Kenya Hosts Key Three-Day COMESA Trade Talks Amid Global Challenges.

Deputy Director of Trade, Mr. Alex Tomerang.

Nairobi, Kenya July 22, 2025.

The Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) has commenced its pivotal 41st Meeting of the Trade and Customs Committee in Nairobi, marking the start of a three-day forum hosted by Kenya's Ministry of Investments, Trade, and Industry at the Golden Tulip Hotel in Westlands. This high-level gathering brings together delegates from across the 21-member bloc, providing a crucial platform to deliberate on coordinated policy responses to emerging global socio-economic and political challenges impacting the region.

Officially opening the session on behalf of Principal Secretary for Trade, Ms. Regina Ombam, Deputy Director of Trade, Mr. Alex Tomerang, strongly reaffirmed Kenya’s unwavering commitment to regional integration. Mr. Tomerang emphasized COMESA’s pivotal role in driving sustainable economic growth, job creation, and improved livelihoods across member states, highlighting the importance of the forum.

Presiding over the meeting, COMESA Assistant Secretary General for Trade and Customs, Amb. Dr. Mohammed Kadah, underscored the critical function of the Committee as the key technical body steering COMESA’s trade and integration agenda. He described it as the "engine room for driving our regional trade agenda forward," noting that the Nairobi session offers a vital opportunity to assess progress, confront challenges, and agree on concrete steps to deepen market integration and enhance cooperation. The Committee is instrumental in developing and reviewing instruments that continue to shape Africa’s economic landscape.

The four-day 2025 meeting will tackle a comprehensive agenda central to the region's trade future. Key deliberations will focus on trade in services capacity building, the operations of the COMESA Free Trade Area, and strategies for the elimination of non-tariff barriers. Delegates will also discuss critical reforms to rules of origin, the implementation of COMESA’s AfCFTA strategy aligning with the continental framework, customs modernization initiatives, and the advancement of digital trade frameworks to support the region's growing digital economies.

These closed-door technical discussions aim to produce concrete recommendations for consideration by the COMESA Council of Ministers, reinforcing Kenya's position as a central hub for advancing regional integration and trade in Eastern and Southern Africa.

Comments

Kenya Dental Association Condemns KMPDC Over Alleged Misregulation of Dentistry.

The Kenya Dental Association (KDA ) has strongly condemned the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Council (KMPDC) over what it terms as misregulation and illegal handling of the dental profession. In a press release dated April 10, 2025, the KDA expressed deep outrage and disappointment following the publication of a new Scope of Practice for Dentistry by KMPDC, which the association claims is unlawful and dangerously undermines the quality of oral healthcare in the country. According to the KDA, the scope in question allows unqualified para-professionals to engage in dental procedures without appropriate curriculum-based training or the necessary competencies. The association accuses the KMPDC, under the leadership of its chairperson Prof. Stanley Khainga , of ignoring its mandate to ensure that Kenyans access the highest attainable standard of healthcare. KDA warns that this misstep poses a serious threat to patient safety and public health, potentially leading to ...

Records Digitization Failures Risk Digital Kenya; Urges ICT-Records Unity.

Ms. Mary Kerema, OGW, Secretary ICT e-government and Digital Economy. Nairobi, Kenya - July 16, 2025. Ms. Mary Kerema, OGW, delivering remarks on behalf of Eng. John Tanui, MBS, the Principal Secretary for ICT and the Digital Economy , issued a blunt assessment today, government efforts to digitize critical records are failing, risking the paralysis of Kenya's broader digital transformation agenda. Speaking to ICT Directors and various stakeholders at a breakfast meeting hosted by the Kenya Association of Records Managers and Archivists (KARMA) at the Serena Hotel, Kerema conveyed the PS's deep concern over the " significantly low" progress made since the Ministry directed State Corporations to adopt paperless systems in March 2023. She emphasized that the core problem identified by the PS is not funding, but a critical deficit in expertise, infrastructure, and a widespread underestimation of the domain's complexity, a complexity interwoven with leg...

Women’s Health and Empowerment Take Center Stage at SHE BOLD International Women’s Day Event

Luton Hospital, Nairobi, March 8, 2025. Women’s health and empowerment took center stage as the Enkare Oltau Foundation , in partnership with Luton Hospital and the Bold Phase Initiative , hosted a remarkable International Women’s Day Celebration under the theme SHE BOLD. Held at Luton Hospital, Nairobi , the event brought together medical professionals, community leaders, and women from diverse backgrounds to champion gender equity, healthcare accessibility, and economic empowerment. The celebration aligned with the International Women’s Day 2025 theme: " Accelerate Action" which calls for urgent efforts to close gender gaps in healthcare, education, and entrepreneurship. With a strong focus on holistic healthcare and self-empowerment, the event sought to equip women with the knowledge, resources, and support systems needed to thrive. A key concern raised during the event was the barriers preventing women from accessing quality healthcare. S...

Ke Times

Search This Blog