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Zimbabwe , 22 October 2026 Outgoing COMESA Chairperson President William Ruto on Thursday congratulated Zimbabwe’s President Emmerson Mnangagwa and the new members of the Bureau as he formally handed over leadership of the regional bloc.
Ruto assured the incoming chair of his full support and commitment to the success of the new leadership.
Speaking at the 25th COMESA Summit of Heads of State and Government in Harare, the Kenyan leader highlighted the launch of the COMESA Medium-Term Strategic Plan 2026–2030 and the 2025 Annual Report.
“One tells us where we are going, the other tells us where we stand,” Ruto said.
He called for a decisive shift from policy declarations to deliberate results under the theme “One Market, One Future.”
Ruto noted that COMESA member states still trade more with the rest of the world than with one another and recommitted the region to raising intra-COMESA trade to 15 per cent by 2030.
He said the new plan rests on clear pillars, consolidating the common market, deepening trade and digitalising regional commerce, and strengthening connectivity to bring markets closer together.
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“Productive integration must drive industrialisation. For too long we have exported raw minerals. We must process them and add value here at home,” Ruto said.
He stressed that success would depend on implementation at every level.
“A plan is a promise on paper. Delivery is a promise kept. Together we must turn regional commitments into practical outcomes. The private sector must sit at the centre of this agenda. Our task is to build an environment that allows it to succeed.”
Ruto added that the Medium-Term Strategic Plan is built on measurable targets and regular monitoring to ensure accountability.
The remarks came as leaders gathered in Harare to advance regional integration, industrialisation and investment across the 21-member Common Market.