From Africa Recovery, Vol.13#1 (June 1999), Watch page

COMESA
Tariffs to be scrapped by October 2000

Regional integration is "not a luxury but an economic imperative," President Frederick Chiluba of Zambia stressed at the opening of the 24-25 May summit of the 21-member Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA). Twelve heads of state and other leaders of COMESA countries met in Nairobi, Kenya, and took up the call to push for regional integration as a key part of the region's strategy for economic transformation.

COMESA members aim to eliminate 90 per cent of internal tariff barriers in the region by October 1999, followed by complete scrapping of internal tariffs by October 2000. Two countries -- Madagascar and Egypt -- already have cut tariffs by 90 per cent, while eight countries have cut tariffs by 80 per cent, according to a COMESA report discussed at the summit. However, the report noted that some countries are making slow progress in meeting the free trade targets.

COMESA leaders also lamented the waste of the region's resources on conflicts in Angola and the Democratic Republic of Congo, and the border dispute between Eritrea and Ethiopia. "We cannot strengthen trade between us when wars are destroying productive capacity," said Kenyan President Daniel arap Moi, the new chairman of the regional grouping, who urged stronger COMESA conflict resolution mechanisms.

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