President Hakainde Hichilema has arrived in Harare, Zimbabwe where he is attending the 25th COMESA Summit of Heads of State and Government.
President Hichilema arrived this morning at nine hours, local time and was welcomed by Zimbabwean Minister of Finance, Mthuli Ncube and Zambia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Mulambo Haimbe.
Zimbabwean Ambassador to Zambia, Charity Charamba was also among other dignitaries who welcomed the Head of State.
Shortly after arrival, the President inspected a Guard of Honour, Mounted by Zimbabwe’s defence force, before proceeding to the New Zimbabwe Parliament building where the Summit is taking place.
This year’s Summit is being held under the theme “One Market, One Future: Advancing Inclusive Industrialisation, Investment and Regional Integration in COMESA”.
The President joins several other Heads of State and their representatives from 21 COMESA member states at the meeting.
During the Summit, President Hichilema and other leaders will witness the handover of the Chairmanship of the Bureau of the COMESA Authority from Kenyan President, William Ruto, to the Summit host, Zimbabwe’s Emmerson Mnangagwa.
Zambia, which houses the headquarters of COMESA, has held the rotating Chairmanship of the COMESA Authority twice, since its establishment in 1994.
President Frederick Chiluba was Chairperson of COMESA from 1997 to 1999. In 2023 when Zambia hosted the 22nd COMESA Summit, President Hichilema took over the position, succeeding President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi of Egypt.
President Hichilema last attended a COMESA Summit at the 23rd COMESA Heads of State and Government Summit in Bujumbura, Burundi, on October 31, 2024, where he handed over the chairmanship to President Évariste Ndayishimiye.
The 25th COMESA Summit will focus on deepening regional integration, inclusive industrialisation and value addition, leveraging digitalisation as well boosting intra-regional trade and investment.
Another area of focus includes empowering women and youth by integrating them into cross-border economic networks and regional supply chains.
On the sidelines of the Summit, President Hichilema is expected to hold bilateral talks with other member countries on mutually beneficial matters.
The Head of State is later today expected to return to Zambia, at the conclusion of his engagements
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