Ruto arrives in Harare ahead of COMESA summit

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President William Ruto arrive at Robert Gabriel Mogabe International Airport, Harare Zimbabwe on October 21, 2026. [PCS]

President William Ruto arrived in Harare, Zimbabwe, on  Wednesday evening ahead of the 25th Summit of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) Heads of State and Government.

In the meeting President Ruto is expected to hand over the regional bloc’s chairmanship to President Emmerson Mnangagwa on Thursday.

Ruto landed at Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport, where he was received by Zimbabwe’s Tourism and Hospitality Industry Minister Barbara Rwodzi and other senior government officials.

The summit brings together leaders from the 21-member regional economic community to deliberate on trade, investment, industrialisation, peace and security, as member states seek to accelerate economic integration and expand commercial opportunities.

President William Ruto welcomed by leaders on arrival at Robert Gabriel Mogabe International Airport, Harare Zimbabwe on October 21, 2026. [PCS]

Ruto said leaders would prioritise regional cooperation, the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and the transformation of Africa’s natural resources into higher-value products.

“Arrived in Harare, Zimbabwe, for the 25th Summit of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) Heads of State and Government,” he said.

“At the summit, we will focus on deepening regional integration, strengthening peace  and security, accelerating the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area, advancing industrialisation, and unlocking the full economic potential of Africa’s natural resources through value addition.”

The handover will mark the end of Kenya’s tenure at the helm of COMESA, following Ruto’s election as chairperson in 2025, succeeding Burundi’s President Évariste Ndayishimiye.

This year’s summit is being held under the theme, “One Market, One Future: Advancing Inclusive Industrialisation, Investment and Regional Integration in COMESA.”

The meeting provides an opportunity for member states to assess progress in implementing regional integration programmes and identify practical measures to reduce trade barriers, attract investment and strengthen cross-border commerce.

President William Ruto acknowledge greetings from leaders on arrival at Robert Gabriel Mogabe International Airport, Harare Zimbabwe on October 21, 2026. [PCS]

Established in 1994, COMESA is a regional economic community comprising 21 member states, with a mandate to promote economic prosperity through trade liberalisation, cooperation and the creation of a larger integrated market.

Its initiatives include easing the movement of goods across borders, improving trade facilitation and expanding opportunities for businesses to reach consumers beyond their domestic markets.

The summit comes as African countries push to accelerate implementation of the AfCFTA, which aims to create a single continental market for goods and services and strengthen intra-African trade.

For Kenya, deeper regional integration offers opportunities to expand exports, attract investment, support industrial growth and create jobs by giving local producers access to wider markets.