Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA)
COMESA members
The Common Market for eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) was initially established in 1981 as the
Preferential Trade Area for Eastern and Southern Africa (PTA). The COMESA Free Trade Area (FTA)
came into being in 2000. COMESA assists its member states to build capacity in regards to Rules
of Origin and dealing with Non-Tariff Barriers. COMESA is currently working towards becoming a common market.
COMESA members (19) are: Burundi, Comoros, D.R. Congo, Djibouti, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Libya,
Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Rwanda, Seychelles, Sudan, Swaziland, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
COMESA has several operating institutions, which support and facilitate investment and trade.
The Trade and Development Bank (TDB) is an African regional development financial institution established
in 1985. The Bank’s mandate is to finance and foster trade, socio-economic development and regional
economic integration across its Member States. Although TDB is a COMESA institution, membership is
open to Non-COMESA states, non-regional countries as well as institutional shareholders. The Bank
offers a broad range of products and services, across both private and public sectors, including
debt, equity and quasi-equity, plus guarantees. TDB’s investments cut across agriculture, trade,
industry, infrastructure, energy and tourism, among others.
The TDB is headquartered in Bujumbura, Burundi, with regional hubs in Nairobi, Harare and Mauritius.
Established in 2005, the COMESA Business Council (CBC) is the ‘voice of the private sector’ in the
region. The CBC provides a platform for three core services, namely business support services and
linkages; policy advocacy and membership development; and addressing constraints to business development.
The
Trade and Development Bank (TDB) is an African regional development financial institution
established in 1985. The Bank’s mandate is to finance and foster trade, socio-economic development
and regional economic integration across its Member States. Although TDB is a COMESA institution,
membership is open to Non-COMESA states, non-regional countries as well as institutional shareholders.
The Bank offers a broad range of products and services, across both private and public sectors,
including debt, equity and quasi-equity, plus guarantees. TDB’s investments cut across agriculture,
trade, industry, infrastructure, energy and tourism, among others.
The TDB is headquartered in Bujumbura, Burundi, with regional hubs in Nairobi, Harare and Mauritius.
The
COMESA Leather & Leather Products Institute (LLPI), located in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, supports
the regional value chain by sharing best practices; cluster/service center development; creating a
production and trade database; and developing and facilitating the adoption of occupational health
and environmental standards.
Established in 2005, the
COMESA Business Council (CBC) is the ‘voice of the private sector’ in the
region. The CBC provides a platform for three core services, namely business support services and
linkages; policy advocacy and membership development; and addressing constraints to business development.
