Seychelles will benefit from COMESA's enterprise competitiveness programme RECAMP, a €8 million initiative designed to improve access to finance, skills and regional markets for Seychellois SMEs. A working meeting held on July 20, 2026 in Victoria confirmed the deepening of this cooperation.
A Programme with a Regional Track Record
RECAMP is not new to the COMESA zone: more than 500 SMEs have already been supported across member states, including 719 enterprises assisted in 2016 alone — exceeding the initial target of 540. Since 2014, the African Development Bank has channelled $1.2 million via its FAPA facility to fund this mechanism.
Seychelles: Sixth Member to Adopt the Digital Certificate of Origin
Another significant step: on June 17, 2026, Seychelles became the sixth COMESA member to adopt the electronic certificate of origin (eCO) platform. This system streamlines trade procedures and facilitates the movement of goods across the regional space, reducing costs and administrative delays for local exporters.
RECAMP places particular emphasis on women entrepreneurs and youth, both seen as priorities for economic balance and resilience in small island states. “We wish to encourage initiatives that generate employment while transmitting traditional knowledge to youth, preserving these unique competencies,“ said Chileshe Mpundu Kapwepwe, COMESA Secretary General.
Why It Matters
For an archipelago whose economy has historically relied on tourism and fishing, regional trade integration opens new diversification prospects. By connecting Seychellois SMEs to COMESA markets — a 21-country bloc of over 600 million consumers — Victoria is betting on economic resilience that goes beyond tourism flows. Adopting the eCO is a concrete step in that direction: less paperwork, more trade.