Kenya is intensifying preparations to host the 24th Summit of Heads of State and Government from the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) region, scheduled to take place in Nairobi from October 7 to 9, 2025. The high-level gathering, which will bring together leaders from 21 member states, comes at a time of shifting global trade dynamics, making the summit a critical platform for Africa’s economic integration agenda.
The event will be preceded by a COMESA Business Council (CBC) Forum on October 7, and a three-day COMESA Trade Exhibition running from October 6 to 8. These activities are expected to showcase opportunities for regional trade, investment, and partnerships ahead of the main summit.
Speaking during a planning forum in Nairobi, the Principal Secretary for Trade, Regina Ombam, underscored the importance of the summit, describing it as “a timely meeting” for the continent.
“This is an event on trade. COMESA is a common market for East and Southern Africa. When we talk about common markets, these are markets we are setting up for purposes of economic integration to ensure that trade within the region is seamless and everybody benefits,” Ombam said.
She noted that African countries must take advantage of integration frameworks such as COMESA, the East African Community, and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) to strengthen intra-African trade, which has historically lagged behind trade with external markets such as Europe.
As part of its own trade agenda, Kenya is prioritising industrialisation and value addition. The country has expanded Special Economic Zones (SEZs) and Export Processing Zones (EPZs), alongside new county-level aggregated industrial parks. According to Ombam, these initiatives are transforming the economy from a reliance on traditional raw exports such as tea and coffee to higher-value processed products that can compete in international markets.
Kenya’s approach, she added, is holistic, ensuring key enablers such as power, infrastructure, and transport are in place to support industrial growth
Preparations for the summit are in high gear, with resource mobilisation a key focus. According to Ombam, the summit budget stands at about KSh 800 million, of which KSh 300 million has already been secured. The government has contributed KSh 275 million, while the COMESA Secretariat has so far pledged about KSh 122 million. Efforts are ongoing to bridge the funding gap through partnerships, sponsorships, among other sources.
The summit will run under the theme “Leveraging Digitalisation to Deepen Value Chains for Sustainable and Inclusive Growth”, reflecting the urgency for Africa to diversify trade and adapt to evolving global patterns.
With just over a month to go, Ombam expressed optimism, saying government departments, development partners, and the private sector are all rallying behind Kenya’s hosting effort.
“We have 36 days to deliver on a big summit. This is an opportunity not just for Kenya, but for the entire continent, to rethink how trade can work better for our people,” she said.
The Nairobi meeting is expected to set the tone for strengthening regional integration, enhancing Africa’s competitiveness in global markets, and positioning trade as a driver of inclusive economic growth.
