COMESA Convenes 41st Meeting of the Trade and Customs Committee to Address Regional Integration Challenges

The Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) has convened the 41st Meeting of the Trade and Customs Committee in Nairobi, Kenya. The four-day event, which began today and is scheduled to conclude on Friday, July 25th, serves as a strategic platform for Member States to discuss practical policy measures addressing regional socio-economic and political challenges.
Since its inception, the Trade and Customs Committee has played a pivotal role in shaping COMESA’s trade and economic integration agenda. Its efforts have led to the development of several key trade liberalization and facilitation instruments that continue to guide Africa’s integration efforts and promote regional economic growth.
While officially opening the session, Alex Tomerang Deputy Director read a speech on behalf of Principal Secretary for Trade Regina Ombam, affirming Kenya’s strong commitment to the COMESA integration agenda. 
"We believe that a strong, integrated COMESA is essential for sustainable economic growth, job creation, and improved livelihoods for our people," she stated. 
"Kenya remains dedicated to working collaboratively with all Member States to overcome challenges and unlock the full potential of our region."
During the meeting, which brought together representatives from several member countries including Egypt, Sudan, Burundi, DR Congo, and Malawi, the Committee will deliberate on key reports and initiatives including movement of natural persons for trade in services, rules of origin reforms, safeguard measures for the sugar industry, customs modernization, digital trade facilitation and regional implementation strategies for the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). 
Delivering remarks on behalf of the Assistant Secretary-General for Programmes, Dr. Christopher Onyango Director of Trade and Customs at the COMESA secretariat stressed the urgency of the situation. 
“We must deepen our integration and strengthen trade ties within the region if we are to meet the ambitious targets outlined in our strategic plan,” he said.
Themed ‘Accelerating regional integration through the development of regional value chains in climate resilient agriculture, mining and tourism’, the outcomes of the Meeting of the Trade and Customs Committee are expected to lay the foundation for enhanced trade facilitation, stronger regional value chains and a more robust, integrated COMESA market.
Under the COMESA Medium-Term Strategic Plan (MTSP), the bloc aims to increase intra-regional exports to 25% of total exports by 2026—up from a baseline of 10% in 2021. An internal desk analysis in 2021 projected that redirecting extra-COMESA trade to within the region could generate up to US$100 billion in intra-regional trade. However, recent data indicates that intra-COMESA trade remains below 10%, lagging behind trade volumes with the EU, China, and India.