Blog - COMESA Business Council

African Trade Observatory to Spur Small Business Participation in the African Free Trade Area

May 16, 2023

More than 100 firms and public agencies in Eswatini and Zimbabwe trained on the first African trade portal to unlock the continent’s trade opportunities. The COMESA Business Council (CBC), in collaboration with the International Trade Centre (ITC) and the COMESA Secretariat’s Regional Enterprise Competitiveness and Access to Markets Programme (RECAMP), funded by the11th European Development…
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Advancing Regional Integration

May 11, 2023

Growing regional trade by advocating for the removal of obstacles to trade is at the heart of what we do. Finding effective solutions to the challenges and business impediments facing the business community is essential in improving the competitiveness of industries in the COMESA region. Under the CBC-BDI project, CBC kicked off its roundtable discussions…
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CBC Launches Digital and Financial Literacy Capacity Building Initiative for Women-run SMEs in COMESA

April 28, 2023

COMESA Business Council, in partnership with the Ethiopian Chamber of Commerce and Sectoral Associations, launched its digital and financial literacy capacity building initiative in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 25th – 27th April, 2023, themed “Digitalization Toolkits for Greater Financial Inclusion.” Over 50 Micro, Small, and Medium-sized Enterprises were equipped with knowledge and skills of both technical…
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Highlights of the AfCFTA Business Forum held in Cape Town, South Africa 16th -19th April 2023

April 25, 2023

At the AfCFTA Business Forum held recently in Cape Town, South Africa, delegates, members of African states and various stakeholders from the private and public sector representatives across the region deliberated on various issues including: agro-processing, automotive, pharmaceuticals, digital financial inclusion, and digital trade value-chains. The forum is Africa’s biggest business event and was held…
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Online Platform for Trade in Services to be Launched Soon

April 12, 2023

As a follow up to the Second Round of the COMESA Trade in Services negotiations that was launched in 2016, an Online Platform for Trade in Services has been developed and will be launched soon. The COMESA Trade in Services negotiation portal is modelled on the AfCFTA Trade in Services portal and is geared towards…
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Council of Ministers Adopt Legal Instruments to Implement the Tripartite Free Trade Area

April 6, 2023

The Council of Ministers of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), East African Community (EAC) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) have adopted legal instruments to implement the Tripartite Free Trade Agreement (TFTA) once it enters into force. In its 5th meeting conducted virtually on 29 March 2023, the Ministers adopted…
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CBC’s CEO Pays Courtesy Call on British High Commissioner to Zambia

March 24, 2023

CBC’s CEO, Mr. Teddy Soobramanien, this morning had a highly productive meeting with H.E. Nicholas Woolley, British High Commissioner to Zambia, and Ms. Sarah Bloom, Head of Economic Development and Green Growth at the High Commission. The meeting served as an exploration of possible areas of collaboration in supporting private-sector growth to accelerate positive economic…
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COMESA Business Council and Zambia Association of Manufacturers Partner to Give Back to Local Community School

March 16, 2023

Lusaka, Zambia – 16th March 2023 – COMESA Business Council joined hands with the Zambia Association of Manufacturers, to donate assorted items to Sekelela Community School in aid of its Feeding Program for the learners. The school, which is located in Lusaka West, has a total of 525 pupils, majority of whom are orphaned children,…
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Let’s go Green! Are you a Business Organisation/individual looking for Technical Assistance with Assessment of Renewable Energy Requirements and Investment Models?

March 13, 2023

We are delighted to have established working relations with the Project Development Programme (PDP) as part of the German Energy Solutions Initiative of the German Federal Ministry of Economics and Climate Action (BMKW). The PDP programme is implemented by GIZ and seeks to enhance the uptake of renewable energy and energy efficiency within the commercial…
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Did you know that COMESA Business Council can help your business Organisation to avert Trade Barriers?

March 12, 2023

Overall, 716 out of 796 (88.9%) of NTBs registered in the online reporting system implemented by the three regional economic communities (RECs), COMESA, East African Community and the Southern Africa Development Community have been resolved. Only 80 NTBs remain unresolved. The main NTBs include; restrictive licensing, permitting, and other requirements applied at the border. Barriers…
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