1

www.comesa.int e

Issue #126 - Friday 19 October 2007 newsletterIssue 281 - 11th February 2011 newsletter

This bulletin is published by the COMESA Secretariat Public Relations Unit but does not necessarily represent views of the Secretariat.For Feedback: pr@comesa.int

Contact Address : COMESA SECRETARIAT, COMESA Center , Ben Bella Road P.O. Box 30051, 260 1 229 725, 260 1 225 107

www.comesa.int, e.COMESA@comesa.int

Ambassador Gilles Hervio on his new appointment as Head of Delegation of the European Commission in Zambia and Special Representative to COMESA. He took the opportunity to extend his best wishes towards his new responsibilities.Mr Ngwenya noted that EU remains the lead cooperating partner to COMESA and all the Regional Economic Communities (RECs). Mr. Ngwenya recalled that since 2002, COMESA, EAC, IGAD and IOC decided to collaborate and coordinate their efforts, through the Inter-Regional Coordinating Committee (IRCC) in the programming and implementation of regional programmes and projects under the European Development Fund (EDF), with a view to improve coordination in the implementation of regional integration programmes, in order to avoid the duplication of activities.Under the 9th EDF, COMESA was allocated a total amount of Euro 78 millions. Out of this amount Euro 32 millions have financed the implementation of the Regional Integration Support Programme (RISP) through a Contribution Agreement signed between the EC and COMESA. The programme was jointly implemented by COMESA and the East African Community Customs Union(EAC) and it contributed Euro 8 millions to the

EU Appoints new Permanent Representative to COMESA

implementation of the EAC Customs Union. The 9th EDF has enabled COMESA to achieve very important steps in its integration agenda and enormous progress regarding regional trade and economic development.Secretary General Ngwenya welcomed EU new approach of engaging RECs in political dialogue “ the 2nd Revision of the Cotonou Agreement, concluded last year, has introduced the formalisation of the Political Dialogue under Article 8 with Regional Organisations”. “Traditionally, the EU held Political Dialogue specified under the Cotonou Agreement only at the country level. We therefore welcome the opening-up to include regional organisations” pointed out Mr Ngwenya. He added that COMESA is the in-coming 2011/2012 Chair of the Inter regional Coordinating Committee (IRCC) and promissed that during his tenure as Chairman, he intends to collectively with other RECs, including the ACP Secretariat and the African Union Commission, both who are observer members of the IRCC, to come –up with Guidelines for Political Dialogue between the EU on the one hand, and COMESA, EAC, IGAD and IOC, on the other. “ As such, we are currently exploring the use of regional political economy analytical tools, with a view to establish best practices that could be applied to other regional blocks as well’ concluded Mr Ngwenya/

The European Union Commission has appointed Ambassador Gilles

Hervio as Head of Delegation in Zambia, and special Representative to COMESA to replace Dr Derek Fee who left last December. Ambassador Hervio, a French national, presented his credentials to COMESA Secretary General Sindiso Ngwenya on Thursday 10th February 2011, at COMESA Secretariat, Lusaka, Zambia.Before his appointment as Ambassador to Zambia, he served for four years as EU Ambassador to Senegal, Cape Verde and the Gambia with residence in Dakar, SenegalSpeaking at the ceremony Mr Hervio,called for strong and close partnership between the Commission and COMESA to further enhance regional integration.He added that the EU has been supporting COMESA in many areas in order to promote not only . He retaliated his wish for the partnership to be cemented between COMESA and the EU. “I just hope and wish that our relationship should become ever stronger than it has been in the past,” Hervio Said. He further said that on behalf of the High Representative, Vice President of the European Commission, Catherine Ashton, he was looking forward to the privilege of representing the interests and values of the entire EU and contributes to the deepening of EU/COMESA relations. Mr Hervio pointed out that EU is engaged in supporting regional integration as reflected in EU’s regional support programme which covers COMESA, EAC, IOC, and IGAD. This programme supports the agreed integration strategies of the region. The Funding under the European Development Fund (EDF) amounts to 645 million Euros between 2008 and 2013. Speaking at the same function the COMESA Secretary General. Sindiso Ngwenya, welcomed and congratulated

Ambassador Gilles Hervio presenting credential to Secretary General Ngwenya

2

www.comesa.inte

Tuesday 08 February 2010, the

French director of Africa and

Indian Ocean, Stéphane

Gompertz, visited COMESA secretariat,

he was received by Ambassador Nagla

El-Hussainy, Assistant Secretary General

( Admn and Finance), who was the

then the acting Secretary General.

Also present were Dr Francis Mangeni,

COMESA Director of Trade Customs and

Monitory Affairs, Mrs Emiliana Tembo

COMESA Director of Gender and Social

Affairs, and several other COMESA

professional staff.

Mr Gompertz, was accompanied by the

French Ambassador to Zambia who is

also France’s special Representative Mr

Olivier Richard and his deputy.

During the visit, the two parties revisited

past cooperation between France

and COMESA, noting that France

has supported COMESA in different

fields particularly in Languages and

translation.

Also discussed was how France could

interact more with COMESA taking

France explores how to enhance cooperation with COMESA

into account that La Reunion a French

overseas territory is a member of the

Indian Ocean Commission (IOC) and all

African members of the IOC are also

members of COMESA.

During the visit the COMESA team took

advantage to explained to the delegation,

the role it plays in international arena such

as the Economic partnerships Agreement

(EPAs) negotiations that have been going

on with the EU, WTO negotiation, COMESA

integration Agenda particularly the Free

Trade Area, and the progress towards the

COMESA Customs union.

Mr Gompertz, was also briefed on the

ongoing Tripartite framework between

COMESA-EAC and SADC, who are jointly

working on the establishment of a single

Free trade Area that will cover 26 countries

France was the first non-African states

to accredit a representative to COMESA

in 2002, since then, several countries in

Europe, Asia, North and Latin America

Have appointed representatives.

The Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) has sent

an electoral Observer mission to the 2011 Presidential and Parliamentary elections in Uganda set for 18th February 2011. The COMESA Observer Mission will jointly monitor the Uganda elections with the East African Community (EAC) and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD). The COMESA Team will be lead by Ambassador Simbi Veke Mubako from Zimbabwe and comprises members of Parliament from the COMESA Inter-Parliamentary Forum, civil society, the diplomatic corps and COMESA Secretariat.

The mission follows an invitation from the Government of the Republic of Uganda. COMESA has in the recent past deployed similar observer missions to other member States such as Rwanda in, Burundi, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe among others. This is in line with COMESA’s main objective which is the attainment of regional economic integration for sustainable growth and development, through a number

Mr Stéphane Gompertz and Ambassador Nagla El-Hussainy

COMESA, EAC and IGAD to

jointly monitor Uganda’s Elections

to page 3

3

www.comesa.int e

of principles; among them the promotion of democratic governance and observance of the rule of law in each member state. As a signatory to the COMESA Treaty which enshrines the above mentioned principles, the Government of the Republic of Uganda, invited COMESA to observe her Presidential and Parliamentary elections.

This years mission will be historic in that it is the first time that COMESA/EAC and IGAD are sending a joint mission to a member State. This is in line with inter-REC cooperation where they have decided as much as possible to pull resources together and avoid duplication. Uganda is a member of COMESA-EAC and IGAD.

A statement released by COMESA in Kampala Uganda, today Friday10th February said in part “.“COMESA believes that Democracy is an ongoing process and not an event that ends with casting of the ballot paper. The mission therefore will observe both pre-election process, the elections it self as well as post election process”. Adding that the observation of these Presidential and Parliamentary elections is not meant to pass judgment, but to contribute to the transparency of the electoral process.

It called upon all Ugandans, political parties and candidates to maintain peace and tolerance with one another as the country goes to the polls. The Mission wished the people of Uganda a peaceful, successful and democratic elections.

COMESA takes agriculture as a major backbone of people based development. Agriculture is the main economic activity of the ordinary citizens within the COMESA region. It accounts for more than 32% of COMESA (GDP), 80% of the labour force, provide 50% of raw material for domestic industry, accounts for about 65% of foreign exchange earnings, and the sector remains the key engine of future regional economic growth.As a result over the years, COMESA has come up with programmes meant to support agriculture. One of the recently created such programme is the COMESA Regional Agro-Inputs Programme (COMRAP). This is a two year programme being implemented by COMESA’s Specialized Agency, the Alliance for Commodity Trade in Eastern and Southern Africa (ACTESA).

COMRAP was established as a result of the decision taken by the COMESA Council of Ministers in 2008 to facilitate regional seed trade and provide farmers with more crop seeds and variety options at lower prices. COMRAP is therefore expected to respond to the rising food prices which together with the global financial crises have serious food security implications for over 250 million people in the COMESA region. To cushion the price effects, COMRAP will increase agricultural productivity through enhanced access to three intertwined factors namely, finance, fertilizer and seeds.

The €20 million Programme is supported by the EC and was officially launched on 21 July, 2010 to be implemented throughout the COMESA region with a greater focus on the eight landlocked countries namely: Burundi, Ethiopia, Malawi, Rwanda, Swaziland, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

COMRAP responds to the objectives of the EC food facility which are: to encourage food producers to increase

supply; to deal directly with the effects of volatile food prices on local populations; and to increase food production capacity.

The overall objective of COMRAP is thus to contribute to improving rural food security and livelihoods in the COMESA region through training and capacity building of national and regional input providers.

It is expected that through COMRAP, smallholder farmers will have improved and sustainable access to agro-inputs and services in the COMESA region.

Despite the original focus on the eight landlocked countries; The programme’s seed component will cover all the 19 COMESA member States. Overall, the programme is expected to assist 3,000,000 smallholder farmers, train 6,000 agro-dealers and have some accredited, train 700 Bank managers on lending to smallholder farmers and pilot weather indexed insurance in at least four landlocked countries by August 2011.

Implementation is through country line ministries and in country structures such as national farmers associations, international organizations, sub-regional and international research centres, national research institutions, international and national insurance companies, and regional and national banks

COMESA continues to support Agriculture in the Region

A small scale farmer.