Business Reporter
INDUSTRY and Commerce Minister Mangaliso Ndhlovu has called on Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) member states to transition from policy declarations to concrete implementation while proposing the establishment of a regional circular economy fund to finance green industrial projects.
It is a major regional economic community and free trade bloc in Africa and its main goal is economic prosperity through regional integration by removing trade barriers, lowering tariffs and promoting free movement of goods, services and capital.
COMESA has a combined population of about 640 million people and a total gross domestic product (GDP) estimated at US$1,23 trillion.
Speaking during the COMESA Green Industries Connect conference at the Harare International Conference Centre, Minister Ndhlovu said sustainable industrialisation was a fundamental prerequisite for long-term economic resilience, competitiveness and resource productivity across the region.
The forum formed part of the preparatory proceedings for the 25th COMESA Heads of State and Government Summit, where Zimbabwe will assume the rotating chairmanship of the 21-member bloc for the first time since 2009, when it hosted the landmark summit that launched the COMESA Customs union in Victoria Falls.
The event ran alongside the COMESA Multisectoral International Exhibition, which runs at the HICC through October 21.
Zimbabwe’s reign as COMESA chairman for the 2026/2027 period will elevate Zimbabwe’s regional influence, aligning with its broader engagement and re-engagement policy.
“Our gathering comes at a defining moment for our region, as we intensify efforts to expand manufacturing, mobilise investment, strengthen regional value chains, and create sustainable employment,” Minister Ndhlovu told delegates.
“We must move beyond commitments and translate our shared industrialisation ambitions into concrete outcomes.”
The minister highlighted that industrial efficiency must encompass optimised energy usage, waste transformation, and responsible raw material management.
Outlining domestic measures, he noted that Zimbabwe was actively collaborating with the Climate Technology Centre and Network on a national decarbonisation roadmap for the cement sector, alongside ongoing investments in renewable energy, energy-efficient machinery and water-recycling systems.
To bridge the financing gap for green enterprises, Minister Ndhlovu proposed the creation of a COMESA Circular Economy Fund.
The proposed financial facility would be structured with transparent eligibility criteria and sustainable financing mechanisms to back viable commercial enterprises investing in cleaner production, energy-efficient equipment, recycling infrastructure, and waste-to-value conversion.
Addressing regional integration, the minister stressed the necessity of dismantling trade barriers through aligned green standards, harmonised product testing and enhanced conformity assessments to lower compliance costs and boost intra-African trade.
He also pointed to emerging opportunities in electric mobility, urging member states to position themselves across the entire value chain – from battery technologies and charging infrastructure to EV assembly and end-of-life battery recycling.
Citing Zimbabwe’s recent shipment of locally processed lithium sulphate to China, Minister Ndhlovu underscored the economic imperative of moving up regional value chains, mineral beneficiation and agro-processing to retain a greater share of wealth within domestic economies.
“The success of this agenda will be measured not by the number of strategies adopted, but by the investments mobilised, factories modernised, resources used more efficiently, enterprises developed, and jobs created,” Minister Ndhlovu said.
As Zimbabwe assumes the COMESA chairmanship, Minister Ndhlovu reaffirmed its readiness to collaborate with regional member states, the COMESA Secretariat and private sector stakeholders to drive practical partnerships and secure sustainable livelihoods across the bloc.
Zimbabwe expects its leadership of the trade bloc to connect local businesses to a vast regional market of over 600 to 640 million consumers across 21 member states, dramatically scaling past Zimbabwe’s domestic market of roughly 16 million people.
During its chairmanship, Zimbabwe will push for the export of finished and processed goods – such as agro-industrial products, textiles, leather and minerals (gold, lithium, chrome, platinum) – rather than raw materials, which will increase exports.
The role will provide a platform to advocate for the elimination of non-tariff barriers, streamline customs procedures, push for faster visa liberalisation and lower cross-border transport and logistics costs.
Zimbabwe will also use the leadership role to attract regional and international direct investment into productive domestic sectors, supported by platforms like the COMESA Business Forum and Multi-Sectoral International Exhibition.
