Trade and Opportunity



Seychelles, COMESA strengthen regional ties with entrepreneurship and digital trade initiatives

By Francis Maingaila ♥️ 

Lusaka, Zambia24 — 23-07-2026 -- Seychelles and the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) have strengthened their partnership on trade and opportunity with the launch of a new regional entrepreneurship programme for women and youth, alongside renewed efforts to advance digital trade and regional integration.

The announcements were made during COMESA Secretary General Chileshe Mpundu Kapwepwe's official visit to Seychelles, where she held talks with President Dr Patrick Herminie at State House.

The meeting focused on expanding economic opportunities through entrepreneurship, digital innovation and closer regional cooperation.

President Herminie confirmed that Seychelles will host a new COMESA-backed regional training initiative for women and youth entrepreneurs.


The programme, delivered through the COMESA Federation of Women in Business (COMFWB) Incubation and Innovation Hub, has already been implemented successfully in other member states.

The initiative is expected to equip start-ups and small businesses with business management, entrepreneurship and capacity-building skills, while helping preserve traditional production techniques and create employment opportunities for young people.

It will be implemented in collaboration with government ministries and the private sector.

Secretary General Kapwepwe said the programme is intended to expand the economic participation of women and youth, in line with Seychelles' commitment to the broader COMESA agenda of inclusive growth and regional integration.

She commended Seychelles for its active role in promoting gender equality and regional cooperation, saying the country's continued support for COMESA programmes demonstrates its strong standing within the regional bloc.

She expressed confidence that the partnership would continue delivering tangible economic and social benefits for both Seychelles and the wider COMESA region.

During the meeting, President Herminie highlighted several COMESA-supported projects already benefiting Seychelles.

He thanked the Secretariat for funding, through the Regional Enterprise Competitiveness and Access to Markets Programme (RECAMP), capacity-building training and industrial equipment that have strengthened the Seychelles Chapter of the COMESA Federation of Women in Business.

He also pointed to the strong representation of women and young people in his Cabinet, the National Assembly and across Government as evidence of his administration's commitment to inclusive leadership and economic empowerment.

On regional trade, President Herminie noted that Seychelles officially launched its Electronic Certificate of Origin (eCO) system on June 17, 2026, becoming the sixth COMESA Member State to introduce the digital platform.

He said the system forms part of the Seychelles Revenue Commission's broader digital transformation programme aimed at simplifying trade procedures, improving efficiency and making it easier for businesses to operate.

The President also renewed his call for the full operationalisation of the Multidimensional Vulnerability Index and urged COMESA to continue championing the interests of Small Island Developing States within the regional bloc.

He further thanked COMESA for deploying a joint African Union-COMESA Election Observation Mission during Seychelles' General Elections last year and for supporting the participation of two Seychellois Electoral Commissioners in a capacity-building workshop in Kenya.

President Herminie also acknowledged recent COMESA assistance, including the donation of a desktop computer to the National Bureau of Statistics and metrology equipment for the Bureau of Standards.

Secretary General Kapwepwe briefed the President on the COMESA Medium-Term Strategic Plan (MTSP) 2026–2030, which is scheduled to be formally launched during the COMESA Summit in Harare this October.

She said the strategy places particular emphasis on issues affecting island states, including regional connectivity, the proposed Regional Shipping Line, maritime security, the Blue Economy and climate change, which continues to feature prominently on the regional agenda.

Responding to the presentation, President Herminie described the Regional Shipping Line initiative as increasingly important amid ongoing instability in the Middle East, saying stronger regional transport links are critical to facilitating trade and safeguarding supply chains across the COMESA region.

He concluded the meeting by thanking Secretary General Kapwepwe for her visit and wishing her success during the remainder of her official programme in Seychelles.

Also present at the meeting were Minister for Foreign Affairs and the Diaspora Barry Faure, Minister for Industry and Enterprise Geralda Desaubin, and Principal Secretary for Foreign Affairs and the Diaspora Ambassador Ian Madeleine.

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