Leaders from Africa’s main trading bloc met on Tuesday to discuss ways of enhancing its free trade zone, including steps to a customs union, at a two-day summit amid widespread regional tensions.
Nine heads of state and government attended the summit, which caps a 12-day meeting of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (Comesa).
Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki, who took over the reins of the bloc from outgoing chairperson President Ismail Omar Guelleh of Djibouti, lauded advances made towards a customs union, set to be launched at the end of next year.
”Kenya has taken over the chairmanship of Comesa at the time when we have made a major step forward in the journey towards establishing a customs union,” Kibaki said in an opening speech, after trade ministers last week agreed on a common external tariff deal.
The deal recommends that countries allow free movement of capital goods, introduce a tax of 10% for intermediate products and 25% for finished goods.
The 19-member bloc, representing around 400-million people, plans to launch a customs union in December 2008, but experts say the deal may be delayed by some member states who fear their weaker economies could collapse.
”We are aware that some of our countries have limited resources but that should not deter our pursuing of growth,” said King Mswati III of the tiny Southern African kingdom of Swaziland.
The Kenyan president called for closer ties with other regional economic communities, including the South African Development Community and the East African Community, in order to assist in negotiations with the European Union and the World Trade Organisation.
The leaders were also expected to discuss regional peace and security, including recent violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Somalia.
”The promotion of peace and security within the region is a precondition necessary for the development of trade but also for ensuring an environment for attracting and protecting investment,” said outgoing chairperson Guelleh.
He called for international aid to help create peace in war-torn Somalia ahead of a planned reconciliation conference in mid-June.
”We believe it is finally time to help Somalia and its people rebuild their lives. We need to put in place an emergency programme that will assist while we conclude the political process,” he said.
Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe was appointed vice-chairperson of Comesa during the summit’s opening ceremony.
Prime Minister Meles Zenawi of Ethiopia, Rwandan President Paul Kagame, Sudan’s Vice-President Salva Kiir, Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, and Zambian President Levy Mwanawasa were also present at the United Nations headquarters in Nairobi.
Comesa groups Burundi, Comoros, the DRC, Djibouti, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Rwanda, Seychelles, Sudan, Swaziland, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe. ‒ Sapa-AFP