More than 400 exhibitors participated in the 19th COMESA Business Forum and Exhibition in Harare, showcasing products and exploring business opportunities as the regional bloc seeks to strengthen intra-African trade, investment and industrialisation, COMESA Secretariat has said.
In a press release, on the three-day event held at the Harare International Conference Centre from October 19 to 21, the Secretariat said exhibitors ranging from micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) to large corporations showcased their products and explored business opportunities across the bloc’s 21 member states.
The forum brought together business leaders, investors, policymakers and business associations to strengthen partnerships and promote trade within the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA).
According to the Secretariat, President Emmerson Mnangagwa, who is expected to assume the chairmanship of the COMESA Authority, challenged businesses to strengthen collaboration and identify practical measures to increase intra-regional trade, investment and job creation.
“I challenge this forum to hold frank and bold dialogue that will help scale up intra-regional trade and investment, identify practical solutions and forge partnerships that allow businesses to produce, invest, trade and create jobs across our common market,” he said.
The Secretariat said President Mnangagwa also called for increased investment in agriculture, critical minerals, energy, industrialisation and human capital development to boost regional production and competitiveness.
He further urged member states to remove tariff and non-tariff barriers and harmonise trade procedures, positioning COMESA as a key building block of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
COMESA Secretary-General, Chileshe Mpundu Kapwepwe, said the bloc was making progress towards an integrated market, with businesses increasingly sourcing inputs from other member states and accessing customers across the region.
“Goods are crossing our borders faster through one-stop border posts and electronic certificates of origin. Small-scale traders are trading formally under the Simplified Trade Regime, and enterprises of every size are reaching customers across the region. This is one market in practice,” she said.
The Secretariat said COMESA comprised 21 member states with a combined population of more than 680 million people and an economy valued at approximately US$1 trillion.
Intra-regional trade stands at about US$14 billion, while the COMESA Free Trade Area has removed tariffs on qualifying goods traded among participating countries. The COMESA-EAC-SADC Tripartite Free Trade Area, which entered into force in July 2024, has further expanded opportunities for regional commerce.
The forum was held under the theme “One Market, One Future: Advancing Inclusive Industrialisation, Investment and Regional Integration in COMESA.”
