Egypt is head of COMESA for 12M, targets regional integration
Egypt's presidency of COMESA targets regional integration and leveraging of AfCFTA: Sisi
Egypt has assumed the chairmanship of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (Comesa), a regional trade bloc that looks to align regulatory and trade policies of its 21 members
The baton was passed to Egypt at Comesa’s annual summit held at the new capital yesterday; the North African country will use our 12 months at the helm to steer the organization’s 2021-2025 goals to improve regional trade, it said in a statement.
President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi said on Tuesday that Egypt’s presidency of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa bloc (COMESA) aims to achieve regional integration by developing intra-regional trade, as well as leveraging the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
El-Sisi underscored the necessity of introducing exemptions to customs as agreed upon within the framework of the AfCFTA.
Egypt is assuming the presidency of the summit for the first time since 2001.
Zambia hosted the last COMESA summit in Lusaka in 2018.
“Egypt will seek to follow up on this mechanism in cooperation with the COMESA’s general secretariat and member states,” El-Sisi said.
He added that Egypt will strive to promote continental integration and highlight the progress made within the framework of the regional integration of COMESA, the East African Community, and the Southern African Development Community.
Egypt will also work on encouraging the countries that signed the AfCFTA agreement to start enforcing its terms, he said.
He highlighted his proposal to set up a mechanism to review the trade policies of member states on a periodic basis to ensure the effective implementation of customs privileges.
