• The President of the Republic of Angola;
• The President of the Republic of Burundi;
• The President of the Federal Islamic
• Republic of the Comoros;
• The President of the Democratic
• Republic of Congo;
• The President of the Republic of Djibouti;
• The President of the State of Eritrea;
• The President of the Transitional Government of Ethiopia;
• The President of the Republic of Kenya;
• His Majesty the King of the Kingdom of Lesotho;
• The President of the Republic of Madagascar;
• The Life President of the Republic of Malawi;
• The Prime Minister of the Republic of Mauritius;
• The President of the Republic of Mozambique;
• The President of the Republic of Namibia;
• The President of the Republic of Rwanda;
• The President of the Republic of Seychelles;
• The President of the Somali Democratic Republic;
• The President of the Republic of Sudan;
• His Majesty the King of the Kingdom of Swaziland;
• The President of the United Republic of Tanzania;
• The President of the Republic of Uganda;
• The President of the Republic of Zambia; and
• The President of the Republic of Zimbabwe:

Conscious of the overriding need to establish a Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa;

Bearing in mind the establishment among their respective States of the Preferential Trade Area for Eastern and Southern African States as a first step towards the creation of a Common Market and eventually of an Economic Community for Eastern and Southern Africa;

Recalling the provisions of Article 29 of the Treaty for the Establishment of the Preferential Trade Area for Eastern and Southern African States to the effect that steps should be taken to develop the Preferential Trade Area established by that Treaty into a Common Market and eventually into an Economic Community;

Recalling further the decision of the Authority of the Preferential Trade Area for Eastern and Southern African States taken at its Tenth Meeting held in Lusaka, Zambia from 30 – 31 January, 1992 to transform the Preferential Trade Area for Eastern and Southern African States into a Common Market for Eastern and
Southern Africa;

Inspired by the objectives of the Treaty for the Establishment of the African Economic Community and in compliance with the provisions of Article 28(1) of the said Treaty;

Determined to mark a new stage in the process of economic integration with the establishment of a Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa and the consolidation of their economic co-operation through the implementation of common policies and programmes aimed at achieving sustainable growth and development;

Resolved to strengthen and achieve convergence of their economies through the attainment of a full market integration;

Having regard to the principles of international law governing relations between sovereign states, and the principles of liberty, fundamental freedoms and the rule of law;

In view of further steps which have to be taken in order to advance the economic
integration of Eastern and Southern Africa;