Comesa’s (Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa) intra-regional trade has remained steady at $14 billion over the past two years, even amid wider economic challenges, officials reported at a business forum in Burundi.
Secretary-General Chileshe Mpundu Kapwepwe noted that current trade within the bloc stands at six percent, while calling for a reduction in trade barriers to encourage growth. She addressed the 17th High-Level Comesa Business Forum in Bujumbura, urging collaboration to strengthen economies and leverage both regional and global market opportunities.
Kapwepwe highlighted the importance of affordable, interoperable digital financial services to support small businesses and emphasized the untapped potential in the tourism and mining sectors. She advocated for adding value to mineral exports to enhance revenue and announced that the Secretariat is working toward easing the movement of businesspersons within the region by gradually eliminating visa requirements.
In his remarks, Burundi’s Prime Minister Gervais Ndirakobuca focused on climate resilience, urging sustainable practices to address climate change, which he warned poses a serious threat to regional economies and livelihoods. He commended the forum as a valuable venue for exploring agricultural, mining, and tourism value chains.
Representatives from 21 countries across the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (Comesa) participated in the forum, themed “Accelerating regional integration through the development of regional value chains in climate resilient agriculture, mining, and tourism.”
Forum Chairman James Chimwaza highlighted agriculture as a cornerstone of economic growth, essential for food security and the primary livelihood for most Comesa citizens. He called for modernization and eco-friendly practices to protect the environment for future generations.
Elizabeth Nkhwazi, a businesswoman from Malawi and member of the Comesa Federation for Women in Business, praised regional customs protocols for facilitating trade. However, she noted that non-tariff barriers continue to present obstacles for businesses.