Q FM Africa's Modern Radio
Vice President Inonge Wina
Vice President Inonge Wina has expressed concern that the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) region has experienced a decline in global exports from US$76 billion worth of exports in 2015 to US$71 billion in 2016.
Ms. Wina has attributed the downward trend to the general slowdown in the global economy and the declining prices of commodities on the international market.
Speaking when she officially opened the 37th meeting of the COMESA Council of Ministers in Lusaka, Ms. Wina says there is need for COMESA member states to redouble efforts focused on value-addition.
She says it is only through enhanced value –addition that the economies in the region can become resilient and cushion the people against external shocks.
And Ms. Wina says 15 out of the 19 member states of COMESA are now trading with each other under the free trade area.
She has since advised COMESA member states to build the necessary capacities and position themselves to tap into the benefits of an enlarged market.
Speaking earlier, African Caribbean and Pacific group of states (ACP) Secretary General Dr. Patrick Gomes says the ACP Group has begun its preparations for negotiations towards a new ACP-EU agreement in 2020.
Dr. Gomes says the negotiations will be based on the agenda 2030 and the sustainable development goals (SDGs).
And COMESA Secretary General Sindiso Ngwenya has reaffirmed COMESA’s commitment to ensuring that it achieves sustainable economic and social progress in all member states through increased co-operation and integration in all fields of development.