Somalia Admitted into COMESA Ecnomic Bloc

[Deeq A.]

Somalia has been admitted into the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), increasing the membership of the common market to 21.

In a meeting between COMESA officials and Somali Prime Minister, Hassan Ali Kheire in Lusaka, Zambia, the officials resolved to admit the Horn of Africa nation into the  49 million people market  on Thursday.

“Today, signed Somalia’s re-entry to COMESA, our return to this 21 nation trading bloc is a testimony to our relentless efforts to rebuild our nation and a true indication of our commitment to taking our rightful place in the growth of our region and our continent,” PM Kheire said in a Twitter post.

Somalia joins the 20 member countries of COMESA and it will be part of the regional integration projects that have been the subject of discussion among member countries.

COMESA which was launched its Free Trade Area in 1994 , remains the fastest growing economy in the world despite a drop in overall growth, according to a recent newsletter published by the organization.