The Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) is now the chair of the Tripartite regional economic communities that include the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) and East African Community (EAC). The Executive Secretary of SADC, His Excellency Mr Elias M Magosi took over the Chair of the Tripartite Task Force (TTF) from the COMESA Secretary General Ms Chileshe Kapwepwe during the 36th meeting of the TTF which was held on 14th July 2023, on the margins of the 5th Mid-Year Coordination Meeting of the African Union, Regional Economic Communities and Regional Mechanisms taking place in Nairobi, Kenya from 13th – 16th July 2023.
The Tripartite arrangement is mandated to accelerate inter-regional cooperation and integration amongst the three Regional Economic Communities.
The SADC Executive Secretary committed to prioritise the ratification of the Tripartite Free Trade Area Agreement; and continued support to the implementation of the Infrastructure Development pillar programmes, as an enabling pillar for all other regional priorities and activities to take root.
The chair of the TTF rotates annually among the three Regional Economic Communities.
