Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa

Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa — regional trading bloc of 21 member states focused on trade, economic integration, and investment in Eastern and Southern Africa.

2026-08-052026-10-24

News reports

Order a long-term news report on Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa

Every mention in the Kenyan press over the period you choose, compiled as a PDF or Word document.

In coverage

Verbatim sentences from the source article.

August 2026
5 AugThe Standard
… As African markets become more digitally connected through national reforms and regional initiatives under the East African Community, Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa and the African Continental Free Trade Area, buyers will increasingly look beyond their domestic ma …
Why visibility is the first requirement for regional growth

Politics

Ruto hands COMESA chairmanship to Mnangagwa after regional summit

The News

President William Ruto returned to Kenya after attending the 25th COMESA Summit in Harare, where he handed over the chairmanship of the 21-member regional trading bloc to Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa. The summit brought together regional leaders to discuss trade, economic integration, and artificial intelligence, and marked the launch of the COMESA Medium-Term Strategic Plan for 2026–2030.

17 hours ago · Capital News →

Yesterday

Ruto hands COMESA chairmanship to Mnangagwa after regional summit
President William Ruto returned to Kenya after attending the 25th COMESA Summit in Harare, where he handed over the chairmanship of the 21-member regional trading bloc to Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa. The summit brought together regional leaders to discuss trade, economic integration, and artificial intelligence, and marked the launch of the COMESA Medium-Term Strategic Plan for 2026–2030.
17 hours ago · Capital News →
Ruto urges African states to invest more in continental financial institutions
At the COMESA summit in Zimbabwe, President William Ruto called on African governments to place more reserves with African financial institutions, channel development projects through them, and back their bonds, arguing that Africa holds over $4 trillion in domestic assets yet much sits in foreign accounts. He also handed over the COMESA chairmanship to Mnangagwa.
23 October 2026 · Capital News →

Thursday 22 October

Ruto hands COMESA chairmanship to Zimbabwe's Mnangagwa
President William Ruto has handed over the chairmanship of COMESA to Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa during the 25th COMESA Summit in Harare, marking the end of Kenya's tenure leading the regional trading bloc of 21 member states.
22 October 2026 · Citizen Digital →
Ruto hands over COMESA chair, urges regional market levy
President William Ruto handed over the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) chairmanship to Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa at the 25th COMESA Summit in Harare on Thursday, October 22. During the handover, Ruto urged the regional bloc to fast-track a market levy to sustainably finance its programmes and institutions, warning that ambitious plans require matching resources.
22 October 2026 · The Standard →

Wednesday 21 October

Ruto in Harare to hand over COMESA chairmanship to Mnangagwa
President William Ruto arrived in Harare, Zimbabwe, ahead of the 25th COMESA Summit, where he is expected to hand over the regional bloc's chairmanship to President Emmerson Mnangagwa on Thursday. The summit brings together leaders from the 21-member community to deliberate on trade, investment, industrialisation, peace and security.
21 October 2026 · The Standard →
African ministers endorse regional shipping plan to reduce trade costs
Ministers from MOESNA member states have endorsed a proposed regional shipping lines and maritime cabotage protocol to reduce freight costs and build indigenous shipping capacity. The move aims to address high costs, reliance on foreign ships, and fragmented regulations, while increasing intra-Africa trade and expanding maritime job opportunities.
21 October 2026 · The Standard →

Saturday 17 October

African blocs seek joint funding for local medical supply production
Five African Regional Economic Communities (IGAD, SADC, COMESA, EAC, and ECCAS) have called for a joint financing compact and coordinated procurement of medical supplies to strengthen health emergency preparedness and reduce reliance on fragmented regional responses. The recommendations, adopted at a meeting in Lusaka from October 14 to 16, include stronger cross-border disease surveillance and expanded regional manufacturing of health products.
17 October 2026 · Capital News →

Tuesday 8 September

Ruto urges Mombasa SEZ to build factories and create jobs
President William Ruto has challenged developers of the Mombasa Special Economic Zone to move beyond agreements to building factories, creating jobs, and producing goods. Ruto said the zone must help Kenya stop exporting raw materials and importing finished products at higher prices, and described the zone as a step towards transforming Mombasa into a manufacturing, processing and logistics hub.
8 September 2026 · The Standard →

Thursday 13 August

Kagwe pledges food security despite drought-hit maize output
Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe said Kenya expects maize production to decline due to drought in ASALs, but the government has put measures in place to prevent a national food shortage, including supplementing local supplies through imports from the COMESA region.
13 August 2026 · The Standard →

Thursday 6 August

Dongo Kundu SEZ attracts pharmaceutical glass manufacturer despite infrastructure delays
Milly Glass SEZ Ltd plans to establish Africa's first pharmaceutical glass bottle manufacturing plant in Mombasa's Dongo Kundu Special Economic Zone on 15 acres, targeting production of 300,000 amber bottles monthly by July 2027, but slow infrastructure rollout continues to delay large-scale private investment in the zone.
6 August 2026 · The Standard →

Wednesday 5 August

Digital visibility essential for regional business growth
A Kenyan skincare manufacturer lost a potential Rwandan retailer due to poor online discoverability. Small and medium enterprises that rely on local referrals and walk-in customers remain invisible beyond their locality; a professional digital presence—including a simple website with business information—is necessary for cross-border trade.
5 August 2026 · The Standard →