Harare, Zimbabwe, 20 October 2026 – Zimbabwean President H.E. Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa has called for the urgent removal of tariff and non-tariff barriers, stronger public-private sector collaboration and accelerated value addition to unlock opportunities within the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), a regional market valued at approximately US$1.23 trillion and home to 680 million people.
Opening the 19th COMESA Business Forum and Exhibition in Harare, President Mnangagwa said deeper regional integration must deliver tangible benefits for businesses and citizens through expanded trade, investment, jobs, higher standards of living and industrial development.
"Business leaders must speak to governments about what they need, so that One Market truly delivers One Future, delivering prosperity for the citizens of the COMESA region and leaving no one and no place behind," he said.
Held under the theme "One Market, One Future," the Business Forum and Exhibition convened government policymakers, business leaders, development partners and industry stakeholders to advance regional trade, investment and industrialisation.
The President emphasised that reducing trade barriers remains critical to expanding intra-regional commerce, improving market access, and strengthening regional value chains. He observed that a more integrated COMESA market would enable businesses to diversify exports, reach new consumers, and increase competitiveness.
President Mnangagwa also highlighted the growing role of digital technologies in modern trade and logistics. He called for wider adoption of interoperable digital payment systems, electronic certificates of origin, electronic single-window platforms, and modern logistics infrastructure to facilitate cross-border commerce.
He further encouraged businesses to embrace digital marketing, artificial intelligence, and data-driven innovation to respond effectively to changing global market dynamics and emerging opportunities.
Underscoring the importance of structural transformation, President Mnangagwa urged African economies to move beyond exporting raw commodities and prioritise mineral beneficiation, value addition, and local manufacturing to strengthen the domestic footprint of resource exploitation.
He said such measures are essential to retain more value within African economies, create jobs, and build competitive industrial sectors capable of participating in regional and global markets.
He added that Zimbabwe's "Open for Business" policy continues to create opportunities for investment and industrial growth, while regional cooperation can help enterprises scale production and strengthen cross-border production networks.
The MOU between ZimTrade and the African Leather and Leather Products Institute which seeks to enhance leather value addition and strengthen industrial linkages in Zimbabwe and across regional markets should be replicated for other value chains.
These efforts align closely with the objectives of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), which aims to boost intra-African trade, accelerate industrial development, and increase value retention from the continent's productive resources.
Addressing delegates before the official opening of the Business Forum and Exhibition by the President, COMESA Secretary-General, Chileshe Mpundu Kapwepwe thanked the Government of Zimbabwe for hosting the Forum and commended partners for bringing together stakeholders from across the region to explore opportunities for trade, investment, and economic cooperation.
She called for renewed commitment to inclusive industrialisation, investment, and regional integration, stressing the need to convert policy aspirations into measurable outcomes.
"Our ambition of One Market, One Future is being built transaction by transaction, investment by investment, border by border and business by business," she said.
Kapwepwe emphasised that sustained engagement between governments and the private sector remains essential to addressing business constraints, improving the investment climate, and fostering enterprise growth across national borders.
The UN Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) participated in the Forum as part of its ongoing efforts to support regional integration, industrialisation, and trade-led development across the continent and joined regional stakeholders in discussions on strengthening productive capacity, expanding regional value chains, and accelerating implementation of the AfCFTA.
Held alongside the 25th COMESA Heads of State and Government Summit, the 19th COMESA Business Forum and Exhibition is a strategic platform for dialogue between policymakers and the private sector on practical solutions to expand trade, investment, and industrial development.
Organised in partnership by the COMESA Business Council in collaboration with ZimTrade and the Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce, the Forum is a shared commitment to building a more integrated and competitive regional marketplace under the vision of "One Market, One Future."
As COMESA member States advance regional integration and AfCFTA implementation, stakeholders agreed that the ultimate measure of success will be translating political commitments into concrete results: fewer trade barriers, stronger regional value chains, more competitive businesses, and greater prosperity for the people of Eastern and Southern Africa.
Issued by:
Communications Section
Economic Commission for Africa
PO Box 3001
Addis Ababa
Ethiopia
Tel: +251 11 551 5826
E-mail: eca-info@un.org