President William Ruto Takes Over as New Chair of COMESA

President William Ruto has assumed the role of chairperson of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) Authority. 

Ruto officially took over the position on Thursday, October 9, during the 24th Heads of State and Government Summit at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) in Nairobi.

He succeeds Burundi’s President Evariste Ndayishimiye, who has served as COMESA Chairperson for the past year.

In his acceptance speech, President Ruto thanked the COMESA heads of state for entrusting him with the role.

“It is with profound gratitude, humility, and a deep sense of purpose that I stand before you today as the new chair of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA).

“I thank you for the trust you have placed in me and in the people of the Republic of Kenya to lead this great regional organization, one that remains a cornerstone of Africa’s economic transformation and a model for continental integration under the African Union,” he said.

The President pledged to serve as a dedicated, energetic, and collaborative partner, working with all member states to advance COMESA’s vision.

“Together, we can build a COMESA that is digital, dynamic, and deeply inclusive, a bloc that truly reflects the promise of a rising Africa,” he remarked

President Ruto also paid a special tribute to his predecessor, President Ndayishimiye, saying that under his leadership, COMESA registered remarkable progress.

“You have advanced our shared vision of integration and cooperation with diligence and dedication. For this, we owe you our collective appreciation and deep respect,” Ruto added.

The COMESA Authority is the supreme policy organ of the trade bloc and is made up of the 21 Heads of State and Government of Member States.

The authority is responsible for the general policy, direction, and control of the performance of COMESA’s executive functions.

It is also concerned with the strategic trajectory of the region as well as the bloc’s achievement of its aims.

The decisions and directives of the Heads of State are made by consensus and are binding on all subordinate institutions, except the Court of Justice.

The COMESA authority meets once a year at summits, which are held in different member states, with the host nation’s head of state assuming the role of the chairperson for the following year.

COMESA was established in 1994 and currently has 21 member states. Its headquarters are in Lusaka, Zambia.