Ruto arrives in Zimbabwe for 25th COMESA Summit

President William Ruto has arrived in Harare, Zimbabwe, for the 25th Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) Summit.

The summit brings together heads of state and government from COMESA’s 21 member countries to review progress on regional integration and set priorities for trade, investment and industrial development.

Ruto is also expected to hand over the COMESA chairmanship to Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa at the summit scheduled for Thursday, October 22, bringing Kenya’s tenure at the helm of the regional bloc to an end.

In a post on X upon arrival, the President said discussions will focus on deepening regional integration, strengthening peace and security, accelerating implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and advancing industrialisation.

The leaders will also explore ways of increasing the economic value derived from Africa’s natural resources through local processing and value addition, which can support manufacturing and strengthen regional value chains.

The meeting is being held under the theme, “One Market, One Future: Advancing Inclusive Industrialisation, Investment and Regional Integration in COMESA.”

Among the key items on the agenda is the launch of COMESA’s Medium-Term Strategic Plan for 2026–2030, which will guide the bloc’s priorities over the next five years.

The plan is expected to address deeper regional integration, increased intra-COMESA trade, industrialisation, infrastructure connectivity and digital transformation.

The summit comes as African countries pursue the AfCFTA, which seeks to create a single continental market for goods and services and strengthen trade between African economies.

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