The establishment of the COMESA-EAC-SADC Tripartite Free Trade Area (FTA) arises from a decision by the Heads of State and Government at the Inaugural Tripartite Summit in Kampala, Uganda in October 2008. The COMESA- EAC-SADC Tripartite FTA represents 26 countries with a combined population of nearly 600 million people and a total gross domestic product (GDP) of approximately US$1.0 trillion.