President Hakainde Hichilema to Attend 23rd COMESA Summit in Bujumbura
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation has announced that President Hakainde Hichilema will travel to Bujumbura, Burundi, to participate in the 23rd COMESA Summit of Heads of State and Government on October 31, 2024.
This significant gathering will be hosted by Burundi’s President Évariste Ndayishimiye, under the theme: “Accelerating Regional Integration through the Development of Regional Value Chains in Climate Resilient Agriculture, Mining and Tourism.”
During the summit, President Hichilema will officially hand over the Chair of the Bureau of the COMESA Authority to President Ndayishimiye. The outgoing Bureau, which was elected by acclamation at the 22nd COMESA Summit in Lusaka on June 8, 2023, included Zambia as the Chair, with Burundi serving as Vice Chair and Egypt as Rapporteur.
The summit is expected to address critical reports regarding the status of regional integration, alongside discussions on peace and security issues affecting the region. This year also marks the 30th Anniversary of COMESA, making it a milestone event for member states.
Prior to the summit, the Meeting of Ministers of Foreign Affairs is set to convene on October 29, 2024, followed by the COMESA Business Forum on October 28, 2024.
On the sidelines of the summit, President Hichilema is anticipated to engage in bilateral discussions with fellow leaders within the regional bloc to address mutual interests and foster cooperation. The President continues to champion efforts to enhance regional integration by reducing trade barriers, promoting value addition, and leveraging digitization as a tool for integration.
Upon concluding his engagements at the summit, President Hichilema is expected to return to Zambia.
This is in a statement issued by Hon. Mulambo Haimbe, S.C, M.P, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation
Lusaka.
