Ruto Calls for Full Implementation of COMESA Free Trade Area
The President urged member states to fully implement the COMESA Free Trade Area, which seeks to facilitate the movement of goods across participating countries by reducing or eliminating trade barriers.
President William Ruto calls on COMESA member states to strengthen regional trade, remove trade barriers and implement integration commitments during the 25th COMESA Heads of State and Government Summit in Harare, Zimbabwe, where the 2026-2030 Strategic Plan and 2025 Annual Report are launched. Photo: President Ruto.
By Robert Mutasi
President William Ruto has called on member states of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) to strengthen regional trade, remove barriers to commerce and implement existing integration commitments to boost economic growth across the region.
Ruto made the call during the 25th COMESA Heads of State and Government Summit in Harare, Zimbabwe, where the COMESA Medium-Term Strategic Plan 2026-2030 and the organisation’s 2025 Annual Report were launched.
The President said the two documents provide an assessment of the progress made in regional integration, trade and investment while highlighting areas that require greater commitment from member states.
He stressed that countries within the regional economic bloc must take practical steps to expand trade among themselves, improve transport and communication links, and ensure that the benefits of regional integration reach ordinary citizens.
“The report shows the progress we have made in regional integration, trade and investment. It also reminds us that we must do more to increase trade among our countries, remove barriers to trade, improve connectivity and ensure that all our citizens benefit from regional integration,” Ruto said.
The President urged member states to fully implement the COMESA Free Trade Area, which seeks to facilitate the movement of goods across participating countries by reducing or eliminating trade barriers.
He also called for measures to ease the movement of people across borders, saying improved mobility could support business activities, investment and closer economic cooperation among member states.
Ruto further urged governments to connect their national payment systems to regional platforms to make cross-border transactions easier and more efficient.
Linking payment systems could help businesses settle transactions more conveniently, reduce difficulties associated with cross-border payments and support the growth of trade among countries in the bloc.
The Kenyan Head of State also challenged member states to address non-tariff barriers, which can restrict trade even where tariffs have been reduced. Such barriers may include cumbersome customs procedures, delays at border points and other administrative requirements that increase the cost of doing business.
He called on governments to honour existing regional commitments and make their financial contributions to COMESA fully and on time to support the organisation’s programmes and operations.
The launch of the 2026-2030 strategic plan provides a framework for the organisation’s priorities over the next five years, while the 2025 Annual Report offers an account of progress made during the previous year.
COMESA brings together countries in Eastern and Southern Africa with the objective of promoting regional economic cooperation, expanding markets and encouraging investment. Its integration agenda seeks to create better opportunities for businesses by making it easier to trade goods and services across national borders.
However, achieving these objectives depends on the willingness of member states to implement agreed policies and address obstacles that continue to limit regional commerce.
Ruto’s remarks placed renewed emphasis on the need for governments to translate regional agreements into practical measures that can improve business operations, strengthen economic ties and widen access to markets.
The President said member states must fulfil their obligations if regional integration is to deliver meaningful benefits to their populations.
His call comes as African countries continue to pursue closer economic cooperation through regional blocs and the African Continental Free Trade Area, which aims to create a single continental market for goods and services.
The success of these initiatives will depend on stronger coordination among governments, improved infrastructure, efficient payment systems and the removal of unnecessary barriers to cross-border trade.
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