By Jonathan Mbiriyamveka
HARARE — President Emmerson Mnangagwa has officially assumed the Chairmanship of the COMESA Authority, taking over the reins of the 21-member regional bloc from Kenyan President William Ruto during the 25th COMESA Heads of State and Government Summit held in Harare.
The handover marks the beginning of Zimbabwe’s one-year tenure at the helm of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa for the 2026–2027 period.
Accepting the mantle, President Mnangagwa said he took on the responsibility with “deep humility and a profound sense of duty,” thanking his fellow Heads of State for the confidence reposed in Zimbabwe.
The summit is being held under the theme: “One Market, One Future: Advancing Inclusive Industrialisation, Investment and Regional Integration in COMESA.”
President Mnangagwa said the theme brings to the fore the importance of interconnectedness regarding the productive capacity of regional economies, markets, and shared destiny.
“Our common market must enable enterprises to produce at scale, facilitate cross-border movement of factors of production and reach new customers,” he said.
“The future we envision requires every Member State to contribute to, and benefit from, our collective progress.”
During his tenure, the President said Zimbabwe will aim to work with Member States towards fast-tracking value addition and beneficiation, as well as inclusive industrialisation and greater participation in regional value chains. He also highlighted climate change mitigation and the green agenda as vital aspects to guarantee national and regional food security.
President Mnangagwa used the occasion to commend his predecessor, President Ruto, for his “dedication and visionary leadership” during Kenya’s chairmanship.
“We commend the Republic of Kenya for steering COMESA with purpose and clarity, particularly in advancing digitisation and regional value chains,” he said.
He also acknowledged COMESA Secretary General Chileshe Mpundu Kapwepwe and the Secretariat for their work in delivering transformative results for the region.
Addressing the broader integration agenda, the President noted that intra-COMESA exports have grown from approximately US$2 billion to over US$14 billion in 2025 since the establishment of the Free Trade Area in 2000.
However, he urged the region to match its aspirations with concrete actions, calling for the conversion of vast resources into “development dividends that uplift more of our citizens out of poverty into a higher quality of life.”
He also reiterated Zimbabwe’s foreign policy stance, stating the country is a “friend to all and an enemy of none,” committed to multilateralism and dialogue.
The President concluded his acceptance speech by invoking a local idiom, emphasizing that the region’s future depends on its own people.
“We say, ‘Nyika inovakwa, inotongwa, inonamatirawa nevene vayo / Ilizwe lakhiwa, libuswe, likhulekelwe ngabanikazi balo’ — A country is built, ruled and prayed for by its own people,” he said.
“Likewise, the COMESA region must be modernised and industrialised through individual and collective efforts of its citizens. Brick by brick, stone upon stone, step by step; let us continue building integrated, productive inclusive and prosperous economies, which we all want and indeed deserve.”
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