Nairobi Comesa summit to boost intra-African trade, open up markets

Alliance for Commodity Trade in Eastern and Southern Africa Chief Executive Dr John Mukuka. [Paul Mbugua, Standard]

Kenya is preparing to host the 24th Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (Comesa) Summit in October, at a pivotal moment for regional economic cooperation and diplomacy.

The summit, which will bring together Heads of State and Governments from the 21 Comesa member countries, aims to strengthen economic integration and promote sustainable development across the region.

The Comesa Summit comes at a time when intra-African trade is showing promising growth, with trade reaching about Sh14.4 trillion in 2024, up from Sh13.4 trillion in the previous year, a 7.7 per cent growth.

Principal Secretary for Trade and Investment Regina Ombam said the summit has a critical role in advancing regional cooperation. "Comesa markets are set up for economic integration, enabling better and more trade while ensuring every country remains sovereign in itself," she said. She also pointed to the need to strengthen intra-African trade, which has historically been overshadowed by external partnerships. "We don't want to send things out in raw form; we want to do value addition for more competitiveness," Regina explained, highlighting Special Economic Zones and the Export Processing Zones Authority as frontrunners in this effort.

These zones are being positioned as pilots for integration success, with one economic zone targeted to demonstrate broader potential. The approach extends beyond mere setup, adopting a holistic view that includes power, infrastructure, and logistics to create sustainable ecosystems.

The summit also unfolds against the backdrop of shifting global trade dynamics. The Trump administration in the United States has imposed new tariffs on a wide range of imports, signaling a more protectionist stance that could reshape Africa's trade strategies.