Ruto takes over as Comesa chair, calls for visa-free Africa

The Comesa authority, which consists of Heads of State from 21 member countries, is the highest decision-making body in the organisation. The theme for this 18th commerce business forum is “leveraging digitalisation to deepen regional value chains for sustainable and inclusive growth”.

“The question of continental integration must go beyond trade agreements and shared markets. It must also embrace the free movement of people, goods, and services across our borders. True integration will only be achieved when an African can travel, work, and invest freely anywhere on the continent,” said President Ruto.

Read: Kenya, Germany vote for non-tariff barriers

He took issue with the high number of visa issuance by individual countries within the regional blocs, terming them as non-tariff barriers that are killing intra-trade.

“Intra-Comesa trade, though improving, still accounts for a very small share of our total trade. Africa contributes only 3 percent to global trade, and only 14 percent to intra-Africa trade. If you compare with Europe, 70 percent of their trade is intra-European. In Asia they trade 60 percent of all their products and services within Asia,” said Ruto.

“In Africa we are only doing 14 percent. And that is why our contribution to global trade is only 3 percent because we cannot trade, first and foremost with ourselves. The reason why we are not trading with ourselves is, by extent, Comesa, is because we have unlimited boundaries,” said Ruto.

“Just imagine that in the European Union, 26 countries have a single visa therefore their people can move much more freely. In Comesa with the tripartite agreement, we have 27 countries with 27 visas to be able to travel. Tell me ladies and gentlemen, how are we going to catch up with the rest of the world if we are going to have this visa and this visa?”

“It is in this spirit that Kenya has taken the progressive decision to become visa-free for most African nationals, affirming our belief that Africa’s strength lies in its openness and unity. We are optimistic that our sister countries across the continent will take similar bold steps so that, together, we may unlock the full potential of a borderless, connected, and prosperous Africa,” said Ruto.

He congratulated Burundi for joining Kenya in removing visa travel conditions for African countries.

Dr Ruto said his leadership will strive to push for the increase of intra-trade from the current 14 percent to more than 50 percent, remove trade barriers, and create markets for more than one billion people.

“We must stop being exporters of raw materials. Africa must add value to our raw materials, resources, and minerals. By processing and adding value we not only create jobs but we create a market on our continent,” he said.

Read: Kenya, Italy to remove non-tariff barriers to promote trade

He also called on Comesa members to stop creating more non-tariff barriers where African countries have signed trade agreements

“We must move from competition to collaboration, from exporting raw materials to building value chains that retain wealth within our borders.”

The President also promised to lead the continent on the path of digitalization, which he said would open up borders and spur intra trade which currently is very low, at 14 percent.

“Indeed, it is my firm conviction that the future of our prosperity, and our rightful place in the global economy, will be defined by how effectively we harness the transformative power of digital technology.”

In his acceptance speech, the Head of State stressed the need for Africa to shift from being a passive consumer of technology to becoming a producer and exporter of digital solutions.

“The time has come for us to shape our own economic destiny,” Dr Ruto declared as he pointed to Kenya’s own innovation success story, the mobile money platform M-Pesa.”

The president also called on African countries to resolve the numerous conflicts on the continent as they hamper economic growth.

“All these ambitions rest on unshakable foundations: Peace, security, and stability. There can be no development without peace, and no investment without stability. We must therefore strengthen our collective capacity to prevent conflict, manage disputes peacefully, and uphold democracy, good governance, and the rule of law. This must remain our highest and most sacred duty,” said Dr Ruto.

Earlier President Ndayishimiye, in his report, emphasised the need for the implementation of a Simplified Trade Regime (STR) to spur border trade.

“The DRC and Burundi will launch this STR later this month. I urge other Comesa members to adopt this tool as it will help small scale trade, especially at our borders,” said President Ndayishimiye, whose country was named as rapporteur in the new Bureau of Comesa Authority.

Zimbabwe President Emmerson Mnangagwa assumed the role of Vice Chairman of Comesa.

“You are welcome in Harare next year at a date that will be communicated to the rest of members,” he said.

The Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, reaffirmed the AU’s commitment to advancing regional and continental integration through stronger collaboration among regional economic communities.

He said the continent is facing a turbulent time following the expiry of the African Growth and Opportunity (Agoa) and the imposition of new US tariffs on African exports. “These two factors threaten economic growth and competitiveness across the continent, and therefore there is urgency of fully operationalising the AfCFTA (African Continental Free Trade Area),” he said.

Mr Youssouf urged all regional economic communities to eliminate persistent non-tariff barriers and implement the technical provisions required for seamless intra-African trade. This will drive structural transformation towards the AU Agenda2063, he added.

Mr Youssouf concluded by saying that Comesa, as part of the tripartite Comesa–EAC–SADC framework, can serve as a model of integration and a beacon lighting Africa’s path toward a united, prosperous and self-reliant continent.

The communique was read by the Comesa Secretary-General Ms Chileshe Mpundu Kapwepwe, who called on the Summit to resolve the non-tariff barriers.