President William Ruto has officially assumed the chairmanship of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), pledging to strengthen regional cooperation and economic integration across member states.
In a statement on Thursday, President Ruto said he accepted the role with gratitude, humility, and a deep sense of duty.
He reiterated his commitment to advancing the bloc’s vision of shared prosperity and sustainable development.
He commended outgoing chairperson and Burundian President Evariste Ndayishimiye for his wise leadership, which he said had delivered remarkable progress for the 21-member regional body.
“I pledge to build on his achievements and work with every Member State as a committed and collaborative partner,” Ruto said.
The Head of State outlined his priorities for COMESA, emphasizing the need for deeper regional integration, digital transformation, and inclusivity.
He said his tenure would focus on positioning COMESA as a digital, dynamic, and inclusive regional bloc that embodies the promise of a rising Africa.
COMESA, which brings together countries from Eastern and Southern Africa, seeks to promote regional trade, economic cooperation, and sustainable growth through policy harmonization and joint development initiatives.
Ruto’s appointment marks a new chapter for Kenya’s engagement in regional economic affairs, as the country continues to push for greater intra-African trade and industrial growth under frameworks such as the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
Ruto further called on African leaders to accelerate efforts to strengthen trade within the continent and invest in local industries to unlock Africa’s full economic potential.
He noted that intra-African trade remains at just 14 percent, far below other global regions.
He urged governments to adopt bold strategies to raise it to at least 50 per cent, emphasizing that Africa has both the capacity and the market to achieve this goal.
Ruto outlined a plan to remove visa restrictions and other barriers limiting the free movement of people, goods, and ideas across borders.
He said dismantling tariff and non-tariff barriers was essential to transform borders from obstacles into bridges and drew comparisons with regions where internal trade ranges between 40 and 60 per cent.
The President further urged African nations to stop exporting raw materials and instead invest in value addition to create jobs and retain wealth within the continent.