Minister of Trade and Industry Nevine Gamea praised the success of the 21st COMESA Heads of State and Government Summit that Egypt’s New Administrative Capital hosted on Tuesday 23/11/2021.

Held under the theme: “Building Resilience Through Strategic Digital Economic Integration,” the summit was attended by Heads of State and their representatives from the Member States virtually and physically, aiming to rally the 21 countries of the bloc on how to safeguard and advance the COMESA regional integration agenda using digital platforms to facilitate doing business and enhance their resilience to face the economic repercussions of the Covid-19 pandemic.

According to a statement released by the Ministry of Trade and Industry, Gamea said that at the Summit, President Abdel Fattah El Sisi took over the chair of the COMESA from the President of Madagascar. He also launched the COMESA Medium-Term Strategic Plan (MTSP) 2021- 2025.

The 21st summit reviewed a number of key reports on economic integration priority issues and the status of the Covid-19 pandemic in the region, the 42nd Meeting of the Council of Ministers held on Nov. 9, the 17th Meeting of the COMESA Ministers of Foreign Affairs held on Nov 16, the implementation status of regional integration programs in the region, as well as reports on the current COMESA round and the COMESA Business Council, the minister said.

It also witnessed the swearing-in ceremony of the COMESA Court of Justice Appellate Division judge and the newly-appointed Commissioners of the COMESA Competition Commission and the COMESA Committee of Elders, in addition to the announcement of the winners of the Media and Innovation Awards, she also said.

She pointed out that Egypt’s chairing of COMESA will support its determined efforts, with other African countries, to achieve economic integration on the continent and overcome obstacles that may hinder free trade between COMESA members.

It will also strengthen cooperation among investment agents in Africa and open communication channels between the governments of member countries and the private sector to facilitate the movement of investments within the continent, she stressed.

Source: State Information Service Egypt