President Hakainde Hichilema has handed over the Certificate of Title for 14 hectares of land allocated by the Government to the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) for the construction of its new headquarters in Lusaka.
Hichilema handed over the title to Zimbabwean President Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa, Chairperson of the COMESA Authority, during the 25th COMESA Summit of Heads of State and Government held in Harare, Zimbabwe.
In a statement issued in Harare on Thursday, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Mulambo Haimbe said the handover marked a significant milestone towards the development of a modern, fit-for-purpose headquarters for COMESA and reaffirmed Zambia’s longstanding commitment as host country.
“As host of the COMESA Secretariat, Zambia has increased land allocated for the new headquarters from the initial 10 acres to 14 hectares,” Haimbe said.
He said the land, situated along Lusaka Airport Road and valued at more than US$7 million, was expected to accommodate the COMESA headquarters building, a 200-room hotel and a 1,000-capacity conference facility, among other developments.
In October 2025, the COMESA Secretariat signed a US$140 million framework agreement with China State Construction Engineering Corporation Limited for the financing and construction of the new headquarters.
“A ground-breaking ceremony for the development will be held in due course and is expected to be graced by President Hichilema and President Mnangagwa,” Haimbe said.
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Speaking before the handover, Hichilema called on COMESA Member States to take deliberate measures to increase intra-COMESA trade by addressing trade barriers, improving connectivity and facilitating the seamless movement of goods, services and people.
He also urged Member States to progressively work towards non-stop border posts and more efficient border management systems to reduce delays, lower the cost of doing business and accelerate the movement of goods and services.
Hichilema further underscored the importance of regional investment and value addition, saying Member States should increasingly invest together, build regional value chains and transform abundant natural and agricultural resources into higher-value products.
“Zambia’s Grow Zambia Agenda, anchored on expanding productive sectors including agriculture, livestock, tourism, mining and energy, provides a building block for the broader COMESA growth agenda,” Hichilema said.
He stressed that deeper regional integration must ultimately translate into tangible benefits for citizens through increased production, expanded trade, job creation and greater business opportunities.
Speaking earlier, outgoing COMESA Authority Chairperson and Kenyan President William Samoei Ruto commended Zambia for increasing the land allocation, saying the gesture demonstrated the country’s commitment to providing modern infrastructure.
“Development of the new headquarters would contribute towards strengthening institutional capacity of COMESA and support implementation of its 2026-2030 Medium-Term Strategic Plan,” Ruto said.
The 25th COMESA Summit is being held under the theme “One Market, One Future: Advancing Inclusive Industrialisation, Investment and Regional Integration in COMESA”.
Mnangagwa has taken over the chairmanship of the COMESA Authority from President Ruto.
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