yawiki.org entry for Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa

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The Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa, is a preferential trading area with twenty member states stretching from Libya to Zimbabwe. COMESA 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, with Rwanda and Burundi joining the FTA in 2004 and the Comoros and Libya in 2006.

COMESA is one of the pillars of the African Economic Community. The Secretary-General of COMSEA is Erastus J.O. Mwencha

    Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa
        Membership
        Institutions
        Comparison with other regional blocs
        See also

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Membership

Current members:

(21 Dec 1981)

(6 Jan 1999)

(1994)

(21 Dec 1981)

(3 June 2005) (at the 10th Summit of COMESA)

(21 Dec 1981)

(2001)

(21 Dec 1981)

Former members:

(quit in 1997)

(quit on September 2, 2000)

(quit in May 2, 2004)

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Institutions

The following organs have decision-making power according to the treaties

The Authority, composes of Heads of States or Government.

The Council of Ministers

The COMESA Court of Justice

The Committee of Governors of Central Banks

The following organs make recommendations to the institutions above:

The Inter-governmental Committee

The twelve Technical Committees

The Consultative Committee of the Business Community and other Interest Groups

The Secretariat. The Secretary General is appointed by the Authority for a duration of five years.

Other institutions created to promote development are:

The COMESA Trade and Development Bank in Nairobi, Kenya

The COMESA Clearing House in Harare, Zimbabwe

The COMESA Association of Commercial Banks in Harare, Zimbabwe

The COMESA Leather Institute in Ethiopia

The COMESA Re-Insurance Company (ZEP-RE)in Nairobi, Kenya

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Comparison with other regional blocs

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See also

Trade bloc

East African Community (EAC)

Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS)

Southern African Development Community (SADC)

Southern African Customs Union (SACU)

Arab Maghreb Union (UMA)

Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD)

Agadir Agreement

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