This archive report was first published on 18 July 2019.
On July 18, 2019, COMESA Secretary General Chileshe Kapwepwe paid a courtesy call on President Uhuru Kenyatta at State House, Nairobi, to express her regional economic bloc's confidence in his leadership and facilitation in the successful roll-out of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
Ms Kapwepwe, who was in the country for the 21st COMESA International Trade Fair and High-Level Business Summit, told President Kenyatta that COMESA counts on his support to guide and move forward the implementation of AfCFTA.
"As COMESA, we are confident that your commitment and support will play a big role in the realization of AfCTA as we work to ensure COMESA's voice is heard and its interests safeguarded at the continental level," Ms Kapwepwe said.
President Kenyatta assured COMESA of Kenya's support as it moves to consolidate its position as an economic powerhouse on the continent. He reiterated his call for COMESA member states to come together and take advantage of their collective strengths as an economic bloc.
"Our success as COMESA member states will largely depend on us stopping to look at each other as competitors and instead unite for economic integration that will make us all winners," President Kenyatta said.
At a separate meeting, President Kenyatta met the African Union High-Level Implementation Panel for Sudan and South Sudan (AUHIP) led by its Chairperson, former South African President Thabo Mbeki.
