Nairobi: Nairobi will host the Heads of State and Government from the 21-member states of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) from October 7 to 9, 2025.
According to Kenya News Agency, Principal Secretary (PS) State Department for Trade, Regina Ombam, has affirmed that Kenya is ready to host the 24th COMESA Summit themed 'Leveraging Digitalisation to Deepen Value Chains for Sustainable and Inclusive Growth.' Ombam emphasized that the summit comes at a critical point when global trade patterns are shifting, providing a platform for African leaders to assess the current trade ecosystem and explore opportunities for boosting intra-continental trade.
Ombam highlighted the need for Africa to re-engineer its trade strategies to promote economic growth across the continent. She noted that the summit offers a chance for leaders to discuss how to make trade within Africa more seamless and beneficial for all member states. The conference will also include the COMESA Business Forum and the Council of Ministers for Foreign Affairs meeting, providing additional platforms for dialogue and collaboration.
The Principal Secretary underscored the importance of making intra-African trade more effective, noting that historically, African nations have traded more with countries outside the continent. Ombam stated that the summit aims to encourage discussions on improving market access and making trade more equitable within Africa.
Kenya is taking significant steps to modernize its infrastructure and operations as part of its industrialization agenda. Ombam explained that the country aims to enhance value addition and processing of traditional exports such as coffee and tea. Special Economic Zones (SEZ) are being established to make Kenyan products more competitive on the global stage. The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) has expressed interest in using one of Kenya's SEZs as a pilot project to demonstrate the benefits of regional integration.
Infrastructure improvements, including roads and railways, are also a focus for Kenya, as the country seeks to enhance its trade capabilities and open up markets. The PS emphasized that these efforts are crucial for the growth of trade and the prosperity of the region.