News / National
Mugabe flies out again
25 Feb 2014 at 16:34hrs | Views
President Robert Mugabe has left the country for the Democratic Republic of Congo to attend the 17th Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa summit of heads of state and government.
President Mugabe is accompanied by Foreign Affairs Minister Simbarashe Mumbengegwi and senior government officials and was seen off at the Harare International Airport by Vice President Joice Mujuru, top government officials and service chiefs.
Cde Mugabe is expected to join other heads of state and government from nineteen member countries that make up the regional grouping.
The summit is COMESA's supreme organ and gives the heads of state an opportunity to deliberate and make decisions on major policy issues.
The Minister of Industry and Commerce, Cde Mike Bimha, travelled ahead of the delegation to attend other high level consultations which are underway including the Council of Ministers meeting which is held as a precursor to the heads of state summit.
COMESA was formed in 1994 and now has 19 member states including Zimbabwe. It was borne out of the realisation that the region was not fully utilising its large market size.
It was also created to allow greater social and economic co-operation between member states.
One of the key achievements of COMESA has been the establishment of the Free Trade Area which was launched in 2000.
Currently, 13 out of the 19 member countries are participating in the FTA and have eliminated all customs duty on COMESA imports.
The regional economic grouping is currently chaired by President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda.
President Mugabe is accompanied by Foreign Affairs Minister Simbarashe Mumbengegwi and senior government officials and was seen off at the Harare International Airport by Vice President Joice Mujuru, top government officials and service chiefs.
Cde Mugabe is expected to join other heads of state and government from nineteen member countries that make up the regional grouping.
The summit is COMESA's supreme organ and gives the heads of state an opportunity to deliberate and make decisions on major policy issues.
The Minister of Industry and Commerce, Cde Mike Bimha, travelled ahead of the delegation to attend other high level consultations which are underway including the Council of Ministers meeting which is held as a precursor to the heads of state summit.
It was also created to allow greater social and economic co-operation between member states.
One of the key achievements of COMESA has been the establishment of the Free Trade Area which was launched in 2000.
Currently, 13 out of the 19 member countries are participating in the FTA and have eliminated all customs duty on COMESA imports.
The regional economic grouping is currently chaired by President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda.
Source - ZBC
