The Court of Justice of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa herein known as “COMESA Court of Justice” or simply as “the Court” established in 1994 is one of the organs of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) created under Article 7 of the COMESA Treaty as a judicial arm of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa. According to Article 20 of the Treaty the Court is composed of seven Judges who are appointed by the Authority to the First Instance Division, one of whom is the Principal Judge and five Judges who are appointed to the Appellate Division and one of them being the President of the Court.
Under Article 20 of the Treaty, Judges of the Court are chosen from among persons of impartiality and independence who fulfil the conditions required for appointment to high judicial offices in their respective countries of domicile or who are jurists of recognized competence. Under Article 41 of the Treaty, the Council appoints the Registrar from among nationals of Member States qualified to hold high judicial.
Article 7 of the COMESA Treaty enumerate the other organs of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa; namely: the Authority of Heads of States and Governments, the Council of Ministers, the Committee of Governors of Central Banks, the Intergovernmental Committee, the Technical Committees, the Secretariat; and the Consultative Committees.
Other institutions include the Bank of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (PTA Bank), the COMESA Clearing House, the COMESA Re-Insurance Company (ZEP-Re), the Leather and Leather Products Institute (LLPI) and the Regional Investment Agency (RIA), COMESA Competition Commission among others. There are also sector based Institutions like the Yellow Card Insurance Bureau, the Bureau of the Customs Guarantee Scheme, Women in Business (FEMCOM) and the COMESA Business Council among others.
