Mwanakatwe calls for appropriate funding of COMESA budget
Commerce, trade and industry Minister Margaret Mwanakatwe has called for appropriate funding of the COMESA budget by member states as a way of ensuring there is full implementation of policies and instruments that will see regional integration.
Speaking during the COMESA 37th intergovernmental committee meeting in Lusaka, Mrs Mwanakatwe noted that the region still continues to face implementation challenges despite policies being developed to improve COMESA’s integration agenda.
Mrs Mwanakatwe further notes that over the years, the COMESA resource envelop has shrunk resulting with some of the flagship programs being discontinued.
She states that lack of focused interventions in the area of industrialisation has been the weakest link in COMESA’s regional process, therefore the need for member countries to quickly embark on the path to industrialisation as a way of creating jobs for the youth and improving the standards of living for the people in the region.
Mrs Mwanakatwe also highlighted the need to ease the movement of people and goods in the region and also the importance of promoting gender equality.
She has since appealed to all COMESA member states and technical staff to review their commitments and rededicate themselves to ideals and goals set out in the COMESA treaty.
And speaking on behalf of supporting partners, European Union head of delegation Alexander Marian reaffirmed the EU’s strong commitment to supporting the regional economic integration process in the COMESA region.