Prime Minister Addresses the 25th COMESA Summit

His Excellency Prime Minister Professor Kamil Idris addressed the 25th Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) today, held in the Zimbabwean capital, Harare. His Excellency emphasized Sudan's urgent need for support from its brothers during the construction and recovery phase and reviewed the Sudanese government's peace initiative, recalling the details of the historic initiative that Sudan officially submitted to the United Nations Security Council in 2025 as a national roadmap for achieving peace. The Prime Minister affirmed that Sudan attaches great strategic importance to COMESA as a vital regional and economic platform, explaining that the true success of the organization lies in its continuity and ability during future sessions to lay the real foundations for integrated economic cooperation that serves the peoples of the region. The Prime Minister called on member states and the regional community to support the Sudanese national dialogue, noting that the stability of Sudan represents the cornerstone for the security and economy of the entire Eastern and Southern African region. The Prime Minister added in his speech: "The future is the most important thing for us now, and Sudan is going through a pivotal phase in which it needs real backing and tangible support from its brothers to face the grave challenges and the remnants of the harsh conditions it has lived through in recent years." Professor Kamil Idris affirmed Sudan's full confidence that COMESA will be the primary regional partner and the leading platform for providing the necessary technical, economic, and logistical support for the reconstruction phase that the state and all its institutions are fully committed to, pointing out that rehabilitating infrastructure and development projects represent the government's top priorities for the coming period. The opening session of the summit witnessed the ceremony of transferring the regional authority and presidency of the organization from Kenya to the Republic of Zimbabwe, where the President of the Republic of Zimbabwe, Dr. Emmerson Mnangagwa, assumed the presidency of the new COMESA session. The new bureau of the organization was formed, with the Republic of Zimbabwe chosen as chair, the Republic of Zambia as vice-chair, and the Republic of Burundi as rapporteur. In his opening remarks, the newly installed Zimbabwean President thanked the participating heads of state and delegations, stressing the strategic importance of COMESA and its promising future in advancing sustainable development and encouraging intra-regional trade among member states. He also expressed his deep appreciation for the exceptional efforts made by the organization's General Secretariat. The summit officially approved the report on the state of peace and security in COMESA countries. The leaders ratified a package of recommendations regarding Sudan, which focused on mechanisms to support security and political stability and the adoption of initiatives aimed at ending conflicts to ensure its territorial integrity and economic recovery. The summit approved the secretariat's recommendations regarding administration and the budget for the next phase. The resolution included exceptional provisions, including decisive recommendations regarding Sudan, especially those related to settling and addressing its financial arrears to the organization, in recognition of the difficult economic and political conditions it is experiencing. The summit concluded its proceedings by adopting major organizational and expansionary decisions, including the official ratification of the report on the establishment and equipping of the new headquarters for the COMESA General Secretariat. The Sudanese delegation at the summit included the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Ambassador Mohieldin Salem; the Special Representative of the Prime Minister, Dr. Al-Hussein Al-Khalifa Al-Siddiq Al-Hafian; the Secretary-General of the Council of Ministers, Ali Mohammed Ali; the Undersecretary of the Ministry of Industry and Trade, Dr. Awad Salam; and the Ambassador of Sudan to the Republic of Zimbabwe, Ibrahim Al-Sheikh.