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The Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) and the Russian Federation have signed an agreement to strengthen economic cooperation, regional integration, trade, investment and sustainable economic transformation.
The agreement was signed on October 28, 2026, at the Kremlin in Moscow by COMESA Secretary General, Chileshe Mpundu Kapwepwe and Russian Foreign Minister, Sergey Lavrov.
According to a press statement issued in Lusaka on Tuesday, the signing was a major highlight of COMESA’s participation in the Third Russia-Africa Summit, held in Moscow from October 27 to 31, 2026.
The summit provided an opportunity to strengthen relations with the Russian Federation, explore economic cooperation and advance regional integration through strategic partnerships.
The agreement establishes a framework for cooperation in priority areas, including agriculture and food security, standards and trade facilitation, energy and mining, transport and logistics, digital transformation, financial cooperation, human capital development, climate resilience, health and institutional cooperation.
“The agreement aligns with its Medium-Term Strategic Plan (MTSP) 2026-2030 and offers opportunities to strengthen regional market integration, private-sector participation and industrialisation,” COMESA said.
Read More: COMESA summit calls for deeper regional trade, increased financing for small businesses
The regional body said implementation of the agreement would require coordinated technical work, clear priorities and the active involvement of COMESA member states.
During the mission, Kapwepwe also participated in the Russia-Africa Economic Forum and attended a high-level meeting at the Kremlin involving President Vladimir Putin, African Union leaders and heads of African regional integration organisations.
The meeting focused on strengthening Russia-Africa relations and advancing mutually beneficial economic partnerships.
COMESA said the Third Russia-Africa Summit provided an important platform to deepen engagement with the Russian Federation and identify areas for practical cooperation.
“COMESA looks forward to translating the partnership into opportunities that promote trade, investment, industrialisation, technology transfer and sustainable development across the region,” reads the statement.
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