ISDS Case Map
COMESA
The future of talks between 16 Eastern and Southern African (ESA) countries and the European Union hangs in the balance after the ESA countries accused the EU of smuggling a document into the agenda at their recent meeting in the Burundi capital, Bujumbura.
Business among Comesa countries has doubled in the past two years, and currently stands at more than $7.8 billion. And the number of countries that have joined the club's Free Trade Area (FTA) has grown to 13, with others waiting on the sidelines.
Libya is to become the second North African country after Egypt to join the Free Trade Area of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (Comesa). The implication is that exports from this oil-rich country will now have duty-free access to 13 other Comesa member-states that have so far signed on to the Free Trade Area arrangement.
Swaziland's private sector has raised concern on which direction the country would take in 2008 when the Common Market for East and Southern Africa (COMESA) assumes a customs union status.
The Federation of Swaziland Employers and Chamber of Commerce (FSE & CC) has commended the country for its alignment with economic groupings for access to international trade.
Two key European Unions heads of trade and development yesterday jetted into Mombasa to thwart a bid by Eastern and Southern Africa ( ESA) countries to scatter the ongoing negotiations between the two trading blocs.
Trade talks between European Union and Eastern and Southern Africa countries are set to be stormy as ESA countries warned the EU against reneging on its earlier promises.
The Common Market for East and Central African (COMESA) states have begun fresh negotiations for an Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) with the European Union (EU) in a bid to expand domestic markets through strategic trade liberalisation.
Trade and Industry Minister Dr. Mukhisa Kituyi has asked the COMESA ministerial taskforce to hasten implementation of the regional customs union to achieve the free trading within member-countries.
Common Markets for Eastern and Southern Africa - Comesa member countries ought to speed up the process in setting up a unified customs union.
