The mobilization of funds to support the implementation of the regional integration programmes is one of the key highlights of the 39th meeting of the COMESA Intergovernmental Committee meeting that began Friday Lusaka, Zambia.
The meeting brought together Permanent/ Principal Secretaries from ministries that coordinate COMESA activities in the Member States to consider – among others – a new resource mobilization strategy that will make COMESA financially sustainable. Uganda is a member of the 21-member bloc.
COMESA Secretary General (SG), Ms. Chileshe Kapwepwe told the delegates at the opening ceremony, that 65 percent of the current budget for programmes was supported by Development Partners. “It is even more challenging, to note that Member States contributions are not only inadequate but also, only a few of the Member States have been consistently able to pay the assessed contributions on time,” she said.
The SG called on Member States to review the current funding modalities of COMESA given that there was a steady reduction by development partners, of non-programme budget for the Secretariat.
The Secretariat has subsequently developed a comprehensive Resource Mobilization Strategy, to be considered and adopted by the permanent secretaries. It is intended to ensure a clear and well-coordinated approach to mobilize resources required to support the implementation of COMESA programs.
The SG also indicated that COMESA was rolling out digital trade facilitation programme to promote investments and industrialization especially on agro-based industries and agribusiness.
“The use of technology will underpin our commitment to finding innovative ways of facilitating trade through e-commerce, e-logistics and e-legislation,” she said.
“It is time to ensure that COMESA becomes the regional hub in developing and implementing of innovative ways of trade facilitation and maximise the use of the digital technology in regional integration,” she added.
To speed up the integration agenda, the SG identified the following initiatives to be carried out by the organization: rolling out COMESA video conferencing; developing an online market; eliminating inefficiencies in the existing one stop border post through use of digital technology; ensuring simultaneous information sharing at the border points and harmonization of the transit cargo regulations and customs documentation and procedures.
Heads of delegation representing development and cooperating partners addressed the meeting. These included Ambassador Allesandro Mariani (European Union) Ambassador Daniel L. Forte (USAID), the World Bank, the International Trade Centre and the International Organization for Migration.
Ambassador Mariani said the EU will launch two additional programmes in 2019: one worth 10 million euros to support private sector and Regional Value Chains; and another of seven million euros to strengthen the institutional capacities of the COMESA Secretariat.
The IC meeting comes to an end on Saturday, November 24, 2018 paving way for the 39th COMESA Council of Ministers meeting on Sunday November 25, 2018.
COMESA member countries include: Burundi, Comoros,D.R. Congo,Djibouti, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Rwanda, Tunisia Seychelles, Somalia Sudan, Swaziland, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Tunisia and Somalia joined the bloc this year.