East African Business Notifier

BY PAUL TENTENA The COMESA Council of Ministers (the “Council”) has approved the COMESA Competition and Consumer Protection Regulations, 2025 (the “2025 Regulations”) and the COMESA Competition and Consumer Protection Rules, 2025 (the “2025 Rules”) leading to the change of name of the formerly COMESA Competition Commission (CCC) to COMESA Competition and Consumer Commission (CCCC). According to Ms. Meti Demissie Disasa , Registrar COMESA Competition and Consumer Commission , at its 46th meeting held on 4 December 2025, the COMESA Council of Ministers took the decision to repeal the former law, leading to the creation of the new entity. “ Pursuant to Regulation 84 of the 2025 Regulations read together with Rule 38 of the 2025 Rules, the 2025 Regulations and Rules shall take effect immediately after approval by the Council, that is, from 5 December 2025. “ Further, in accordance with Regulation 82 of the 2025 Regulations and Rule 39 of the 2025 Rules, the COMESA Competition Re...

  BY PAUL TENTENA KAMPALA, UGANDA- Saudi Arabia based company Saudi Agricultural and Livestock Investment Company (SALIC) has acquired 64.57% in Olam Agri Holdings Limited (Olam Agri), a deal that was okayed and approved by the COMESA Competition Commission (CCC). The deal was over US$50million and, was therefore mandatory to be notified to the COMESA Competition Commission. The CCC took the decision to allow the merger/acquisition after it determined that the merger was not likely to substantially prevent or lessen competition amongst the COMESA countries or substantial part of it, nor would be contrary to public interest. In its determination, the Committee Responsible for Initial Determination (CID) noted that the transaction was unlikely to negatively affect trade between the COMESA member states. In the approval notice signed by the Chairperson of the CID Commissioner Mahmoud Momtaz, they found that the merged entity would remain a marginal player in relevant markets a...

BY PAUL TENTENA The COMESA Council of Ministers has  launched the COMESA Investment Report 2025  which was developed by the UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD ) in collaboration with the COMESA Regional Investment Agency (RIA) .   The report provides a comprehensive assessment of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) dynamics in the region and presents evidence-based recommendations aligned with the COMESA Medium-Term Strategic Plan 2026–2030. In 2024, Foreign Direct Investment inflows to COMESA rose by 154 per cent to a record USD 65 billion, largely supported by Egypt’s Ras El-Hekma mega-project, but even excluding this project, FDI inflows would still have grown by 16 per cent, confirming a region-wide improvement in investor sentiment.  As a result, COMESA’s share in global FDI doubled, rising from 2 to 4 per cent, while its share in developing-economy inflows increased from 3 to 7 per cent, accounting for 67 per cent of total FDI inflows in Africa. This i...

  There is a 55% chance of a weak La Niña impacting weather and climate patterns during the next three months, according to the latest Update from the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). Even though La Niña has a temporary cooling influence on global average temperatures, many regions are still expected to be warmer than normal.   La Niña refers to the periodic large-scale cooling of the ocean surface temperatures in the central and eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean, coupled with changes in the tropical atmospheric circulation, including changes in winds, pressure and rainfall patterns.   According to the latest forecasts from the WMO Global Producing Centres for Seasonal Prediction , as of mid-November 2025, oceanic and atmospheric indicators reveal borderline La Niña conditions. There is a 55% probability of crossing La Niña thresholds during the December–February 2025–2026 period.   For January–March and February–April 2026, the likelihood of returning to ENSO...

Adriana Abdenur BELÉM – Calls to reduce the use of fossil fuels are becoming impossible to ignore. At the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Brazil (COP30), major producers are being pressed to begin planning for the phasing down of oil, gas, and coal in a just and orderly way. For decades, climate negotiations have focused on emissions targets and clean-energy pledges while sidestepping the politically explosive question of whether – and how quickly – countries should phase out fossil-fuel production. COP28 broke new ground by introducing the phrase “transition away from fossil fuels,” but real progress has remained slow and uneven. At COP30, Brazilian President  Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva  has reset the tone,  declaring  that “the Earth can no longer sustain the intensive use of fossil fuels” and calling for a clear roadmap for phasing them out. Resistance to a phaseout has historically come from major producer countries and energy companies. But ...

  As Africa records the fastest tourism growth globally, the UAE is set to inject $6 billion into the continent’s travel and hospitality sector - a move expected to create 70 000 new jobs.   The announcement was made at the recent  UAE Africa Tourism Investment Summit 2025  in Dubai, held under the patronage of  His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum , Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. Organised by the  UAE Ministry of Economy and Tourism  in partnership with  The Bench  as part of  Future Hospitality Summit (FHS) World 2025 , the event brought together senior government officials, investors, and industry leaders to chart investment priorities and explore opportunities across tourism, infrastructure, aviation, and digital innovation. On the sidelines, a  ministerial roundtable  led by  H.E. Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri , UAE Minister of Economy and Tourism, gathered ministers from ov...