Heads of State and Government

Ladies and gentlemen,

Allow me once again to express my heartfelt thanks and appreciation for the unyielding and enduring efforts exerted throughout the day to complete the agenda of our constructive and fruitful business, which we crowned with the signing of an initial agreement to establish a free trade zone between the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), the Southern African Development Community (SADEC) and the East African Community (EAC). The agreement covers commodity and services trade plus other trade-related matters and timeframes for executing the provisions of the agreement.

Today’s achievement marks a turning point in our endeavor to fulfil the hope of achieving regional integration at the African level.

Today we have proved to the world, and before that to our own peoples that we do possess the political will to adopt the policies and practices required to liberate trade between our countries, improve our infrastructure, achieve industrial development and attract greater investments towards our region.

In this context, I believe it is essential, from this very moment, that we adopt all measures needed to implement this agreement; indeed all legislations, programs, and policies, which would lead eventually to applying the provisions and fulfilling the targets of this agreement.

Ladies and gentlemen,

By the close of this summit, I believe we have a real chance that we should exploit to serve the interests and goals of the peoples of Africa. This calls for more joint action, and greater effort and solidarity. We have been keen, during this summit, to reach a clear roadmap for the future of our joint action in the upcoming stage. Hence, the launch of a negotiation scheme for a free trade zone, which should be completed before the convening of the 4th Summit of the COMESA-SADEC-EAC Blocs.

Heads of State and Government,

It gives pleasure, at this point, to announce that Egypt will be organizing the Forum of Trade and Investment in Africa in the period from 29 to 31 October, 2015 in Sharm al-Sheikh. The forum proposes to identify at both the international and regional levels the promising trade and investment opportunities in Africa.

I do not want to tire you a long day of hard and constructive work. However, having been honored with closing the business of the third COMESA-SADEC-EAC Summit, I now invite to the beautiful scenes and the tourist sites of Sharm al-Sheikh, a source of pride not only to us in Egypt but to our brothers and friends in Africa; i.e. before you head to Johannesburg, South Africa to attend the 25th African Union Summit.

At the end of my remarks, I now declare the business the third COMESA-SADEC-EAC Summit closed, praying that Allah may help us achieve the hopes and aspirations of our people.