Comesa elects new board of directors

THE Comesa Business Council has elected a new board of directors led by Dr Amany Asfour from Egypt.

The business council’s new board chair has been re-elected to serve a second twoyear term. The Comesa Business Council is a business member organisation and recognised private sector institution of the Common Market of Eastern and Southern Africa (Comesa) to which Zimbabwe is a member.

The CBC represents private sector interests at the highest levels of decision making in the region.

Other members of the Comesa Business Council who were elected during the council’s annual general meeting in Lusaka, Zambia over the weekend, are Mr Azim Currimjee (Mauritius) as first vice chairperson and Ms Flora Mutahi (Kenya) the second vice chairperson.

In a statement, the CBC which also provides key market driven services to its membership said the event also saw the election of directors of the board that include Mr Solomon Afework (Ethiopia), Mr Karl Chokotho (Malawi), Mr Stephen Ruzibiza (Rwanda), Mr Wilson Nancy (Seychelles), Ms Amna Mohammed Ibrahium Elnour (Sudan) and Ms Roseta Chabala (Zambia).

The AGM was attended by the CBC membership, including private and the public sector stakeholders from the 19 Comesa countries as well the development partners such as the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

The Comesa Business Council said besides elections, the meeting validated the key achievements of the institution during the period 2015-2016 and reviewed the roadmap towards 2017.

The outcomes of the meeting will be streamlined in a post-meeting report.

An awards ceremony was also organised for three key buyers in recognition of their efforts in promoting local sourcing in the region as part of the Local Sourcing for Partnerships Project.

Among the companies awarded were two hotels in Zambia — Taj Pamodzi Hotel and the Protea Hotel and a breweries company from Rwanda — BRALIRWA Limited.