Windhoek, Namibia, 9 November 2026 – The Governement of the Republic of Namibia, in collaboration with the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) through its Offices for Eastern Africa and Southern Africa, will host the Joint Session of the Intergovernmental Committee of Senior Officials and Experts (ICSOE) in Windhoek from 10 to 13 November 2026.
The meeting will convene policymakers, regional institutions, researchers, development partners and private sector leaders under the theme "Bridging Eastern and Southern Africa: Connectivity, Trade and Investment for a More Integrated Continent."
The Intergovernmental forum comes at an important moment for Africa's integration agenda as countries shift from negotiating regional agreements to implementing practical measures that boost trade, investment and economic transformation. The discussions will focus on four strategic areas identified as catalysts for deeper integration: energy connectivity and regional power markets, trade facilitation and transport corridors, finance for investment and digital innovation, and tourism as a driver of services trade and job creation.
The meeting will examine practical pathways for reducing trade costs, improving infrastructure connectivity, strengthening financial markets and unlocking new opportunities under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and the COMESA–EAC–SADC Tripartite Free Trade Area (TFTA).
According to Eunice Kamwendo, Director of ECA's Office for Southern Africa, emphasized the significance of bringing together stakeholders from both subregions.
"The Joint ICSOE offers a unique opportunity to bridge policy discussions across Eastern and Southern Africa and foster stronger cooperation among governments, regional institutions and the private sector. By focusing on implementation, we can help unlock investment, strengthen regional value chains and advance a more integrated and resilient African economy."
Andrew Mold, Director of ECA's Office for Eastern Africa, the joint meeting reflects the growing need for Africa's regions to work more closely together to address shared development challenges and seize emerging opportunities.
"Eastern and Southern Africa are already connected to some extent through trade corridors, infrastructure networks and investment flows. The challenge now is to translate these connections into stronger economic integration, lower business costs and greater opportunities for firms and citizens across the two sub-regions. This meeting will help identify po that can turn regional integration into concrete development outcomes."
The meeting will also provide an important platform for exchanging experiences and identifying actions between two sub-regions that rarely get the opportunity to share examples of best-practice.
Participants will include senior government officials, representatives of regional economic communities, international organizations, academia, research institutions, civil society organizations, as well as private sector leaders from across Eastern and Southern Africa.
The recommendations emerging from the meeting are expected to inform future regional initiatives and contribute to the broader continental agenda of building competitive, inclusive and sustainable economies capable of leveraging the opportunities presented by the AfCFTA.
Note to Editors
ECA serves as one of the five regional commissions of the United Nations and supports African countries in advancing economic and social development through policy research, technical assistance and consensus-building.
The Office for Eastern Africa covers 14 member States: Burundi, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Madagascar, Rwanda, Seychelles, Somalia, South Sudan, Uganda and the United Republic of Tanzania.
The Office for Southern Africa (SRO-SA) covers 11 member States: Angola, Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
For media inquiries
- Didier Habimana | 📧 habimanad@un.org
Communication Officer - UN Economic Commission for Africa
Subregional Office for Eastern Africa (SRO-EA) - Lavender C. Degre | 📧 lavender.degre@un.org
Communication Officer - UN Economic Commission for Africa
Subregional Office for Southern Africa (SRO-SA)
Issued by:
Communications Section
Economic Commission for Africa
PO Box 3001
Addis Ababa
Ethiopia
Tel: +251 11 551 5826
E-mail: eca-info@un.org
