Online Reporter
ZIMBABWE’S recent uptick in exports to the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) signals a promising shift in its regional trade trajectory.
As the country prepares to host the 25th COMESA Heads of State and Government Summit in Harare, the momentum presents an unprecedented opportunity to deepen regional integration, expand market access and propel industrialization.
The latest trade figures reveal that Zimbabwe’s exports to COMESA increased from US$201 million in 2024 to US$222 million last year — a commendable 10,4 percent rise. While this figure remains a small fraction of COMESA’s total trade volume of approximately US$145 billion, it underscores the resilience and potential of Zimbabwean products in regional markets.
The fluctuation in Zimbabwe’s export figures over the past four years, with significant peaks and troughs, reflects both external market dynamics and internal capacity challenges.
Nonetheless, the recent rebound indicates a positive trend that policymakers and business leaders must capitalise on.
Zimbabwe’s export basket is gradually diversifying, moving beyond traditional commodities like tobacco — its flagship product — into other sectors such as coal, maize, paperboard, gypsum and steel.
The re-emergence of iron and steel exports after a three-year hiatus signals progress in moving up the value chain, a goal central to the country’s industrialisation agenda.
Diversification into manufacturing sectors such as textiles, furniture, pharmaceuticals and processed foods is crucial for reducing reliance on primary commodities, which are often subject to volatile global prices.
Such a shift would not only stabilise export earnings but also foster job creation and technological advancement domestically.
The broader regional context provides both opportunities and challenges.
COMESA’s total exports have grown substantially, reaching US$148,7 billion in 2024, yet intra-regional trade remains relatively low at around US$13-18 billion annually.
This disparity highlights an untapped potential — Zimbabwe, with its strategic geographic location and established transport corridors, can serve as a regional hub for trade and manufacturing.
The significant increases in exports to Zambia, Malawi and the Democratic Republic of Congo illustrate how regional proximity and existing trade links can be leveraged to expand Zimbabwe’s market share.
However, realising this potential requires concerted efforts beyond mere market access.
Infrastructure bottlenecks, such as unreliable logistics, insufficient trade finance and limited market intelligence, continue to impede the growth of intra-COMESA trade.
Addressing these challenges demands a multi-faceted approach: investing in transport and logistics infrastructure, simplifying customs procedures, enhancing quality standards and certification processes, and providing targeted support to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
The upcoming COMESA Summit and Business Forum are vital platforms to foster public-private dialogue, forge strategic partnerships, and mobilise investment for regional value chains.
Zimbabwe’s assumption of the COMESA chairmanship for 2026-27 is a strategic advantage. It allows the country to shape regional trade policies, advocate for market-friendly reforms and promote its key sectors to the wider COMESA community.
The theme of the summit — “One market, one future: Advancing inclusive industrialisation, investment and regional integration” — resonates with Zimbabwe’s developmental aspirations.
Through proactive engagement, Zimbabwe can push for practical measures to streamline regional trade, such as harmonising standards, reducing tariffs and establishing trade facilitation corridors.
Moreover, the focus on regional industrialisation offers opportunities for Zimbabwe to develop manufacturing clusters that serve multiple markets within COMESA.
For instance, textiles and footwear industries can benefit from regional sourcing of raw materials and shared infrastructure. Similarly, the digital economy and services sectors — engineering, tourism, IT — offer scalable opportunities for export growth if supported by policies that foster innovation and skills development.
It is also imperative for Zimbabwe to diversify its export markets further. While Zambia remains the largest destination, and others like Kenya, Egypt, and DRC show growth potential, over-dependence on a few markets exposes the country to risks stemming from political or economic shocks.
Expanding into new markets within COMESA and beyond — by leveraging regional trade agreements — will enhance resilience and create more sustainable growth pathways.
From a policy perspective, Zimbabwe must bolster its export capacity by investing in export-oriented infrastructure, facilitating access to trade finance and strengthening capacity for quality assurance and certification.
Encouraging local manufacturing to meet regional standards will improve competitiveness and open doors to higher-value markets. Additionally, fostering regional value chains — where raw materials are processed locally and integrated into final products — can significantly increase export revenues and employment.
Finally, the success of Zimbabwe’s regional trade ambitions hinges on the active participation of its private sector.
As Zimbabwe aims to move beyond its current export levels, the focus should be on building resilient, diversified and value-added industries capable of competing in the US$1 trillion COMESA market.
