Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa

Last updated

Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA)
  • السوق المشتركة لشرق وجنوب أفريقيا (Arabic)
  • Marché commun de l'Afrique orientale et australe (French)
  • Mercado Comum da África Oriental e Austral (Portuguese)
Comesa-logo.png
Coat of arms
Anthem: "People of Africa" [1]
COMESA Members.svg
Map of Africa indicating COMESA membership.
  Current members
  Former members 
Secretariat Flag of Zambia.svg Lusaka, Zambia
Official languages
Type Trade bloc
Membership 21 member states
Leaders
 Secretary General
Chileshe Mpundu Kapwepwe
EstablishmentAgreement
 Signed
5 November 1993
 Ratified
8 December 1994
Area
 Total
12,000,000 km2 (4,600,000 sq mi)
Population
 Estimate
Over 640 million [2]
GDP  (PPP)estimate
 Total
$1.0 trillion [3]

The Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) is a regional economic community in Africa with twenty-one member states stretching from Tunisia to Eswatini. COMESA was 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 (Djibouti, Egypt, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Sudan, Zambia and Zimbabwe), with Rwanda and Burundi joining the FTA in 2004, the Comoros and Libya in 2006, Seychelles in 2009, Uganda in 2012 [4] and Tunisia in 2018.

Contents

COMESA is one of the pillars of the African Economic Community.

In 2008, COMESA agreed to an expanded free-trade zone including members of two other African trade blocs, the East African Community (EAC) and the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC). COMESA is also considering a common visa scheme to boost tourism. [5]

Membership

Current members

CountryJoined
Horn of Africa countries
Flag of Djibouti.svg  Djibouti 21 Dec 1981
Flag of Eritrea.svg  Eritrea 1994
Flag of Ethiopia.svg  Ethiopia 21 Dec 1981
Flag of Somalia.svg  Somalia 21 Dec 1981 (PTA) / 19 Jul 2018 (COMESA) [6]
North African countries
Flag of Egypt.svg  Egypt 6 Jan 1999
Flag of Libya.svg  Libya 3 Jun 2005 [n 1]
Flag of Sudan.svg  Sudan 21 Dec 1981
Flag of Tunisia.svg  Tunisia 18 Jul 2018 [6]
Indian Ocean
Flag of the Comoros.svg  Comoros 21 Dec 1981
Flag of Madagascar.svg  Madagascar "
Flag of Mauritius.svg  Mauritius "
Flag of Seychelles.svg  Seychelles 2001
African Great Lakes
Flag of Burundi.svg  Burundi 21 Dec 1981
Flag of Kenya.svg  Kenya "
Flag of Malawi.svg  Malawi "
Flag of Rwanda.svg  Rwanda "
Flag of Uganda.svg  Uganda "
Southern Africa
Flag of Eswatini.svg  Eswatini 21 Dec 1981 [n 2]
Flag of Zambia.svg  Zambia "
Flag of Zimbabwe.svg  Zimbabwe "
Central Africa
Flag of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.svg  Democratic Republic of the Congo 21 Dec 1981 [n 3]

Former members

CountryLeft
Flag of Lesotho (1987-2006).svg  Lesotho 1997
Flag of Mozambique.svg  Mozambique 1997
Flag of Tanzania.svg  Tanzania 2 Sep 2000
Flag of Namibia.svg  Namibia 2 May 2004
Flag of Angola.svg  Angola 2007 [n 4]

Organs

According to the treaties, the following organs have decision-making power:

In the event that a member State's court is reviewing the application or interpretation of the Treaty, it may request the Courts' opinion on the matter. If the national court is a court from which there is no appeal or remedy, then court is required to refer the question to the COMESA court. The national remedies must be exhausted before a person can bring a matter to the COMESA CJ. The COMESA Court has jurisdiction over suits brought by COMESA employees and third parties against COMESA or its institutions. It also may act as an arbitrary tribunal on any matter arising from a contract to which COMESA or any of its institutions is a party. Further the Court can adjudicate any dispute between member States who agree to bring the dispute before it. Unlike the Statute of the International Court, the treaty does not state the sources of law to be applied by the Court. The Treaty and any COMESA issued legal instruments, will make the initial law to be applied, but municipal law and international law may also be determined applicable by the Court.

While the jurisdiction of the COMESA Court provides multiple avenues for the creation of standard interpretation of the Treaty, there is no specific provision of an avenue for the settlement of disputes between the institutions of the Common Market. The Court is not given the power to interpret the statutes of the other COMESA institutions. Finally, the Treaty does not specify that the Court will have jurisdiction over human rights issues within the context of Community

Due to its varying jurisdictions of the Court, the Eighth Meeting of Ministers of Justice and Attorneys General recommended to the Council of Ministers and the Authority that the Treaty be amended to provide for two divisions in the Court, the Court of First Instance and the Appellate Division. The proposal was adopted and the Court was expanded in June 2005 with the appointment of seven judges in the Court of First Instance and five judges in the Appellate Division. The work of the Court was then suspended until the Appellate Division judges were appointed and the Rules of Court for the Appellate Division were drawn up and adopted. During this reformation of the Court, the previously fully independent Court was made subject to the review of any proposed Rules of Court by the Ministers of Justice and Attorneys-General. The Court was established under the 1994 Treaty, the first set of judges was not appointed until 1998.

Unlike other African regional courts, the COMESA Court continues to receive cases. However, due to lack of funds the Court is unable to hear all its cases at certain times. Funding is only done for one session of the Court per year, these has contributed greatly to piling of cases. The backlog of cases will most certainly increase with the current growth in trade disputes in the region. [8]

The following lower policy organs make recommendations to the above:

Other COMESA institutions created to promote development are:

List of secretaries general

The United Nations Economic Commission for Africa provided an interim Secretariat for the Preferential Trade Area from December 1981 (signing of the Lusaka treaty) until December 1982 (first meeting of the PTA). UNECA Secretary General Adebayo Adedeji was the interim Secretary General of the PTA during this time. UNECA official Bax Nomvete would go on to serve as PTA Secretary General. [9]

Source: [10]

No.ImageNameCountryTook officeLeft office
Secretary General of the Preferential Trade Area
1 Semyano Kiingi Flag of Uganda.svg  Uganda 19831984
2 Bax Dale Nomvete Flag of the United Nations.svg  United Nations 19841990
3 Lula Mutharika crop.jpg Bingu Wa Mutharika Flag of Malawi.svg  Malawi 19911994
Secretary General of the Common Market
Lula Mutharika crop.jpg Bingu Wa Mutharika Flag of Malawi.svg  Malawi 19941997
4 Erastus J. O. Mwencha (cropped).jpg Erastus J. O. Mwencha Flag of Kenya.svg  Kenya 19982008
5 Sindiso Ndema Ngwenya (cropped).jpg Sindiso Ngwenya Flag of Zimbabwe.svg  Zimbabwe 20082018
6 Chileshe Kapwepwe (cropped).jpg Chileshe Kapwepwe Flag of Zambia.svg  Zambia 2018Incumbent

Comparison with other regional blocs

African Economic Community
Pillar regional
blocs (REC)
Area
(km²)
PopulationGDP (PPP) ($US)Member
states
(millions)(per capita)
EAC 5,449,717343,328,958737,4202,1498
ECOWAS/CEDEAO 5,112,903349,154,0001,322,4523,78815
IGAD 5,233,604294,197,387225,0491,1977
AMU/UMA  a6,046,441106,919,5261,299,17312,6285
ECCAS/CEEAC 6,667,421218,261,591175,9281,45111
SADC 9,882,959394,845,175737,3923,15215
COMESA 12,873,957406,102,471735,5991,81120
CEN-SAD  a14,680,11129
Total AEC 29,910,442853,520,0102,053,7062,40654
Other regional
blocs
Area
(km²)
PopulationGDP (PPP) ($US)Member
states
(millions)(per capita)
WAMZ  11,602,991264,456,9101,551,5165,8676
SACU  12,693,41851,055,878541,43310,6055
CEMAC  23,020,14234,970,52985,1362,4356
UEMOA  13,505,37580,865,222101,6401,2578
UMA  2 a5,782,14084,185,073491,2765,8365
GAFTA  3 a5,876,9601,662,5966,3553,8225
AES   2,780,15971,374,000179,3473
During 2004. Sources: The World Factbook 2005, IMF WEO Database.
  Smallest value among the blocs compared.
  Largest value among the blocs compared.
1: Economic bloc inside a pillar REC.
2: Proposed for pillar REC, but objecting participation.
3: Non-African members of GAFTA are excluded from figures.
a: The area 446,550 km2 used for Morocco excludes all disputed territories, while 710,850 km2 would include the Moroccan-claimed and partially-controlled parts of Western Sahara (claimed as the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic by the Polisario Front). Morocco also claims Ceuta and Melilla, making up about 22.8 km2 (8.8 sq mi) more claimed territory.

See also

Notes

  1. 10th COMESA summit, as Libyan Arab Jamahiriya
  2. As Swaziland
  3. As Zaire
  4. Self-suspension:
    • "SADC, COMESA and the EAC: Conflicting regional and trade agendas". Institute for Global Dialogue. October 2008. Archived from the original on 1 January 2017. Retrieved 7 May 2011.
    • "African integration is great but has its hurdles". New Vision. 26 May 2010. Archived from the original on 19 June 2010. Retrieved 7 May 2011.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New Partnership for Africa's Development</span> Economic development program of the African Union

The New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) is an economic development program of the African Union (AU). NEPAD was adopted by the AU at the 37th session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government in July 2001 in Lusaka, Zambia. NEPAD aims to provide an overarching vision and policy framework for accelerating economic co-operation and integration among African countries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Southern African Development Community</span> Inter-governmental organization

The Southern African Development Community (SADC) is an inter-governmental organization headquartered in Gaborone, Botswana.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">East African Community</span> Intergovernmental organisation for African countries

The East African Community (EAC) is an intergovernmental organisation in East Africa. The EAC's membership consists of eight states: Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Federal Republic of Somalia, the Republics of Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Uganda, and Tanzania. William Ruto, the president of Kenya, is the current EAC chairman. The organisation was founded in 1967, collapsed in 1977, and was revived on 7 July 2000. The main objective of the EAC is to foster regional economic integration.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">African Central Bank</span> Financial institution of the African Union

The African Central Bank (ACB) is one of the original five financial institutions and specialized agencies of the African Union. Over time, it will take over responsibilities of the African Monetary Fund.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">African Economic Community</span> International organization

The African Economic Community (AEC) is an organization of African Union states establishing grounds for mutual economic development among the majority of African states. The stated goals of the organization include the creation of free trade areas, customs unions, a single market, a central bank, and a common currency thus establishing an economic and monetary union.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Economic Community of Central African States</span> Economic bloc in Central Africa

The Economic Community of Central African States is an Economic Community of the African Union for promotion of regional economic co-operation in Central Africa. It "aims to achieve collective autonomy, raise the standard of living of its populations and maintain economic stability through harmonious cooperation".

The East African Court of Justice (EACJ) is a treaty-based judicial body of the East African Community tasked to ensure adherence to law in the interpretation and application of and compliance with the East African Community Treaty of 1999. The Court is made up of two divisions: a First Instance Division and an Appellate Division. Its Judges, a maximum of ten in the First Instance Division and of five in the Appellate Division, are appointed by the Summit, the highest organ of the community, from among persons recommended by the Partner States who are of proven integrity, impartiality and independence and fulfill the conditions required in their own countries for high judicial office, or are jurists of recognised competence.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">African Monetary Union</span> Proposed economic and monetary union

The African Monetary Union (AMU) is the proposed creation of an economic and monetary union for the countries of the African Union, administered by the African Central Bank. Such a union would call for the creation of a new unified currency, similar to the euro; the hypothetical currency is sometimes referred to as the afro or afriq. The single African currency is to be composed of currency units made up of regional union reserve bank currency units of which are made up country specific currencies.

The Regional Economic Communities (RECs) in Africa group together individual countries in subregions for the purposes of achieving greater economic integration. They are described as the "building blocks" of the African Union and are also central to the strategy for implementing the African Development Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">African Free Trade Zone</span> Free trade zone

The African Free Trade Zone (AFTZ) is a free trade zone announced at the EAC-SADC-COMESA Summit on 22 October 2008 by the heads of Southern African Development Community (SADC), the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) and the East African Community (EAC). The African Free Trade Zone is also referred to as the African Free Trade Area in some official documents and press releases.

The Trade and Development Bank (TDB), formerly the PTA Bank, is a trade and development financial institution operating in eastern and southern Africa. TDB is the financial arm of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), although membership is open to non-COMESA states and other institutional shareholders.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Southern African Power Pool</span> Cooperative of the national electricity companies in Southern Africa

The Southern African Power Pool (SAPP) is a cooperation of the national electricity companies in Southern Africa under the auspices of the Southern African Development Community (SADC). The members of SAPP have created a common power grid between their countries and a common market for electricity in the SADC region.

The Panel of the Wise (PoW) is a consultative body of the African Union, composed of five appointed members who each serve three year terms. Its mandate is to provide opinions to the Peace and Security Council on issues relevant to conflict prevention, management, and resolution. Representatives are chosen for the North, East, South, West, and Central regions of the continent.

Prega Ramsamy served as the second Executive Secretary of the Southern African Development Community. He is from Mauritius and has lived in Zambia, Botswana, Madagascar and South Africa.

Sindiso Ndema Ngwenya, is a Zimbabwean economist and transportation expert. He was the Secretary General of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA). Prior to that, he served as the Assistant Secretary General of COMESA in charge of Programmes, from 1998 until 2008.

The Tripartite Free Trade Area (TFTA) is a partially implemented African free trade agreement between the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), Southern African Development Community (SADC) and East African Community (EAC). The 29 tripartite member/partner countries represent 53% of the African Union's membership, more than 60% of continental GDP, and a combined population of 800 million.

ZEP-RE is a specialised institution of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) created under charter. The Company is currently headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Energy Regulators Association of East Africa</span> Non-profit organisation

The Energy Regulators Association of East Africa (EREA) is a non-profit organisation mandated to spearhead harmonisation of energy regulatory frameworks, sustainable capacity building and information sharing among the List of energy regulatory bodies in the East African Community. Its key objective is to promote the independence of national regulators and support the establishment of a robust East African energy union.

The Southern African Development Community Regional Trunk Road Network or SADC RTRN is a trans nation road network across Southern Africa. The projects in Africa being developed by the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), the African Development Bank (ADB), and the African Union in conjunction with the Southern African Development Community. They aim to promote trade and alleviate poverty in Africa through highway infrastructure development and the management of road-based trade corridors.

References

  1. "Comesaweb – Comesa anthem". Comesa.int. Archived from the original on 22 August 2011. Retrieved 2 September 2011.
  2. "COMESA Objectives and Priorities". www.comesa.int/. Retrieved 10 April 2024.
  3. "COMESA Objectives and Priorities". www.comesa.int/. Retrieved 10 April 2024.
  4. "Uganda Joins the COMESA Free Trade Area – Ministry of Trade Industry and Cooperatives". Ministry of Trade Industry and Cooperatives. 16 November 2012. Retrieved 24 July 2024.
  5. Writer, eTN Staff (27 April 2010). "Apple files patent for iTravel - eTurboNews (eTN)". eturbonews.com.
  6. 1 2 "Tunisia, Somalia Joins COMESA". Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa. 19 July 2018. Archived from the original on 18 July 2018. Retrieved 19 July 2018.
  7. "About COMESA". The Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA). Archived from the original on 7 December 2011. Retrieved 10 December 2011.
  8. "Court of Justice of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa". Archived from the original on 18 August 2014. Retrieved 10 December 2011.
  9. From PTA to COMESA (PDF). Lusaka: COMESA. 2018.
  10. "Secretaries General of COMESA and the PTA". COMESA Coffee Table Book (PDF). Lusaka: COMESA Secretariat. 2019. p. 76.