The Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) was established in 1994 to replace the Preferential Trade Area for Eastern and Southern African States (PTA). COMESA launched the Free Trade Area (FTA) on October 31, 2000 and plans to achieve full Economic Community in 2025. On the 9th of May 2002, the Executive Board approved a grant of US$ 1.5 million to COMESA to help address the lack of institutional and human capacity in the areas of trade negotiations, trade policy formulation, customs union policy issues and private sector as well as civil society participation in trade policy and regional integration issues. A second phase grant was approved for USD 3 million.
The main goal of Strengthening Capacity for Trade Negotiations ad Trade Policy Development within COMESA is to foster regional integration among its members as well as their integration into the global economy.
