Eswatini calls for stronger regional cooperation at COMESA meeting

Harare, Zimbabwe – Eswatini has called on fellow members of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) to work together in tackling the fallout from global supply chain disruptions, which it says are driving up living costs across the region.

The message was delivered by Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Senator Pholile Shakantu, who represented the kingdom at the 21st Meeting of COMESA Ministers of Foreign Affairs on Wednesday, 21 October 2026.

“I attended the 21st Meeting of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) Ministers of Foreign Affairs,” Shakantu said.

Addressing her counterparts, the minister pointed to the wide impact that disruptions in global supply chains are having on economies in the bloc. She said households were feeling the pinch through a rising cost of living, driven by higher fuel prices, more expensive shipping and hold ups in the delivery of essential goods.

According to Shakantu, the problem goes well past the movement of cargo. She said “these disruptions extend beyond trade and transport, with significant implications for economic stability, food security and the livelihoods of citizens across the region.”

Eswatini used the platform to push for closer cooperation between member states, with Shakantu urging a joint and coordinated approach to soften the blow of these global pressures on the region.

Ministers at the meeting also reviewed the state of peace and security across the COMESA region. They agreed that stability is central to deepening regional integration, growing economies and sharing prosperity among member countries, and that a peaceful environment is a precondition for lasting trade, investment and cooperation.

The foreign ministers acknowledged that the region’s difficulties cannot be solved by any one country acting alone, and that they demand collective effort, workable solutions and long term collaboration.

“Through strengthened regional partnerships, COMESA Member States can better protect their economies, support vulnerable communities and advance a more stable and prosperous region,” Shakantu said.