Online Reporter
Africa Moyo, Harare Bureau
ZIMBABWE’S recovery in exports to the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) has highlighted the country’s scope for deeper penetration of a regional market worth about US$1 trillion.
According to the latest Zimbabwe-COMESA Trade Brief compiled by ZimTrade, the country exported goods worth US$222 million to COMESA last year, a 10,4 percent increase from US$201 million in 2024.
The recovery comes as Zimbabwe prepares to host the 25th COMESA Heads of State and Government Summit in Harare on October 22, during which the country will also assume the rotational chairmanship of the bloc from Kenya for 2026-27.
The Summit will run under the theme “One market, one future: Advancing inclusive industrialisation, investment and regional integration in COMESA”, placing trade, investment and industrialisation at the centre of Zimbabwe’s regional agenda.
It will be preceded by the COMESA Business Forum, bringing together business leaders, investors and policymakers to explore opportunities across the region.
The timing provides an opportunity for the country to convert existing market access into greater exports, investment and participation in regional value chains.
COMESA comprises 21 countries with a combined population of about 640 million and an economy valued at around US$1 trillion.
Zimbabwe’s US$222 million in exports represents only a small share of that market.
The trade brief shows that Zimbabwean companies have established a foothold in several COMESA markets, but there is considerable room to expand. Zimbabwe’s exports to COMESA have fluctuated over the past four years.
Exports rose from US$155 million in 2022 to US$229 million in 2023, representing growth of 47,7 percent.
They then fell 12,2 percent to US$201 million in 2024 before recovering to US$222 million last year.
The rebound was supported by demand for products including tobacco, sugar, packaging materials and other manufactured goods.
The export basket also shows signs of diversification with tobacco remaining a major export, in unmanufactured and manufactured forms, including cigars and cigarettes.
Other products include coal and coal-based fuels, maize, paperboard and cartons, sugar, wood products, gypsum and anhydrite.
Iron and steel bars also re-emerged in the export basket last year after a three-year absence, while manufactured tobacco and packaging products gained ground.
The development is important as Zimbabwe seeks to move up value chains and increase the contribution of manufacturing to exports.
At the regional level, COMESA’s exports rose by 64 percent over five years to US$148,7 billion in 2024 before easing to US$144,5 billion last year.
However, intra-COMESA trade remains relatively low. Trade among member States rose from US$15 billion in 2021 to US$18 billion in 2023, before falling to US$14 billion in 2024 and US$13 billion last year.
Zambia, which remains a key market, continues to be Zimbabwe’s largest COMESA export destination.
Exports to the neighbouring country increased from US$52,6 million in 2020 to US$146 million in 2024 before easing to US$131,4 million last year.
The two countries benefit from geographical proximity, established transport links and longstanding commercial ties.
Exports to Kenya rose to US$29,8 million in 2023, before falling to US$10,6 million in 2024 and recovering to US$20.1 million last year.
Exports to Egypt grew from just US$90 000 in 2020 to US$14,6 million in 2024, although they fell to US$6.7 million last year.
The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is emerging as another important destination, with exports increasing from US$7,5 million in 2024 to US$16,8 million last year.
Malawi has recorded particularly strong growth, with Zimbabwean exports rising from US$3,3 million in 2020 to US$20,3 million last year.
The figures suggest that Zimbabwe can reduce its dependence on a few markets by developing a broader regional customer base. The trade brief identifies several areas where Zimbabwe could increase its presence in COMESA.
Agricultural products with export potential include tobacco, cotton, tea, coffee and fresh fruit such as oranges, grapes and berries.
Manufacturing offers opportunities in sugar, textiles and clothing, footwear, furniture, fertilisers, pesticides, pharmaceuticals and steel rods and sheets.
Services provide another avenue for growth, with engineering, agricultural extension, tourism and digital services such as information technology and software development offering opportunities for regional exports.
This diversification would help Zimbabwe move beyond reliance on primary commodities while creating opportunities for local manufacturers and service providers.
COMESA’s import figures further underline the market available to Zimbabwean businesses.
The bloc’s imports increased from US$8.6 billion in 2019 to US$10.3 billion in 2022 before falling back to US$8.6 billion in 2024 and recovering to US$9.5 billion last year.
The figures point to substantial demand that Zimbabwean companies can target if they can compete on quality, price, reliability and delivery.
Zimbabwe’s hosting of the October 22 Summit places the regional market opportunity firmly in the spotlight.
The country’s assumption of the COMESA chairmanship comes as the bloc seeks to deepen integration and increase trade among member States.
For Zimbabwe, the chairmanship provides a platform to push practical measures that can make regional trade easier while promoting local products and investment opportunities.
The COMESA Business Forum will be particularly important in connecting Zimbabwean companies with investors and potential buyers.
The objective should be to turn regional engagements into commercial relationships, new markets and investment in productive capacity.
Local businesses’ access to markets alone is not enough. They need trade finance, reliable logistics, market intelligence, certification and the capacity to produce consistently at scale.
Zimbabwe’s US$222 million in exports to COMESA last year should therefore be viewed as a foundation rather than a ceiling.
The country already has established markets in Zambia, Kenya, Egypt, the DRC and Malawi, while its export basket is gradually broadening.
The next step is to increase the scale and consistency of those exports.
With 21 member States and about 640 million consumers, COMESA offers Zimbabwe a ready regional market at a time when the country is seeking to expand exports, industrialise and attract investment.
The October Summit and Business Forum will put that agenda at the centre of regional discussions.
If Zimbabwe can translate its chairmanship into stronger business-to-business links, investment, improved market access and deeper regional value chains, the benefits could extend well beyond the Summit itself.
The export recovery shows that Zimbabwean products can compete in the region. The bigger task now is to turn that foothold into a significantly larger share of COMESA’s US$1 trillion market.
