Supporting Common Market for East and Southern Africa

Supporting Common Market for East and Southern Africa

file icon(310k) Supporting Common Market for East and Southern Africa

The Common Market for East and Southern Africa (COMESA) is a regional organization of 19 African Member States. The COMESA  mission is to “endeavor to achieve sustainable economic and social progress ... particularly in trade, customs and monetary affairs, transport, communication and information, technology, industry and energy, gender, agriculture, environment and natural resources.”  

USAID ASSISTANCE TO COMESA

COMESA Integrated Partnership Assistance Agreement (IPAA)
(September 29, 2009 - September 30, 2017)
 
Direct Funding to Date 
$ 21,958,816 
 
Complementary Funding to Date
$ 67,664,726
 
Life of Partnership Funding Ceiling
$200,000,000
 
USAID provides assistance to COMESA in the following areas
  • Trade & Investment
  • Agriculture
  • Conflict Mitigation
  • Administration, Governance & Institutional Strengthening
Support to COMESA is provided through direct grants and technical assistance provided by USAID/EA regional implementing partner activities such as Africa Lead II and AIIM Assist.
 
USAID Point of Contact
Ms. Charlee N. Doom
Activity Manager, COMESA IPAA
 
COMESA Point of Contact
Mr. Walter Talma
USAID Program Coordinator
WTalma@comesa.int

SELECT ACTIVITIES AND ACHIEVEMENTS

USAID has maintained a strong partnership with COMESA since 1998.  The activities and achievements listed below are the product of the partnership of COMESA, USAID, and collaborating implementing partners in the region.
 
The Alliance for Commodity Trade in Eastern and Southern Africa (ACTESA) is a Specialized Agency of COMESA and a key USAID partner.  ACTESA promotes expanded access for smallholder farmers to national, regional, and international markets for staple food crops and livestock, enhancing food security and increasing incomes ACTESA helped the USAID Feed the Future focus on enabled policy environments in the areas of biotechnology, seed, and fertilizer. 
 
In 2015, through the Independent Petroleum Association America partnership, ACTESA continued to provide regional support through the validation of the COMESA Biotechnology and Biosafety Policy Implementation Plan (COMBIP) and the completion of several activities under the COMESA Seed Harmonization Implementation Plan (COMSHIP).  
 
ACTESA conducted sensitization and awareness of the COMESA Seed Trade Regulations (STR) in the 13 member states. It also rolled out activities of drafting, creating, realigning, reviewing and passing of Seed Acts in Member States. 
 
A draft COMESA fertilizer standard and associated policies and regulations were completed in 2015. The gazetting of this policy package is a priority action for 2016.
  • COMESA Business Council (CBC) recently began implementing the Local Sourcing for Partnerships Project to equip SMEs to implement compliant standards and food-management systems; then links them directly into the supply chain of corporate companies. The CBC is a prime example of dynamic program development leading to sustainability, with private-sector stake holders taking on increasing shares of the CBC program budget. 
  • The Comprehensive African Agriculture Development Partnership is led by COMESA in East and Southern Africa.  In partnership with the New Partnership for Africa Development and the African Union, the COMESA Secretariat coordinated development of country and regional "compacts" to increase investments in agricultural productivity and trade.  
  • Trading for Peace activities are conducted in coordination with the German Development Bank (KFW), USAID, and COMESA. The activity seeks to increase cross-border trade and build awareness of the role of trade in peace building, governance and poverty reduction. Trade Information Desks have been established at 10 border points in the region with USAID funding. 
  • COMESA Sanitary and Phyto-Sanitary unit has supported the development of the SPS policy measures to facilitate trade in agricultural commodities among member states and with other countries. This effort included support for risk and policy analysis workshops, training cross-border traders on SPS policies and regulations.
 

 

Issuing Country 
East Africa Regional
Date 
Wednesday, February 10, 2016 - 11:00am