President William Ruto hands over COMESA chairmanship to Zimbabwe’s Emmerson Mnangagwa in Harare, Zimbabwe on October 22, 2026. Photo/PCS

President William Ruto has handed over the chairmanship of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) to Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa, marking the end of Kenya’s tenure at the helm of the regional trading bloc.

The handover took place during the 25th COMESA Summit in Harare, Zimbabwe, where leaders from the bloc’s 21 member states are seeking ways to expand regional trade, attract investment and accelerate industrial development.

Ruto expressed confidence in the incoming leadership, urging member states to strengthen economic cooperation and translate regional integration commitments into tangible benefits for citizens.

Speaking at the summit, Ruto said closer economic ties were increasingly important as global trade and political relations continued to shift.

“The world, as we all know, is fragmenting. Our answer must be integration, cooperation, not isolation. One market speaks of the strengths we gain when we bring together our economies, our productive capacity and our markets. One future reminds us that our prosperity is shared, or if it is not shared, there is no prosperity at all,” Ruto said.

Mnangagwa, in accepting the chairmanship, commended Ruto’s emphasis on digital transformation and outlined Zimbabwe’s priorities for advancing economic growth across the region.

The Zimbabwean leader identified the processing of natural resources, the establishment of agro-processing industrial parks and climate-resilient agriculture as key areas his administration would prioritise during its tenure.

He said COMESA should create an environment where businesses can expand production, move goods across borders more efficiently and access wider regional markets.

“Our common market must enable enterprises to produce at scale, facilitate across-the-border movement of structures of production and reach new customers. The future of this region requires every member state to contribute to and benefit from our collective progress,” Mnangagwa said.

The summit is being held under the theme, “One Market, One Future: Advancing Inclusive Industrialisation, Investment and Regional Integration in COMESA.”

The change of leadership comes as COMESA seeks to strengthen commercial ties among its member states by addressing obstacles that continue to limit cross-border trade and investment.

Discussions at the summit are expected to focus on improving trade facilitation, strengthening regional value chains, enhancing infrastructure connectivity and accelerating the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

Leaders are also considering ways to increase the value of Africa’s natural resources through local processing and manufacturing, reducing reliance on exporting raw materials and importing finished products.

The meeting will also consider COMESA’s Medium-Term Strategic Plan for 2026–2030, which is expected to guide the bloc’s economic integration agenda over the next five years.

The plan will outline priorities for expanding trade among member states, advancing digital transformation, strengthening industrial capacity and improving links between regional markets.

COMESA brings together 21 member countries seeking to increase trade and investment through a more integrated regional market.

The summit comes as African governments pursue the AfCFTA initiative, which aims to establish a single continental market for goods and services and increase trade among African economies.