The COMESA Regional Investment Agency (RIA) organized an expanded forum bringing together leading business figures, investors, private sector representatives, ambassadors, and diplomats from member states, on the sidelines of the second edition of the COMESA Investment Forum 2026.

The event is hosted in Nairobi, Kenya, under the patronage of Kenyan President William Ruto.

The forum featured an Egyptian delegation of 18 senior business leaders representing 15 companies, members of the Egyptian Young Businessmen Association, across strategic economic sectors.

Participants from Zambia, Comoros, Uganda, and Zimbabwe, alongside representatives of the Kenyan business community, also attended, highlighting the private sector’s growing role as a key driver of regional economic development.

Sectors represented at the forum included agriculture, food industries, chemicals and petrochemicals, fertilizers, textiles, construction, infrastructure, energy and renewable energy, trade and distribution, import-export, information and communication technology, digital services, automotive, and legal services.

This diversity reflects the breadth of the production base and the wide range of investment opportunities across COMESA member states.

The forum aimed to provide a platform for direct engagement between the business community and private sector, focusing on boosting intra-regional trade, expanding investment opportunities, implementing projects, establishing joint ventures, and opening new markets.

A series of bilateral meetings were held to foster strategic partnerships, develop regional value chains, and maximize opportunities in African markets.

Heba Salama, CEO of RIA, said the forum represents a qualitative shift in the private sector’s role as a strategic partner in achieving regional economic integration.

She highlighted the transition from promoting opportunities to activating cross-border investment partnerships, contributing to more integrated and globally competitive regional value chains.

Salama added that the forum also explored ways to empower investors by creating a transparent, efficient, and data-driven investment environment.

She stressed that COMESA’s evidence-based economic and investment policies aim to accelerate structural reforms, enhance member states’ competitiveness, support sustainable growth, and strengthen the bloc’s position as a leading emerging investment destination in Africa.

She further stressed that reinforcing cooperation among COMESA business communities is critical to driving regional economic growth, fostering an innovation-driven investment climate, facilitating trade, and enhancing the private sector’s role in leading development toward more inclusive and sustainable economic integration.

Mohamed Abu Basha, Chairman of the Egyptian Young Businessmen Association, said the Egyptian delegation was the largest among participating countries, reflecting the sector’s commitment to expanding into African markets and leveraging opportunities across COMESA, particularly in productive sectors and infrastructure.

He added that regional integration provides a solid platform for growth, with sustainable partnerships creating added value for African economies.