COMESA Trade and Customs Committee Convenes in Nairobi to Accelerate Regional Integration

Nairobi, July 22, 2025 — The 41st Meeting of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) Trade and Customs Committee officially opened in Nairobi, Kenya, bringing together senior trade officials, customs experts, and regional stakeholders to advance key policy measures aimed at strengthening intra-African trade and economic integration.

Addressing the delegates, Mr. Alex Tomerang, Deputy Director representing Kenya’s State Department for Trade, warmly welcomed participants to the four-day session on behalf of the Principal Secretary.

Reading a speech on behalf of Regina Ombam, the Principle Secretary (PS) ,the PS  underscored the importance of the meeting as a critical milestone in advancing COMESA’s regional integration agenda.

“This committee plays a pivotal role in harmonizing customs procedures, dismantling trade barriers, and enhancing the competitiveness of our economies,” said Ombam.

Additionally,she stated that Kenya remains firmly committed to COMESA’s vision of a united and prosperous region driven by seamless trade and collaboration.

The session comes amid growing global trade disruptions, including unilateral tariffs and geopolitical shifts, which have exposed vulnerabilities in Africa’s external trade reliance. In response, COMESA is intensifying efforts to foster intra-regional trade and develop climate-resilient regional value chains in agriculture, mining, and tourism.

Addressing Structural Trade Challenges

Director Trade and Customs, COMESA Secretariat,Lusaka Zambia Christopher Onyango noted that despite years of progress in trade liberalization, intra-COMESA trade continues to lag behind, stagnating below 10 percent of total exports well short of the 25 percent target set under the COMESA Medium-Term Strategic Plan (2021–2025).

Director Trade and Customs,COMESA Secretariat Lusaka Zambia, Christopher Onyango speaking at a press briefing during the  41st Meeting of the COMESA Trade and Customs Committee

“We must take extraordinary measures to reverse these trends. Our region has the potential to redirect up to $100 billion in extra-COMESA trade back into our markets if we act decisively,” Onyango emphasized.

He highlighted COMESA’s progress in adopting flexible rules of origin, launching digital tools to resolve non-tariff barriers, and formalizing small-scale cross-border trade. However, he stressed that non-participating member states must expedite their entry into the COMESA Free Trade Area (FTA) to unlock the full benefits of integration.

Strategic Focus Areas

Delegates will deliberate on several key reports, including:

• Outcomes from the Joint COMESA-WTO Capacity Building Workshop on Trade in Services;

• Progress updates from the Trade Facilitation and Customs Sub-Committees;

• A review of Rules of Origin to align with global trade trends;

• The proposed digitalization of customs instruments, including the launch of the e-Certificate of Origin;

• And the presentation of a draft COMESA-AfCFTA Implementation Strategy aimed at aligning regional trade efforts with the African Continental Free Trade Area framework.

The 41st meeting is being held under the theme: “Accelerating Regional Integration through the Development of Regional Value Chains in Climate Resilient Agriculture, Mining and Tourism.”

As COMESA approaches the end of its current strategic cycle and begins drafting the 2026–2030 roadmap, member states are being urged to forge consensus and take bold policy decisions that will steer the region toward shared prosperity.

“Let us use this platform to develop actionable strategies that empower our traders, boost investments, and build resilient supply chains,” said Tomerang in his closing appeal.

The meeting continues through July 25, with outcomes expected to inform recommendations for the upcoming COMESA Policy Organs meetings later this year