TUNIS - Tunisia will officially join the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) at an upcoming summit, Tunisian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Tuesday.

The upcoming Head of State and Government Summit will be held in Lusaka, the Zambian capital, on July 18 and 19.

"Once approved as a member of COMESA, Tunisia will have access to the triangular free trade area, which includes COMESA, the East African Community and the Southern African Development Community, bringing together almost half countries of the continent," the ministry said in a press release.

The COMESA, officially recognized by the African Union, has a population of 520 million and a GDP of $755 billion.