Africa must move beyond exporting raw materials and embrace value addition, industrialisation and regional manufacturing if it is to create sustainable jobs and economic opportunities for its youthful population.
This was among the key messages emerging from the recent COMESA Summit and Business Forum held in Harare, Zimbabwe.
The 25th Summit of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), held on October 22, 2026, under the theme “One Market, One Future: Advancing Inclusive Industrialisation, Investment and Regional Integration in COMESA,” brought together regional leaders, policymakers, investors and business representatives to discuss the continent’s economic future.
Robert Mulyungi, Youth President and country development board member of the Intercontinental Confederation of Chambers of Commerce and Enterprises (ICCCE), has emphasised the importance of placing young people at the centre of Africa’s industrialisation and regional integration agenda.
Mulyungi’s message aligns with the urgent need to transform Africa’s natural resources into the foundation for industries, employment, innovation and wealth creation, rather than continuing to export commodities for processing elsewhere.
He maintains that Africa’s economic future depends on building productive capacity that allows local businesses and entrepreneurs to capture more value from the continent’s resources.
The discussions in Harare highlighted the need for stronger regional value chains, investment in infrastructure and technology, easier cross-border trade and greater participation by small and medium-sized enterprises.
For young people, these priorities represent an opportunity to move beyond seeking scarce formal employment and become active participants in manufacturing, trade, technology and enterprise development.
Member states reaffirmed that the vision of “One Market, One Future” can only become meaningful when regional cooperation translates into tangible economic benefits. This includes opening markets, strengthening transport and trade infrastructure, harmonising procedures and ensuring that entrepreneurs can access customers across borders.
For Mulyungi, youth inclusion must go beyond conference declarations. Young entrepreneurs need access to finance, mentorship, skills development, technology and regional markets to turn their ideas into sustainable businesses. Without these foundations, Africa risks leaving its youthful population on the margins of the very economic transformation intended to secure its future.
The conference also reinforced the importance of industrialisation in sectors such as agriculture, manufacturing, critical minerals and green industries. These sectors offer opportunities for young innovators and businesses to develop products locally, create jobs and participate in regional supply chains.
The message was clear: Africa must not only trade what it produces; it must increasingly produce what it trades. That shift would help retain wealth within the continent, strengthen regional industries and make integration meaningful to ordinary citizens.
As Youth President of ICCCE, Mulyungi’s focus is on ensuring that young people are recognised not merely as beneficiaries of economic policies, but as partners in designing and implementing them. The challenge ahead is to turn the commitments made in Zimbabwe into practical programmes that support youth-led enterprises, expand regional manufacturing and create decent employment.
Ultimately, the success of “One Market, One Future” will be measured not only by agreements signed or trade figures recorded, but by the businesses established, industries built and opportunities created for Africa’s next generation.