HH HEADS TO ZIMBABWE FOR CRUCIAL COMESA SUMMIT TO BOOST TRADE AND INVESTMENT
By: Justin Banda
President Hakainde Hichilema will travel to Harare, Zimbabwe, to attend the 25th Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) Summit of Heads of State and Government, scheduled for 22 October 2026.
The summit will be hosted by President Emmerson Mnangagwa under the theme “One Market, One Future: Advancing Inclusive Industrialization, Investment and Regional Integration in COMESA.”
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, President Hichilema’s participation underscores Zambia’s commitment to regional economic integration and the Grow Zambia Agenda, which seeks to promote growth, expand trade, attract investment and create opportunities for citizens.
The summit will provide a platform to advance Zambia’s economic interests by promoting the removal of trade barriers, strengthening regional value chains and enhancing connectivity.
President Hichilema is expected to engage fellow Heads of State and Government in discussions aimed at deepening regional integration, promoting inclusive industrialisation and unlocking COMESA’s economic potential.
On the margins of the summit, the President will hold bilateral meetings with other leaders to strengthen cooperation, expand trade and investment, and advance Zambia’s development priorities.
The summit will also review the state of regional integration, consider priority programmes, and receive reports from the Council of Ministers, Ministers of Foreign Affairs and the COMESA Business Forum.
The gathering will oversee the transfer of instruments of power from the outgoing Chairperson of the COMESA Authority, President William Ruto of Kenya, to the incoming Chairperson, President Mnangagwa.
The new bureau will comprise Zimbabwe as Chairperson, Eswatini as Vice-Chairperson and Kenya as Rapporteur.
As host of the COMESA Secretariat, Zambia has reaffirmed its commitment to the objectives and ideals of COMESA and its readiness to work with member states to advance the shared vision of a prosperous, integrated and peaceful region.
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