Preparations for the 24th COMESA Summit are underway, following the launch of the Multi-Agency National Organizing Committee (MANOC) by Trade Principal Secretary Regina Ombam in Naivasha, Nakuru County.
The summit, set to take place on 9th October, 2025, in Nairobi, will convene Heads of State and Government from the 21 member countries of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA).
The summit will be preceded by the COMESA Business Forum and Council of Ministers for Foreign Affairs meeting scheduled for 7th and 8th October, 2025 respectively.
Speaking during the launch of MANOC, PS Ombam highlighted the summit’s strategic importance for Kenya, noting that it comes amid significant global trade and geopolitical shifts, including escalating tariff tensions between major economies specifically the United States of America and China.
“The summit offers Kenya an opportunity to reinforce its leadership role in regional integration and participate meaningfully in global trade discourse,” said Ombam.
Kenya is expected to push for the removal of Non-Tariff Barriers (NTBs), a major hurdle to intra-regional trade.
The summit will also provide a venue for evaluating progress on COMESA’s integration agenda and implementation of shared programs.
As the host nation, Kenya is set to assume the rotating chairmanship of COMESA from Burundi in 2025 — a role that is expected to enhance its influence in shaping regional economic and policy direction.
– Kenya and COMESA: A Strategic Alliance –
Established in 1994, COMESA aims to foster economic integration and cooperation among member states: Burundi, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, Egypt, Eritrea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Kenya, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Rwanda, Seychelles, Somalia, Sudan, Tunisia, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe
Kenya, a founding member, previously hosted the summit in 1999 and 2007.
This year’s summit is expected to draw over 3,000 delegates, providing a significant opportunity for networking, policy dialogue, and trade promotion within the COMESA region.
