Vice President Alupo in Nairobi as Ruto takes the reins at COMESA

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Uganda’s Vice-President Maj. (rtd) Jessica Alupo has arrived in Kenya's capital, Nairobi, to represent President Yoweri Museveni at the 24th COMESA Heads of State and Government Summit.

Upon arrival at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, Alupo was received by Kenya’s Director for African Affairs, Lazarus Muganda, the Uganda trade minister, Francis Mwebesa, Ambassador Eunice Kigenyi, and the Uganda Defence Attaché, Brig. Gen. McDans Kamugisha, among other dignitaries.

Vice-President Maj. (rtd) Jessica Alupo in Nairobi, Kenya for COMESA meeting.(Credit: VPPU)

The COMESA meeting is taking place at the Kenyatta International Conference Centre (KICC) under the theme: Leveraging Digitisation to Deepen Regional Value Chains for Sustainable and Inclusive Growth.

Alupo is expected to address the meeting Thursday, October 9, 2025, on behalf of Museveni. Kenya’s President William Ruto is expected to take over as chairperson of the COMESA Authority for a period of one year.

The current chairperson, Burundi’s President Evariste Ndayishimiye, is expected to hand over to Ruto.

The summit started on October 6 and ends on Thursday, October 9, with the COMESA-EU Horticulture Connect, which brought together buyers and horticulture producers from the European Union to interact with small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), including women-owned businesses from the region.

This engagement was aimed at strengthening capacity of the SMEs by introducing them to firsthand knowledge of EU market requirements, certification processes and quality standards, ensuring that they remain competitive globally.

Over the past years, COMESA Secretariat has been organising trade missions for SMEs from member states to participate in EU Business Partnership Dialogues meant to enhance market access by connecting the SMEs with European buyers, investors and trade facilitators.

This has helped them secure export deals and expand distribution networks. According to the COMESA secretariat, these engagements have been very helpful and have contributed to the improved way of doing business for SMEs.

Vice-President Maj. (rtd) Jessica Alupo in Nairobi, Kenya for COMESA meeting.(Credit: VPPU)

The EU-COMESA Connect has been followed by the 18th COMESA Business Forum and Exhibition, where more than 300 businesspeople from across the region gathered to share innovation, trade, showcase their products and form partnerships.

COMESA Business Council chief executive officer Teddy Soobramanien said the business forum offers a platform where business leaders, policymakers, innovators and investors from across the region gather annually to network and explore ways of deepening trade and collaboration.

The 20th Meeting of Ministers of Foreign Affairs, which was held on Wednesday, reviewed the peace and security situation in the COMESA region and map ways of promoting peace, democracy and encouraging dialogue in conflict resolution.