President Ruto
The Kenyan President William Ruto has called for more regional integration in Africa as viable solutions to future relevance in the global economy.
Ruto stated this at the opening of the 24th Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) Summit in Nairobi.
“There is a growing sense that by merging our economies and pooling our capacities, endowments, and energies, we can overcome the daunting challenges that hinder the continent’s transformation,” Ruto said.
Commendable Progress
He acknowledged the commendable progress towards realising the aspirations of the African Union’s Agenda 2063, and transformed Africa into a formidable global force. But he said the journey is far from complete. Regional economic communities like COMESA remain a central pillar for achieving integration.
The summit, hosted at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre under the theme “Leveraging Digitalisation to Deepen Regional Value Chains for Sustainable and Inclusive Growth”, brought together leaders from 21 member states. Key discussions focused on agriculture, manufacturing, financial services, and digital technology, alongside efforts to dismantle barriers to trade within the bloc.
Africa’s Economic Potentials
Economists estimate that fully unlocking regional trade potential could generate as much as $100 billion for member states. The main summit followed side events, including the COMESA Business Forum and a meeting of foreign ministers, which highlighted opportunities for greater private-sector collaboration.
President Ruto has assumed COMESA’s rotating one-year chairmanship from Burundi’s President Evariste Ndayishimiye.
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Source: Viory
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