Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa
The Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) is a regional economic community in Africa with twenty-one member states stretching from Tunisia to Eswatini. COMESA was formed in December 1994, replacing a Preferential Trade Area which had existed since 1981. Nine of the member states formed a free trade area in 2000 (Djibouti, Egypt, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Sudan, Zambia and Zimbabwe), with Rwanda and Burundi joining the FTA in 2004, the Comoros and Libya in 2006, Seychelles in 2009 and Tunisia and Somalia in 2018.
Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA)
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Coat of arms
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| Anthem: "People of Africa" | |
Map of Africa indicating COMESA membership. Current members Former members | |
| Secretariat | Lusaka, Zambia |
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| Type | Trade bloc |
| Membership | 21 member states |
| Leaders | |
• Secretary General | Chileshe Mpundu Kapwepwe |
| Establishment | Agreement |
• Signed | 5 November 1993 |
• Ratified | 8 December 1994 |
Website www | |
COMESA is one of the pillars of the African Economic Community.
In 2008, COMESA agreed to an expanded free-trade zone including members of two other African trade blocs, the East African Community (EAC) and the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC). COMESA is also considering a common visa scheme to boost tourism.