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COMESA

Common Market for East and Southern Africa


Comesa seeks presence in Middle East
The Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (Comesa) has signalled intentions to expand presence in the Middle East to enhance Arab-African trade relations, despite political turmoil in the region.
Tripartite Free Trade Plan May Repeat Previous Mistakes
With regional wheels rolling to put in place the envisaged grand tripartite free trade area (FTA), questions have arisen about whether it would be viable and increase competitiveness.
PM panel to review India-EU free trade pact on Wednesday
The panel would also clear negotiations for India-Australia FTA and examine setting up a joint study group for a possible free trade pact between India and the Common Market For Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA).
SA to host SADC-Comesa-EAC free trade agreement summit this year
Before mid-year South Africa would host the next summit on the establishment of a Trilateral Free Trade Agreement (T-FTA) among the regional economic groupings of the East African Community (EAC), the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (Comesa), and the Southern African Development Community (SADC).
Comesa developing agro-processing sector strategy
COMESA is developing an agro-processing sector strategy in partnership with the International Trade Centre under the All-African Caribbean Pacific Agricultural Commodities Programme.
Negotiations for Africa free trade area to start by mid-year – Davies
Negotiations for a tripartite free trade area (FTA), which would include 26 East and Southern African member states, were expected to begin by mid-year, Trade and Industry Minister Rob Davies said on Tuesday.
Implementation challenges will haunt Grand FTA
Implementation challenges and barriers to trade liberalization currently dogging SADC’s Free Trade Area (FTA) will continue to haunt member states in the implementation of an ambitious grand FTA encompassing COMESA, EAC and SADC.
COMESA FTA deal in final stages
As the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), East African Community (EAC) and Southern African Development Community (SADC) continue to integrate their economies, countries are now subscribing to the block’s trading area in order to attract investment.
South Africa pushes for new African FTA
South Africa is pushing ahead to secure a free trade agreement between the Southern African Development Community (SADC), the East African Community (EAC) and the Common Market for East African States (Comesa).
"Future lies in a free trade area from Cape to Cairo"
African governments’ ambitious plan for a tripartite free trade area (FTA), stretching from South Africa to Egypt, could be more realistic than getting existing ineffective regional customs unions on the continent to work.
Major push for grand FTA
The envisaged grand Free Trade Area (FTA), a grouping of COMESA, EAC and SADC will hold a decisive tripartite summit in January 2011 in South Africa as a major push for coalescence amongst the 26 countries gathers traction.
Broaden COMESA Free Trade Area - President
President Mugabe has urged the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa to broaden its Free Trade Area to take on board other regional blocs and move away from exporting primary products in favour of processed goods.
COMESA summit underway in Swaziland
The private sector has been urged to actively participate in the formulation of policies that will help guide the proposed Free Trade Area of COMESA, East African Community (EAC), and the Southern African Development Community (SADC).
Africa business blocs set rules for free trade areas
Three regional trading blocs have created a draft agreement which paves the way for the setting up of a $624 billion free trade area.
China urged to explore investment opportunities in COMESA
Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) Secretary-General Sindiso Ngwenya on Tuesday urged China to enter into joint ventures with Africa’s largest regional trading and economic grouping to capitalize on the customs union that was launched last year.
Regional blocs to launch Free Trade Area by 2012
Three regional trading blocs — the Common Market for East and Southern Africa (Comesa), East African Community (EAC) and the Southern African Development Community (Sadc) — plan to launch a Free Trade Area by 2012.
Comesa in plans to increase trade threefold
The Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (Comesa) has announced a number of measures to increase intra-regional trade threefold.
Bid to merge three trading blocs faces disparity threat
Relative advancement of Kenya, South Africa and Egypt’s economies has emerged as one of the leading threats to the merger of three African trading blocs, trade experts said, citing potential disputes that lie in joining economies that are at different levels of development in a seamless market.
Africa blocs draft giant free trade roadmap
Three African trade blocs that have agreed to form a free trade area covering more than half a billion people created a long overdue roadmap on Monday.
Liser urges firmer ties between US, COMESA
US assistant trade representative for Africa Florizelle Liser yesterday said there is need to strengthen her country’s relationship with the COMESA region through various trade and investment agreements.