Prime Minister Dr Justin Nsengiyumva (extreme right) in a group photo with other leaders at the summit this Thursday
HARARE – Leaders from the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) are meeting in Harare, Zimbabwe, on Thursday, October 22, to discuss regional trade, industrialisation and investment.
Rwanda’s Prime Minister, Justin Nsengiyumva, is representing President Paul Kagame at the 25th Summit of Heads of State and Government. The meeting is taking place at the New Parliament Building in Mt Hampden.
Held under the theme “One Market, One Future: Advancing Inclusive Industrialisation, Investment and Regional Integration in COMESA,” the summit will review progress on regional integration and set priorities for the coming years.
A key item is the launch of the COMESA Medium-Term Strategic Plan for 2026–2030. It prioritises regional trade, industrialisation, infrastructure connectivity, digital transformation and improved citizen welfare.
The plan also seeks to strengthen regional value chains in agriculture, manufacturing and critical minerals. It aims to promote local processing and increase the value of the region’s natural resources.
Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa is taking over the COMESA chairmanship from Kenyan President William Ruto. Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema becomes vice-chair, while Kenya serves as rapporteur.
In his acceptance remarks, Mnangagwa stressed the need to make regional integration benefit ordinary citizens.
“Integration is only a success when it benefits the ordinary citizen,” he said.
He called for better connections between regional markets and action to remove transport bottlenecks. He also highlighted the need for long-term financing for roads and railways.
Other priorities include digital trade systems to support young people, women and small businesses. Mnangagwa also called for more local processing of natural resources, agro-processing industrial parks and climate-resilient agriculture to strengthen food security.
He thanked Ruto for advancing digitalisation and regional value chains. He also congratulated Hichilema on his appointment.
Ruto said the summit would focus on deeper regional integration, peace and security, industrialisation and implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). He also called for greater value addition through local processing of Africa’s natural resources.
The summit follows preparatory meetings held from October 19 to 21. These included the COMESA Green Industry Connect, a multi-sectoral international exhibition, the 19th COMESA Business Forum and a meeting of foreign ministers.
At their meeting on Wednesday, October 21, foreign ministers called for stronger regional cooperation on peace and security. They reviewed developments in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia and Somalia, as well as wider geopolitical issues.
The ministers warned that conflict, terrorism and climate-related insecurity threaten trade and economic growth. They elected Zimbabwe as chair of their meeting, Zambia as vice-chair and Burundi as rapporteur.
Kenya’s Prime Cabinet Secretary, Musalia Mudavadi, highlighted COMESA’s progress in free trade and regional connectivity. He warned that security threats continue to undermine prosperity. Kenya’s exports to COMESA member states exceeded $2.2 billion in 2024, he said.
COMESA has 21 member states. Its main objective is to promote economic integration through trade, investment and regional cooperation.
The Harare summit is expected to set the bloc’s priorities for 2026–2030. Official outcomes and a final communiqué are expected after the meeting.
