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The 'Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa', is a preferential trading area with twenty member states stretching from Libya to Zimbabwe. COMESA 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, with Rwanda and Burundi joining the FTA in 2004 and the Comoros and Libya in 2006.
COMESA is one of the pillars of the African Economic Community. The Secretary-General of COMESA is Erastus J.O. Mwencha

Contents

Membership

Institutions

Comparison with other regional blocs

See also

External links

Membership

'Current members:'

★ (21 Dec 1981)

★ (21 Dec 1981)

★ (21 Dec 1981)

★ (21 Dec 1981)

★ (21 Dec 1981)

★ (6 Jan 1999)

★ (1994)

★ (21 Dec 1981)

★ (21 Dec 1981)

★ (3 June 2005) (at the 10th Summit of COMESA)

★ (21 Dec 1981)

★ (21 Dec 1981)

★ (21 Dec 1981)

★ (21 Dec 1981)

★ (2001)

★ (21 Dec 1981)

★ (21 Dec 1981)

★ (21 Dec 1981)

★ (21 Dec 1981)

★ (21 Dec 1981)
'Former members:'

★ (quit in 1997)

★ (quit in 1997)

★ (quit on September 2, 2000)

★ (quit in May 2, 2004)

Institutions

The following organs have decision-making power according to the treaties

★ The COMESA Authority, composes of Heads of States or Government.

★ The COMESA Council of Ministers

★ The COMESA Court of Justice

★ The Committee of Governors of Central Banks
The following organs make recommendations to the institutions above:

★ The Inter-governmental Committee

★ The Twelve Technical Committees

★ The Consultative Committee of the Business Community and other Interest Groups

★ The COMESA Secretariat. The Secretary General is appointed by the Authority for a duration of five years.
Other institutions created to promote development are:

★ The COMESA Trade and Development Bank in Nairobi, Kenya

★ The COMESA Clearing House in Harare, Zimbabwe

★ The COMESA Association of Commercial Banks in Harare, Zimbabwe

★ The COMESA Leather Institute in Ethiopia

★ The COMESA Re-Insurance Company (ZEP-RE)in Nairobi, Kenya

Comparison with other regional blocs

See also

★ Trade bloc

★ East African Community (EAC)

★ Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS)

★ Southern African Development Community (SADC)

★ Southern African Customs Union (SACU)

★ Arab Maghreb Union (UMA)

★ Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD)

★ Agadir Agreement

External links

★ COMESA web site

★ Information on COMESA history

★ Agreement establishing COMESA