Farai Dauramanzi
Echo Editor
THE Office of the President and Cabinet has congratulated President Mnangagwa on his assumption of the Chairmanship of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA).
President Mnangagwa assumed the chairmanship of the regional bloc at the 25th COMESA Heads of State and Government Summit held in Harare yesterday.
In a statement, Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet, Dr Martin Rushwaya, said the development is testimony to the confidence regional peers have in President Mnangagwa’s leadership and in Zimbabwe’s capacity to steer the bloc.
“On behalf of the two Vice Presidents, Advisors and Staff in the Office of the President and Cabinet, I heartily extend our profound congratulations to you, Your Excellency, on your historic assumption of the Chairmanship of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa, COMESA.
“This historic development is a clear testimony to the immense confidence, trust, and high regard that your regional peers have in your astute and visionary leadership, and in Zimbabwe’s capacity to steer the regional bloc for the 2026-2027 stretch,” he said.
Dr Rushwaya said the Summit was like no other, with far-reaching decisions and commitments made, the majority of which spoke to Zimbabwe’s own policies.
“All that put our nation in the driving seat for a new Africa which is founded on self-belief and a heritage-based economy with beneficiation, industrialisation and intra-African trade at its core,” he said.
He said the Office of the President and Cabinet stands behind President Mnangagwa’s call to actualise the Summit’s theme, “One Market, One Future: Advancing Inclusive Industrialisation, Investment and Regional Integration in COMESA”.
“The Office of the President and Cabinet stands firmly behind your commitment to ensuring that Africa’s God-given natural endowments undergo local value addition and beneficiation to industrialise our economies, create meaningful jobs, and to uplift the livelihoods of our citizens. Additionally, we lend our weight as your bureaucrats to pushing for greater intra-COMESA and intra-Africa trade founded on sub-regional value chains,” he said.
Dr Rushwaya pledged the OPC’s unyielding support to ensure a successful chairmanship.
“As the Office of the President and Cabinet, we pledge our unyielding support, administrative excellence, and alignment with your goals to ensure a highly successful, transformative, and impactful Chairmanship of the COMESA Authority.
“Guided by our foreign policy position that Zimbabwe is a ‘Friend to all and Enemy to None,’ and that Zimbabwe is Open for Business, we look forward to a successful tenure anchored on multilateralism, dialogue, and mutual respect,” he said.
He wished President Mnangagwa wisdom and good health as he leads the COMESA region.
“May the Almighty God grant you continued wisdom, good health, and strength as you lead our nation and the wider COMESA region towards a more integrated, competitive, and prosperous future.”
