MBABANE – COMESA and the European Union strengthened strategic cooperation in Lusaka, prioritising regional integration, trade resilience, infrastructure investment and AfCFTA implementation amid global economic uncertainty and geopolitical shifts.
The strengthening of cooperation between the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) and the EU is expected to bolster regional integration, trade facilitation, infrastructure development and industrialisation across Eastern and Southern Africa amid growing global economic uncertainty.
This emerged during the Second EU–COMESA Strategic Political Dialogue held at the COMESA Secretariat in Lusaka on Tuesday, where leaders from both institutions reaffirmed their commitment to advancing economic transformation, regional stability and sustainable development.
The high-level engagement brought together the Secretary General of COMESA, Chileshe Kapwepwe, the EU Ambassador to Zambia and COMESA, Karolina Stasiak and the EU Ambassador to the African Union Niño Pérez.
The dialogue focused on aligning priorities between the two institutions at a time when the global economy is facing heightened geopolitical tensions, supply chain disruptions, climate-related shocks and rising energy and logistics costs.
Kapwepwe said ongoing global developments were reshaping international trade and investment systems, with direct implications for African economies and regional trade corridors.
She said conflicts, growing trade fragmentation and disruptions along key maritime routes such as the Red Sea corridor had exposed the vulnerability of global supply chains and reinforced the need for resilient regional integration systems.
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... EU commits over E6bn
MBABANE – The European Union (EU) reaffirmed its continued support to COMESA through its Global Gateway strategy and broader Africa-Europe cooperation frameworks.
The EU said it had already invested more than E6 billion (EUR315 million) in ongoing programmes supporting regional integration priorities, including trade facilitation, customs modernisation, infrastructure development, maritime security, peacebuilding and institutional capacity building.
The two sides reiterated that the partnership continued to produce tangible development outcomes and remained central to strengthening Africa-Europe economic cooperation.
For Eswatini and other COMESA member States, such support is expected to contribute towards improving regional trade competitiveness, reducing non-tariff barriers and enhancing access to regional and international markets.
The dialogue further underscored the importance of accelerating the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area to unlock industrialisation opportunities, create jobs and strengthen regional value chains.
Participants highlighted infrastructure development, transport corridors and enhanced regional connectivity as key enablers of economic transformation across the continent. Stasiak described the AfCFTA as a ‘generational opportunity’ capable of reshaping Africa’s economic landscape.
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The Secretary General of COMESA Chileshe Kapwepwe. (Courtesy pic)