By Kudzai Magwenzi
LOCAL BUSINESSES are set to gain direct access to regional buyers, investors and policymakers when the 19th COMESA Business Forum and Multi-Sectoral International Exhibition is held in Harare from 19-21 October 2026.
The event will be held on the margins of the 25th COMESA Heads of State and Government Summit and is expected to bring together businesses, financial institutions, development partners and Government representatives from across the region.
The Forum is being convened by the COMESA Business Council, ZimTrade and the Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce in partnership with COMESA Secretariat and the Government of Zimbabwe.
It will run under the Summit theme, “One Market, One Future: Advancing Inclusive Industrialization, Investment and Regional Integration in COMESA.”
For Zimbabwean exporters, the gathering provides an opportunity to engage a regional market of more than 640 million people, with a combined gross domestic product of about US$1 trillion and merchandise trade exceeding US$383 billion.
The Forum will focus on measures to increase intra-COMESA trade and investment, improve access to markets and finance, and strengthen links among businesses, governments and investors.
Although COMESA represents a large market, intra-regional trade remains below its potential, while many member states continue to depend heavily on exports of primary commodities.
The Forum will therefore place emphasis on strengthening regional value chains, expanding productive capacity and encouraging businesses to increase value addition.
Structured business-to-business, business-to-government and investor engagements will form part of the programme, giving participating companies an opportunity to pursue partnerships and explore potential transactions.
The meeting will also produce a Private Sector Communiqué containing recommendations from business representatives for presentation to the 25th COMESA Summit of Heads of State and Government.
This will provide the private sector with an opportunity to contribute to regional policy discussions affecting trade, investment and industrial development.
The Forum’s sessions will focus on four main areas, including the development of seamless and resilient trade systems through the reduction of non-tariff barriers and strengthening of trade corridors.
Discussions will also cover regional value chains, access to finance and mechanisms to reduce investment risks, as well as the use of digital technologies and artificial intelligence to improve business competitiveness.
A dedicated session will provide information on financing and related instruments available to the private sector through regional institutions such as the Trade and Development Bank and Afreximbank.
Running alongside the Forum will be the Multi-Sectoral International Exhibition, which will feature country pavilions, a COMESA institutions pavilion and structured networking platforms.
Priority sectors will include manufacturing, agriculture and agro-processing, the digital economy, financial services and fintech, mining, energy, textiles, leather products, tourism and hospitality.
The exhibition is expected to provide Zimbabwean companies with a platform to showcase products and services while engaging potential buyers and partners from other COMESA member states.
For local exporters, the three-day programme also provides an opportunity to meet regional financiers, development institutions and Government representatives in one place, reducing the need to approach individual markets separately.
Businesses wishing to exhibit, attend the Forum or participate in structured business-to-business meetings are encouraged to register early through ZimTrade or the Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce to facilitate their inclusion in the matchmaking programme.
