Nairobi 17 Nov 2003 (HANA) The Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) has praised the role Kenya is playing in the Sudanese and Somalia peace processes.

“COMESA have made gains with regards to the attainment of peace in the Common Market with the help of the African Union and positive contribution by sister sub-regional organizations and member states. To this effect, I pay tribute to Kenya for the role the
government continues to play in the Sudanese and the Somalia peace process,” COMESA Secretary General, Erustus Mwencha said.

Addressing the Sixth Meeting of the COMESA Ministers of Finance which opened in Nairobi on Monday, Mwencha said the region cannot achieve economic gains if there is no peace and security in the Common Market. “The linkage between peace and security one hand and development on the other, is strong,” he noted.

Mwencha said the dawn of peace in Angola, the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Sudan should act as an impetus to make more efforts to institute measures at national and regional levels for preventing conflicts.

The official said since 1999, COMESA has made successful efforts to implement its mandate in the promotion among its member states, of peace, security and stability as a way of enhancing economic development in the Common Market.

The two-day meeting which is expected to end on Tuesday is focusing on enhancing regional integration through financial and monetary co-operation. It was preceded by the COMESA Committee of central bank governors which took place last week. 

COMESA Member states are Djibouti, Egypt, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Sudan, Zambia,  Zimbabwe, Comoros, Eritrea, Rwanda, Uganda, Burundi, Ethiopia, Angola, Dr Congo, Seychelles, Namibia and Swaziland. ENDS


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