This week produced fewer headline policy shifts in major Gulf and African economies, but several developments highlighted how global trade architecture continues to evolve at the margins.
WTO members reviewed multiple regional trade agreements, including Comoros' accession to the EU-Eastern and Southern Africa Interim Economic Partnership Agreement and the Preferential Trade Agreement between Mozambique and Indonesia. These reviews underscore how smaller African economies are increasingly integrated into structured global trade frameworks.
At the regional level, attention returned to investment momentum in East and Southern Africa. UNCTAD data showing a surge in foreign direct investment into COMESA economies in 2024 continued to shape investor discussions. Meanwhile, the United States released its 2026 Trade Policy Agenda, confirming a more transactional approach to global trade.
Latest developments from key markets.
On March 3, the WTO Committee on Regional Trade Agreements reviewed Comoros' accession to the Interim Economic Partnership Agreement between the European Union and Eastern and Southern Africa states, covering trade in goods.
The accession improves preferential market access to the European Union for sectors such as fisheries and agriculture. While Comoros remains a small economy, its integration into the EU trade framework could support niche investments in processing, sustainable fisheries, and export-oriented agriculture.
WTO members also reviewed the Preferential Trade Agreement between Mozambique and Indonesia during the same Committee session.
The agreement complements Mozambique's existing trade relationships and provides another channel for energy, mining, and agricultural exports into Southeast Asian markets. However, governance challenges and security risks continue to shape the investment landscape.
Momentum is growing across borders.
UNCTAD's COMESA Investment Report continued to shape regional investment discussions, highlighting that foreign direct investment into COMESA's 21 economies surged to approximately USD 65 billion in 2024, representing a 154 percent increase despite a second consecutive year of global FDI decline.
Although the increase was heavily influenced by Egypt's Ras El-Hekma megaproject, inflows also rose across several economies including Zambia, Ethiopia, Tunisia, and the DRC. This reinforces the region's growing role as an investment destination for infrastructure, energy, and export-oriented industry.
The WTO Committee on Regional Trade Agreements reviewed five trade agreements on March 3, including Comoros' accession to the EU-ESA Interim EPA and the Mozambique-Indonesia Preferential Trade Agreement.
While the reviews do not change the legal provisions of the agreements, they improve transparency and reinforce how smaller economies are becoming increasingly embedded in structured global trade systems.
The United States Trade Representative released its 2026 Trade Policy Agenda, emphasising reciprocal trade agreements, stricter enforcement of trade rules, and efforts to secure supply chains for critical minerals and advanced technologies.
The agenda signals that US trade policy will likely remain more transactional and enforcement-driven, with a greater emphasis on bilateral agreements and strategic supply chains.
Leverage emerging trade platforms: smaller agreements such as the EU-ESA EPA and Mozambique's PTA with Indonesia can serve as gateways into larger markets.
Prioritise East and Southern African investment hubs: strong FDI flows highlight opportunities in infrastructure, energy, and export-oriented manufacturing.
Segment exposure to the US market: increasingly transactional US trade policy reinforces the need to balance American market access with diversified export strategies.
Structure operations for multiple trade regimes: successful companies will design supply chains capable of operating across AfCFTA, EU trade agreements, and emerging Asia-facing corridors.
"The integration of economies such as Comoros and Mozambique into broader trade frameworks reflects how second-tier markets are becoming operational gateways into global systems."
For leadership teams operating across the Gulf and Africa, the priority is no longer simply identifying opportunity. It is designing trade and investment strategies that remain resilient across multiple regulatory environments and geopolitical scenarios.