Inside the 24th COMESA Summit in Nairobi: Leadership, Integration and Impact

Inside the 24th COMESA Summit in Nairobi: Leadership, Integration and Impact

The 24th COMESA Summit of Heads of State was held on 9th October 2025 at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) in Nairobi, bringing together leaders from across Eastern and Southern Africa in a powerful display of regional unity and economic ambition.

Held under the theme “Leveraging Digitalization to Deepen Regional Value Chains for Sustainable and Inclusive Growth”, the summit marked a defining moment in Africa’s journey toward economic integration and digital transformation.

A Gathering of African Leadership

The summit was presided over by H.E. President Dr. William Samoei Ruto, who officially took over as Chairperson of COMESA from President Évariste Ndayishimiye of Burundi.

Other Heads of State in attendance included:

• H.E. President Emmerson Mnangagwa – Zimbabwe
• H.E. President Azali Assoumani – Comoros
• H.E. President Sahle-Work Zewde – Ethiopia

Prime Ministers, Vice Presidents, Ministers of Foreign Affairs, and representatives from the African Union (AU), global development agencies, and cooperating partners were also in attendance. Together, they deliberated on policies shaping the future of trade, industrialization, the digital economy, security cooperation, and investment mobility within the 21-member COMESA bloc.

Recognizing the Power of African Storytelling

A highlight of the summit was the recognition of media excellence during the 2024 COMESA Media Awards, where four journalists from Burundi, Uganda, and Zambia were celebrated for exceptional coverage of regional integration. Their work continues to connect African citizens to developments shaping intra-African trade and economic progress.

A Summit Engineered for Excellence

Beyond diplomacy, the Nairobi summit stood out for its world-class technical execution. It was a seamless production that reflected Kenya’s rising profile as a continental host nation for high-level events.

A Stage Built for History

The Tsavo Ballroom at KICC was transformed into a dignified presidential venue with a bespoke stage design styled for diplomacy. The setup featured:

• Presidential seating and protocol staging: Designed to accommodate high-level state representation.
• Custom event branding: Visual identity that evolved across sessions for a unified look.
• Smooth transitions: Effortless movement between keynote speeches and panel discussions.