The Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) is the largest regional economic organization in Africa, with 19 member states and a population of about 390 million.
COMESA has a free trade area, with 19 member states, and launched a customs union in 2009.
COMESA countries include:
- Burundi
- Comoros
- D.R. Congo
- Djibouti
- Egypt
- Eritrea
- Ethiopia
- Kenya
- Libya
- Madagascar
- Malawi
- Mauritius
- Rwanda
- Seychelles
- Sudan
- Swaziland
- Uganda
- Zambia
- Zimbabwe
Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa Trade & Investment Summary
U.S. goods exports to COMESA in 2022 were $10.2 billion, up 14.1 percent ($1.3 billion) from 2021 and up 7 percent from 2012. U.S. goods imports from COMESA totaled $9.4 billion in 2022, up 2.2 percent ($201 million) from 2021, and up 24 percent from 2012. The U.S. trade balance with COMESA shifted from a goods trade deficit of $221 million in 2021 to a goods trade surplus of $842 million in 2022.
U.S. foreign direct investment (FDI) in COMESA (stock) was $20.2 billion in 2022, a 6.6 percent increase from 2021.
COMESA's FDI in the United States (stock) was $5.2 billion in 2022, up 2.4 percent from 2021.
*NOTE: COMESA (19) countries include: Burundi, Comoros, Congo, Dem Rep., Djibouti, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Rwanda, Seychelles, Sudan, Swaziland, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
