The 24th COMESA Summit of Heads of State and Government was convened on Thursday (October 9) in Nairobi, Kenya, under the theme “Leveraging Digitization to Deepen Regional Value Chains for Sustainable and Inclusive Growth.” Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, accompanied by his delegation, participated in the summit and delivered a keynote address.
In his remarks, the Prime Minister highlighted Africa’s abundant talent and strong digital foundations, emphasizing their potential to connect national initiatives and accelerate regional integration.
He showcased Ethiopia’s progress in digital transformation, citing initiatives such as Digital Ethiopia 2030, the nationwide digital ID program, a strong digital payment ecosystem, and the training of young Ethiopians in coding and artificial intelligence.
PM Abiy called on African nations to deepen regional collaboration, envisioning a commercial environment where digital identification, payments, and data flows operate seamlessly, fostering trust, innovation, and inclusive prosperity. He reaffirmed Ethiopia’s commitment to working with neighboring countries to harness digital potential as a driver of regional growth and shared prosperity across COMESA member states.
The summit also marked a leadership transition within COMESA, with Kenya’s President William Ruto assuming the Chair of the COMESA Authority from Burundi’s President Evariste Ndayishimiye, while Zimbabwe’s President Emmerson Mnangagwa took on the role of Vice Chair.
COMESA was established in December 1994, with the aim of promoting regional integration and economic cooperation among member states. Its primary goal is to create a large, competitive economic community that fosters trade, investment, and sustainable development.