ISDS Case Map
COMESA
The Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (Comesa) has announced a number of measures to increase intra-regional trade threefold.
Relative advancement of Kenya, South Africa and Egypt’s economies has emerged as one of the leading threats to the merger of three African trading blocs, trade experts said, citing potential disputes that lie in joining economies that are at different levels of development in a seamless market.
Three African trade blocs that have agreed to form a free trade area covering more than half a billion people created a long overdue roadmap on Monday.
US assistant trade representative for Africa Florizelle Liser yesterday said there is need to strengthen her country’s relationship with the COMESA region through various trade and investment agreements.
In a move to compensate revenue losses accrued by Rwanda as a result of having a common external tariff after the adoption of the EAC customs union protocol, the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (Comesa) will disburse €10.3 million (Frw 8.8 billion) through budget support for the fiscal year 2009/10.
Burundi has received euro 4.4 million (US$6.4 million) grant from the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) under the adjustment facility.
Three leading regional trading blocs in Africa -- EAC, COMESA and SADC -- have simplified the rules of origin to be applied by all member states in a move aimed at boosting intra-continental trade.
Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda and Burundi all qualify for free EU market access under the Everything But Arms (EBA) scheme, but chose to sign a joint EPA with Kenya to preserve the EAC customs union. As the conclusion of the EPA negotiations approaches and the global economic crisis continues, the debate over how an EPA will affect East Africa has produced few clear answers.
The proposed regional Customs Union could be in jeopardy following the postponement of a crucial Common Market for East and Southern Africa (Comesa) summit scheduled for next month.
Zimbabwe has postponed a summit of Africa's largest trading block COMESA, which had been scheduled to launch a regional customs union in December, the trade minister said Thursday.
