Malawi to push for Comesa digital integration

President Peter Mutharika left for the Zambian capital, Lusaka, today where Malawi expects the Comesa Heads of State and Government Summit to direct the body’s secretariat to develop a roadmap for the development of a digital integration programme in the region.

Being held under the theme Towards Digital Economic Integration, the summit aims to underscore the importance of positioning the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (Comesa) as a knowledge, learning and innovation hub and integrating the region into global digital economy.

The programmers for digital integration would include e-market access programmes where online business transactions would be encouraged, e-logistics where delivery of goods (courier) would be developed, electronic certificate of origin development, and development of a legal framework on digitisation that would recognise electronic transactions.

Among other things, the summit expects to appoint a new secretary general of Comesa.

The tenure of the current secretary general Sindiso Ngwenya comes to an end on July 31 2018 after serving two- five-year terms.

Five candidates from Ethiopia, Kenya, Kingdom of Eswatini (formerly Swaziland), Sudan, and Zambia were interviewed, and a recommendation made by a panel of five countries which was chaired by Malawi.

The summit will also have a consideration session of the 38th meeting of the council of ministers.