COMESA Institutions Join National Efforts in Combating COVID-19

COMESA institutions have joined the efforts towards supporting the governments in their host countries in the fight against the Coronavirus. Among those that have so far contributed to this cause are  the Federation of National Associations of Women in Business in Eastern and Southern Africa (FEMCOM), the COMESA Competition Commission (CCC) and the Trade and…
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Implementation of Joint COMESA-AU Youth Project Delayed

Youth expected to suffer the brunt of unemployment owing to COVID-19 The implementation of the Joint COMESA-African Union Project, which was meant to contribute to youth empowerment and participation in promoting accountable governance in the region and the African continent has been delayed. This is due to the spread of the Coronavirus and will mainly…
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COVID-19 in COMESA: Situational Update 12

A positive trend has been observed in the numbers of total recoveries in the COMESA region, even as the number of confirmed cases continue to rise and countries strengthen their testing capabilities. By May 5, 2020, recoveries were at 4,257.  While Comoros had not recorded any COVID-19 case for a long period of time, a…
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Restrictions on Cross Border Movement Affecting Seed Supply Chain

Restrictions on cross border movement imposed in response to the Coronavirus pandemic by countries in the region, have adversely affected the supply of seeds which may lead to food insecurity. Hence, the African Seed Trade Association (AFSTA) and the COMESA Alliance for Commodity Trade in Eastern and Southern Africa (ACTESA), recommends classification of seeds as…
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