President Emmerson Mnangagwa has pledged to push mineral beneficiation, value addition and industrialization across the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa as Zimbabwe takes over the bloc’s chairmanship.
Mnangagwa accepted the COMESA chairmanship on Thursday at the 25th Summit of Heads of State and Government, held at the New Parliament Building in Mount Hampden near Harare. Kenyan President William Ruto, the outgoing chairman, handed him the gavel.
Zimbabwe will lead the 21-member bloc for the 2026-2027 term. Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema is the vice chairman. COMESA covers a combined market of more than 600 million people and an estimated gross domestic product of about US$1 trillion.
In his acceptance speech, Mnangagwa said Zimbabwe will work with all member states to “fast-track value addition and beneficiation” and to promote inclusive industrialization and stronger participation in regional value chains. He said Africa’s natural resources should drive development rather than be shipped out with limited processing.
He pointed to Zimbabwe’s own policies requiring local processing of resources as proof of the economic gains from beneficiation. Zimbabwe will also champion agro-processing, cross-border agricultural and industrial parks, harmonized supply chains and climate-proofing of agriculture, he said.
Mnangagwa also asked members to back a people-centered economic development agenda during Zimbabwe’s tenure. He said the bloc should consolidate regional gains and work toward an integrated, competitive and prosperous bloc.
Two days earlier, he opened the 19th COMESA Business Forum and Exhibition in Harare, where he urged private sector players to move from exporting commodities toward value addition, beneficiation and manufacturing. He called for removing tariff and non-tariff barriers and harmonizing trade procedures to unlock markets under the African Continental Free Trade Area.
At the forum, Mnangagwa invited investors, manufacturers, financial institutions and partners within COMESA to join efforts to turn gaps in the region into productive enterprises, jobs and skills, particularly for young people. Zimbabwe said it is ready to partner other member states in agriculture and agro-processing, mining and mineral beneficiation, manufacturing, energy and infrastructure.
Hichilema used the summit to press leaders to move beyond rhetoric on regional trade. He noted that Africa exports critical minerals such as copper, cobalt, nickel, manganese and lithium in raw form while importing finished goods like electric vehicles, and proposed building a regional manufacturing ecosystem instead.
Hichilema also formally handed over title deeds for land that Zambia provided for the construction of a regional COMESA secretariat.
The chairmanship comes as African countries seek to strengthen intra-regional trade, reduce dependence on imported manufactured goods and improve their position in global value chains.
Zimbabwe’s Foreign Affairs and International Trade Minister, Amon Murwira, was at the summit. COMESA Secretary-General Chileshe Mpundu Kapwepwe also attended.
