Chronicle Editor
Prosper Ndlovu, Business Editor
THE Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (Comesa) Secretariat is participating at the 62nd Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF) in Bulawayo as part of its outreach to raise public and stakeholder awareness on its regional integration programmes.
The 21-member bloc is one of the top international organisations that are participating at the ZITF and is housed under Hall 4.
Comesa has encouraged local and foreign exhibitors to take advantage of the trade and investment opportunities being provided in the broader Comesa region.
It said its participation also demonstrates the organisation’s support and showcases programmes it is championing in member states in line with the Comesa Communication Strategy.
“This trade fair presents an opportunity to showcase Comesa as an organisation; its programmes, its institutions, and to address any information gaps that might be existing,” said Ms Netta Gichuki, a trade expert at Comesa Secretariat who is in the expo team.
Comesa said the theme of the ZITF, “Re-think, Re-imagine, Re-invent: Value Chains for Economic Development,” resonates with its strategy of economic prosperity through regional integration, supporting the social economic structure of the region.
“To this end, the Secretariat works in partnerships for the economic development of the region based on trade and development of the agro-industry, investment promotion, physical and digital connectivity, programmes for the inclusion of women and youths and for the sustainable use of natural resources,” said the bloc in an official statement shared with Chronicle.
“According to a Comesa study conducted last year titled ‘Export Potentials of Intra-Comesa Trade’, Zimbabwe has the potential to increase intra-Comesa trade by US$ 4.1 billion.”
The bloc said 11 of Zimbabwe’s export products have the highest trade potential, including tar distilled from coal, fruits of the genus capsicum, avocados, glass products, and tungsten ores and concentrates.
Comesa countries that are exhibiting at the fair include Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi and Zambia while non-Comesa countries present are Angola, Botswana, Namibia, Mozambique, South Africa and Tanzania among others.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa is expected to officially open the trade fair today.
Comesa said since the ZITF commencement on Tuesday, several people have visited the Comesa stand and their inquiries range from seeking information about the Comesa trade facilitation programmes, information on available markets in the region, financial support to women entrepreneurs, cross border motor vehicle insurance and general information on Comesa and its programmes.
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