The COMESA Authority

The COMESA Authority comprises of the Heads of State and Government of the different COMESA Countries; the Authority is COMESA’s supreme policy-making organ. It is responsible for the general policy direction and control of the performance of the executive functions of COMESA. It is headed by a Chairman elected for an agreed period.

The Authority meets once a year, but may hold an Extraordinary Summit at the request of any member of the Authority, provided that one-third of the members of the Authority support such a request. The last extraordinary Summit was held in 2000 at the official launching of the COMESA FTA. Summits are held in various member States, with the host Government and the COMESA Secretariat bearing joint responsibility for their organization. Usually, the country hosting the Summit assumes the chairmanship of the Authority for the year.

Decision Making Process

Under normal circumstances, the Authority takes decisions by consensus. Although its meetings are in closed session, at the end of each meeting, the leaders issue a communiqué recording their decisions. The Authority sometimes issues declarations or statements on matters of particular concern. The directives and decisions taken by the Authority are binding on all member States and the other organs to which they are addressed.

Past Chair-persons of the COMESA Authority

2016 – Present His Excellency Hery Rajaonarimampianina
President of the Republic of Madagascar
2015 – 2016 His Excellency Ato Hailemariam Desalegn
Prime Minister of the Fedral Republic of Ethiopia
2014 – 2015 His Excellency Joseph Kabila
President of the Democratic Republic of Congo
2012 – 2014 His Excellency Yoweri Kaguta Museveni
President of the Republic of Uganda
2011 – 2012 His Excellency Ngwazi Prof. Bingu Wa Mutharika
President of the Republic of Malawi
2010 – 2011 His Majesty King Mswati III
Ingwenyama of the Kingdom of Swaziland
2009 – 2010 His Excellency Robert Gabriel Mugabe
President of the Republic of Zimbabwe
2007 – 2009 His Excellency Mwai Kibaki
President of the Republic of Kenya
2006 – 2007 His Excellency Ismail Omar Guelleh
President of the Republic of Djibouti
2005 – 2006 His Excellency Paul Kagame
President of the Republic of Rwanda
2004 – 2005 His Excellency Yoweri Kaguta Museveni
President of the Republic of Uganda
2003 – 2004 His Excellency Omar Hassan Ahmed Al Bashir
President of the Republic of Sudan
2002 – 2003 His Excellency Meles Zenawi,
Prime Minister of The Federal Republic of Ethiopia
2001 – 2002 His Excellency Mohammed Hosni Mubarak
President of the Republic of Egypt
2000 – 2001 His Excellency Sir Anerood Jugnauth
President of the Republic of Mauritius
1999 – 2000 His Excellency Daniel Arap Moi
President of the Republic of Kenya
1997 – 1999 His Excellency Dr Frederick Chiluba
President of the Republic of Zambia
1994 – 1997 His Excellency Dr Bakili Muluzi
President of the Republic of Malaw

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