Four Egyptian experts and professors received awards in fields of creativity and innovation during the summit of Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), currently in session here.The COMESA is a free trade area with nineteen member states stretching from Libya to Swaziland. COMESA was formed in December 1994, replacing a Preferential Trade Area which had existed since 1981. Nine of the member states formed a free trade area in 2000 (Djibouti, Egypt, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Sudan, Zambia and Zimbabwe), with Rwanda and Burundi joining the FTA in 2004, the Comoros and Libya in 2006, and Seychelles in 2009. COMESA is one of the pillars of the African Economic Community.