The Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), a 21-member regional economic bloc, has called on its member states to align their domestic tax policies with regional commitments and dismantle protectionist measures that impede cross-border investment and disrupt supply chains. This appeal was made during the 18th COMESA Business Forum held in Nairobi, Kenya, where leaders emphasized the detrimental effects of local taxes and levies on intra-regional imports, which distort markets and undermine free trade principles. Kenya’s Deputy President, Kithure Kindiki, warned that such practices could reverse years of progress toward regional integration and shared prosperity. He urged member states to prioritize agriculture, digitalization, and partnerships as key drivers of economic transformation. Kindiki also highlighted Kenya’s upcoming chairmanship of COMESA, during which the country aims to boost intra-regional trade, currently at a low 17 percent, by moving beyond raw material exports to higher-value, processed goods. He stressed that value addition incentivizes industrialization, enhances productivity, and promotes competitiveness. Kindiki called for a new era of regional integration anchored on digital transformation and value chain development, emphasizing the importance of empowering people, leveraging technology, and fostering collaboration. Hitesh Mediratta, Vice Chair of the Kenya Association of Manufacturers, echoed these sentiments, warning that rising domestic taxes and excise duties on intermediate and raw materials risk disrupting regional markets and discouraging cross-border investment. He called for urgent alignment of national tax regimes with regional commitments to protect the integrity of free trade within COMESA. Lee Kinyanjui, Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for Investments, Trade, and Industry, noted that improving regional trade, digital connectivity, and the free movement of people are crucial to unlocking COMESA’s economic potential. He lauded Kenya’s recent decision to abolish visa requirements for all Africans, which he said would enhance business mobility and cross-border trade. COMESA Secretary General Chileshe Kapwepwe highlighted that most trade constraints could be addressed through political will, citing integrated border management systems and smart border technologies as key solutions.