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Monday 08:00 - 17:30 Tuesday 08:00 - 17:30 Wednesday 08:00 - 17:30 Thursday 08:00 - 17:30 Friday 08:00 - 13:30

Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA)

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Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA)

COMESA comprises of 21 African Member States with a combined population of over 680 million

23/09/2026

COMESA/ASCENT PIU Unveils USD 5 Million ASCENT-GREEN Platform

The COMESA/ASCENT Project Implementation Unit (PIU) has unveiled the USD 5 million ASCENT-GREEN Regional Energy Access Acceleration Platform , aimed at expanding clean energy access, strengthening climate resilience and creating opportunities for climate finance across Eastern and Southern Africa.

The platform was introduced during the ASCENT-GREEN Stakeholder Webinar on 21 September 2026, bringing together government representatives, development partners, financial institutions, private sector actors and technical experts from across the region.

ASCENT-GREEN has secured USD 250 million from the Green Climate Fund (GCF) within a broader USD 695 million programme, with the potential to mobilise up to USD 2 billion in public and private investment.

Across 21 participating countries, the initiative will support distributed renewable energy, clean cooking technologies and productive uses of energy, contributing to improved livelihoods, essential services and sustainable economic development.

Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA),World Bank Group,Global Climate Finance

23/09/2026

COMESA Engages Stakeholders on US$25 Million ASCENT Project Preparation Facility

COMESA has engaged national stakeholders on the upcoming National Agencies Support Window under the ASCENT Project Preparation Facility (PPF), which aims to strengthen the development of renewable energy and clean cooking projects across 17 participating countries.

The engagement, held through a webinar on 21 September 2026, brought together Country Project Implementation Units, the World Bank, Cygnum Capital and COMESA to discuss how the facility can help governments and public agencies turn energy priorities into investment-ready projects.

Through the US$25 million PPF facility, technical support will be provided for activities including feasibility studies, legal due diligence, environmental and social assessments, project structuring and other essential project preparation requirements.

Dr. Chileshe Malama, ASCENT-COMESA Project Coordinator, emphasized the importance of strong project preparation in attracting investment and expanding access to modern energy services.

The initiative is expected to contribute to a stronger pipeline of renewable energy and clean cooking projects across the region.
World Bank Group, Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA),

22/09/2026

𝗖𝗢𝗠𝗘𝗦𝗔 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗶𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗲 𝗼𝗻 𝗟𝗲𝗴𝗮𝗹 𝗔𝗳𝗳𝗮𝗶𝗿𝘀 𝗠𝗲𝗲𝘁𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗟𝘂𝘀𝗮𝗸𝗮

The 31st Meeting of the COMESA Committee on Legal Affairs is taking place from 21–23 September 2026 in Lusaka, Zambia.

The meeting is considering key legal and institutional matters, including revised Charters for the COMESA Clearing House, Africa Leather and Leather Products Institute, and COMESA Monetary Institute , as well as the COMESA Guidelines on Legislative Drafting.

The Committee is also considering the Progress Report of the COMESA Court of Justice , and matters relating to the COMESA Competition and Consumer Commission and COMESA Regional Investment Agency.

19/09/2026

Here is your COMESA week unpacked:

🤖 𝗖𝗢𝗠𝗘𝗦𝗔 𝗔𝗱𝘃𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗔𝗜 𝗗𝗶𝗮𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘂𝗲

📍 Mbabane, Eswatini | 🗓️16–18 September 2026

COMESA ‘s Member States, RECs, development partners, ICT associations and experts collaborated to validate the Draft Study Report on Artificial Intelligence and Emerging Technologies.

Through the World Bank-funded IDEA Programme, the validated findings will provide the evidence base for a Regional AI Strategy, Model Policy Guidelines and Model Regulatory Framework.

The process is identified priority AI use cases and interventions to advance inclusive growth, stronger public services, innovation, skills, infrastructure and regional digital market integration, while promoting privacy, security, fairness and accountability.

🌍 Turning regional evidence into coordinated, responsible and inclusive AI action.

19/09/2026

Here is your COMESA week unpacked:

🤝 𝗖𝗢𝗠𝗘𝗦𝗔 𝗶𝘀 𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗕𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗴𝗲𝘀, & 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗴𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗧𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗦𝗽𝗮𝗶𝗻

This week, COMESA Secretary General H.E. Chileshe Mpundu Kapwepwe welcomed the Ambassador of Spain for discussions focused on strengthening ties and exploring opportunities for deeper cooperation.

COMESA’s desire is to continue to create space for greater collaboration, opportunities and stronger connections between our 21 member states and international partners.

18/09/2026

🌍 ASCENT Webinar Series Strengthens Readiness for Carbon Market Opportunities

The inaugural ASCENT Carbon Webinar Series on Carbon Market Infrastructure (CMI) successfully brought together 76 participants from ASCENT countries, including government representatives, Designated National Authorities (DNAs), project implementation units, development partners, and carbon market practitioners.

Jointly organized by COMESA and the World Bank, on 17th September 18, 2026, the webinar explored how strong carbon market infrastructure can help countries generate, track, verify, and trade carbon credits with transparency and integrity while unlocking climate finance opportunities.

Key discussions focused on:
✅ MRV (Monitoring, Reporting and Verification) systems
✅ Carbon registries and transaction tracking
✅ Article 6 authorization procedures
✅ Emerging technologies such as AI, remote sensing, smart metering, and blockchain
✅ The role of carbon markets in supporting energy access and clean cooking initiatives

As countries across Africa seek innovative financing solutions for climate action, strengthening carbon market systems is an important step toward attracting investment and driving sustainable development.

📅 Upcoming ASCENT Carbon Webinar Sessions: • 1 October 2026
• 15 October 2026
• 29 October 2026
• 12 November 2026

17/09/2026

𝗖𝗮𝗽𝗮𝗰𝗶𝘁𝘆-𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗽 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗚𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗺𝗯𝗮/𝗞𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗺𝘃𝗶𝗿𝗮 𝗝𝗼𝗶𝗻𝘁 𝗕𝗼𝗿𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗶𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗲
📅8 - 11 September 2026

Here is what Fabien Bizimungu had to say:

17/09/2026

𝗖𝗮𝗽𝗮𝗰𝗶𝘁𝘆-𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗽 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗚𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗺𝗯𝗮/𝗞𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗺𝘃𝗶𝗿𝗮 𝗝𝗼𝗶𝗻𝘁 𝗕𝗼𝗿𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗶𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗲
📅8 - 11 September 2026

Here is what Claudette Niyonsaba had to say:

17/09/2026

𝗖𝗢𝗠𝗘𝗦𝗔 𝗵𝗮𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗴𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗚𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗺𝗯𝗮/𝗞𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗺𝘃𝗶𝗿𝗮 𝗝𝗼𝗶𝗻𝘁 𝗕𝗼𝗿𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗶𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝗮 𝟰-𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗽 𝗶𝗻 𝗚𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗮 through the Capacity-Building Workshop for the Gatumba/Kavimvira Joint Border Committee

📅8 - 11 September 2026

Here is what Dr Christopher Onyango had to say:

17/09/2026

𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗴𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗯𝗼𝗿𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗰𝗼𝗼𝗿𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝘀 𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗹𝘂𝘀𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗲𝗳𝘂𝗹 𝗰𝗿𝗼𝘀𝘀 𝗯𝗼𝗿𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗱𝗲.

COMESA, through the Great Lakes Trade Facilitation and Integration Project (GLTFIP), has strengthened the capacity of the Gatumba/Kavimvira Joint Border Committee (JBC) during a four day workshop held in Gitega, Burundi.

The training brought participants from Burundi and the DRC and focused on the COMESA Simplified Trade Regime (STR), the COMESA Regulations on Minimum Standards for Small Scale Cross Border Traders, conflict resolution, grievance management and data collection. Participants also developed a practical protocol to better facilitate traders with disabilities while ensuring full compliance with border procedures.

Dr Christopher Onyango, COMESA Director of Trade & Customs, reminded participants that the conduct of border officials directly shapes public trust in regional integration, especially for small scale traders, many of whom are women and youth.

The workshop concluded with concrete commitments to harmonise STR procedures, strengthen grievance referral mechanisms, improve data collection and enhance coordination at Gatumba/Kavimvira. These actions will support safer, more inclusive and more efficient cross border trade for communities along the targeted Burundi–DRC borders.

Address

COMESA Centre, Ben Bella Road, P. O. Box 30051
Lusaka
10101

Opening Hours

Monday	08:00 - 17:30
Tuesday	08:00 - 17:30
Wednesday	08:00 - 17:30
Thursday	08:00 - 17:30
Friday	08:00 - 13:30

Telephone

+260211229725

Website

http://www.comesa.int/

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