SUDAN has decided to end custom duties for nations in the Common Market of Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), state television said. President Omar al-Beshir issued a decree cancelling the tariff on the eve of his departure to a COMESA summit in Zambia. Sudan and nine other countries will sign an agreement at the summit creating a free-trade zone. The other countries are Djibouti, Egypt, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Zambia and Zimbabwe. It was unclear whether Beshir’s decree cancelling duties would apply only to countries in the free-trade zone or to all members of COMESA. – AFP