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COMESA Strengthens Regional Data-Driven Environmental Policies
Gerald Kombo
March 26, 2025
The Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening environmental data management across its 21 member states. Speaking at the launch of Kenya’s first-ever Environmental Statistics Compendium, COMESA highlighted the critical role of data in shaping sustainable policies and fostering regional cooperation.
Mshuka Kamwela, the European Development Fund (EDF) Programme Manager at COMESA Secretariat, emphasized that accurate and accessible environmental data is essential for informed decision-making across the region. Through the EDF Institutional Capacity Building Program, COMESA has provided Kenya with financial and technical support to develop the compendium.
This initiative sets a precedent for how member states can harness data to drive environmental policies. At COMESA, we support countries in domesticating policies and regulations that align with regional and global sustainability goals. The success of this compendium paves the way for similar frameworks across other member states.
A Model for Regional Data-Driven Governance
The compendium, developed by the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS), consolidates key environmental indicators such as forestry cover, pollution levels, water quality, and waste management practices.
By creating a centralized document, Kenya has enhanced accessibility to critical data that policymakers, researchers, and environmental agencies can use to make informed decisions. COMESA sees this as a blueprint for other member states, promoting the integration of environmental statistics into policy formulation.
We believe that what Kenya has achieved here should be replicated across the region. Environmental challenges do not recognize borders—climate change, pollution, and biodiversity loss affect us all. This compendium is a vital tool in ensuring that policy decisions are rooted in evidence rather than assumptions.
Bridging Data Gaps for Effective Policy Implementation
One of the key challenges in environmental governance across COMESA states is the lack of localized, high-frequency data. While Kenya's compendium is a major step forward, gaps remain—particularly in county-level data collection.
COMESA aims to support member states in developing similar frameworks that provide granular data for better planning and resource allocation.
Planning and resource management must be driven by accurate, localized data. At COMESA, we are working with national bureaus of statistics to strengthen their capacity in data collection, processing, and analysis
Regional Cooperation for a Sustainable Future
Beyond Kenya, COMESA is actively working with other member states to enhance institutional capacities for data-driven policymaking. The European Development Fund’s Institutional Capacity Building Program is a key enabler in this mission, ensuring that governments have the resources and expertise needed to generate, analyze, and utilize environmental statistics effectively.
This is not just about Kenya—it’s about setting a regional standard. Through collaboration, we can build a network of robust environmental data systems that inform sustainable development across Eastern and Southern Africa.
As COMESA continues to champion data-driven environmental governance, Kenya’s pioneering efforts offer a roadmap for other nations looking to bridge the gap between statistics and actionable policies.