Gibson Mhaka, Zimpapers Politics Hub
ZIMBABWE’s assumption of the chairmanship of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) on 19-22 October should be measured not only by the success of the summit to be hosted in Harare but by the economic opportunities local businesses secure after visiting delegations return home.
Diplomacy should open doors while trade, investment and production should determine and measure whether those doors lead to socio-economic prosperity.
As President Mnangagwa prepares to take over the leadership of the regional bloc, the task is to convert political visibility into contracts, export markets, industrial partnerships and jobs.
The chairmanship provides a platform to deepen commercial relationships, reach new markets and attract investors seeking a base from which to serve the region.
But this requires a deliberate strategy connecting summit diplomacy to the everyday needs of businesses.
Preparations for the 25th COMESA Heads of State and Government Summit have placed Harare at the centre of regional engagement.
The programme includes business-focused events, exhibitions and discussions intended to connect policymakers with the private sector. These gatherings should be treated not as ceremonial additions to the summit but as opportunities to secure practical outcomes for local producers.
The exhibition can showcase Zimbabwean companies, while the business forum can connect them with buyers, investors and financiers. Discussions on the green industry can open opportunities in recycling, packaging, textiles and leather.
Local firms must arrive prepared with export-ready samples, competitive prices, reliable delivery schedules and an understanding of regional standards.
ZimTrade, chambers of commerce and sector associations should help arrange targeted meetings and follow up on leads after delegates leave. A handshake at a summit is not an export order.
It becomes valuable when a company follows up, meets certification requirements, secures finance and delivers goods consistently.
Zimbabwe already trades with several COMESA countries, but the opportunity is to broaden both the range of products exported and the number of businesses participating.
Established exporters should defend markets they already serve while looking for buyers in countries where Zimbabwean products remain underrepresented.
That requires market intelligence identifying what each country imports, which standards apply and where local producers can compete on quality, price and reliability.
The strategy must also move beyond exporting raw or minimally processed commodities.
Zimbabwe has strengths in agriculture, mining and manufacturing, but more value can be retained at home when products are processed, packaged and finished locally.
Agro-processors can supply finished foods; manufacturers can produce packaging and building materials; and businesses in leather, textiles and wood products can explore regional supply chains.
Value addition creates opportunities not only for exporters, but also for farmers, suppliers, transporters and workers.
However, regional market access means little if companies cannot produce consistently or move goods affordably.
The Chairmanship should provide a platform to push for practical solutions to non-tariff barriers, lengthy border procedures and inconsistent administrative requirements that raise the cost of cross-border trade. Regional integration must be felt at border posts as much as in summit chambers.
Zimbabwe’s participation in electronic trade-facilitation systems can help reduce paperwork and make procedures more efficient.
Their benefits, however, depend on reliable implementation, awareness among traders and support for smaller firms that may lack dedicated export departments.
Businesses need clear guidance on documentation, customs processes and the rules governing preferential access to regional markets.
Small and medium-sized enterprises also need help to meet standards, improve packaging, access finance and identify buyers.
Export-readiness clinics and links with regional distributors could help them reach markets beyond Zimbabwe.
Finance is another critical piece. Exporters often need working capital to buy inputs, increase production and cover the period before overseas customers pay.
Banks and development finance institutions should engage firms with credible orders and viable expansion plans.
Government, in turn, must continue addressing the policy and operating conditions that affect production costs, including access to reliable energy, transport and affordable finance.
The private sector must also help shape regional policy. Business forums are most useful when they identify specific obstacles and recommend workable remedies.
Zimbabwean business associations should bring evidence on border delays, certification costs, payment challenges and market restrictions. The aim should be a clear programme of reforms that can be monitored after the summit, rather than a communiqué filled with broad promises about cooperation.
Investment is the other side of the opportunity. Regional companies may see Zimbabwe not only as a market for finished imports, but as a production base serving neighbouring countries.
The country should present credible projects in agro-processing, manufacturing, logistics, energy, tourism and digital services, while connecting investors with local suppliers and workers.
The measure of success should be productive investment, technology transfer, stronger local supply chains and jobs.
The Chairmanship can encourage regional value chains in which businesses source inputs from neighbouring countries, process them locally and sell finished or intermediate goods across the bloc.
These arrangements depend on reliable transport, predictable customs procedures and cooperation between public agencies and businesses.
Zimbabwe’s regional leadership should complement its wider industrialisation and development ambitions.
But diplomatic prominence cannot substitute for competitiveness.
Local firms need reliable infrastructure, skilled workers, consistent product quality and policies that support production and exports. Government can open doors and improve the business environment, but companies must also innovate, understand their customers and honour delivery commitments.
The results should be measured after the flags have come down. Did local companies secure new markets? Did commercial agreements translate into actual orders? Did investment move into productive sectors? Were smaller businesses able to access new markets and did traders experience simpler border procedures? Tracking these outcomes would help keep the chairmanship accountable to businesses and citizens.
The true success of the chairmanship lies in converting these high-level diplomatic engagements into long-term economic gains expanding regional market access for Zimbabwean products, building lasting business partnerships and creating jobs at home.
This is where hosting a prestigious summit directly complements and elevates the domestic economy.
