President William Ruto formally transferred the chairmanship of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) to Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa during the 25th COMESA Summit in Harare on Thursday, October 22.

Ruto had assumed the COMESA chair at the bloc’s 24th summit in Nairobi on October 9, 2025, concluding a year‑long tenure of Kenyan leadership.

The summit also introduced the COMESA Medium‑Term Strategic Plan (MTSP) for 2026‑2030, which will guide the organization’s priorities over the next five years.

Ruto used his farewell remarks to urge member states to boost regional production, investment and trade while seeking equal treatment in global trade partnerships.

Mnangagwa, in his acceptance speech, pledged to work with all members to consolidate achievements, accelerate integration and harness the bloc’s resources for industrialisation and improved living standards.

The summit’s theme, “One Market, One Future: Advancing Inclusive Industrialisation, Investment and Regional Integration in COMESA,” reflected the bloc’s ambition to expand economic opportunities across Eastern and Southern Africa.

COMESA, established to succeed the Preferential Trade Area, continues to work on trade liberalisation by addressing tariffs, quotas and non‑tariff barriers that restrict the movement of goods and services among its members.