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Opportunities & Challenges for Competition Reforms in E&S Africa CUTS Viewpoint

Opportunities & Challenges for Competition Reforms in E&S Africa CUTS Viewpoint. Africa Stakeholders’ Workshop Africa Competition Forum 12 th March 2010, Nairobi. Rijit Sengupta. Outline of Presentation. Introduction to CUTS International CUTS Competition Projects in Africa Objectives

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Opportunities & Challenges for Competition Reforms in E&S Africa CUTS Viewpoint

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  1. Opportunities & Challenges for Competition Reforms in E&S Africa CUTS Viewpoint Africa Stakeholders’ Workshop Africa Competition Forum 12th March 2010, Nairobi Rijit Sengupta

  2. Outline of Presentation • Introduction to CUTS International • CUTS Competition Projects in Africa • Objectives • Countries • Key Messages • Future Challenges Relating to Competition • Select Future Projects in Africa • Concluding Remarks

  3. Introduction to CUTS International • Genesis – consumer rights organisation • Vision: Consumer sovereignty in the framework of social justice and equality within and across borders • Landmarks in relevant CUTS activity • Involvement in competition reforms in India • Active programmes on competition policy and law issues in 30 countries of Africa and Asia • 2 resource centres in Africa, 4 overall • Extensive contacts across SH groups, and partnerships with CSOs in Africa

  4. CUTS Projects in Africa COUNTRIES OBJECTIVES KEY MESSAGES • Sensitising ‘key stakeholders’ about benefits from competition reforms • Bottom up-approach (7Up Model) • Capacity building of multiple stakeholders on CPL • Mobilising CSO involvement in competition reforms • Collating baseline information on state of competition • Advocacy for evolution of CPL & enforcement • Attracting donor/IO attention to CPL

  5. CUTS Projects in Africa COUNTRIES OBJECTIVES KEY MESSAGES • PAST & PRESENT Botswana, Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia Burkina Faso, The Gambia, Ghana, Mali, Nigeria, Senegal and Togo • FUTURE Algeria, Egypt, Morocco and Tunisia

  6. CUTS Projects in Africa COUNTRIES OBJECTIVES KEY MESSAGES • Very little political will • Low stakeholder demand (if at all) • Only a few interested donors • Interest exists among scholars/academia; no support • Business community not integrated into the process • Huge training and capacity building requirements • Very little/incorrect reporting in media (print & electr.) • Sensitisation of parliamentarians imperative

  7. CUTS Projects in Africa COUNTRIES OBJECTIVES KEY MESSAGES • Competition Authorities (CA) created, but lack capacity • Often inappropriate sequencing of cases by CA • Lack of capacity building opportunities for CA staff • Little or no clarity on interface issues • CA not able to establish strong linkages with consumers, vice-versa (affecting consumer support)

  8. Future Challenges Relating to Competition • Detailed socio-economic assessment of ACPs and dissemination of results (POLICY ADVOCACY) • Integration of competition reforms into wider policy discourses (EXPANDING FRONTIERS) • Regional Vs National Competition Laws (CLARITY) • Competition reforms in post-EPAs (OPPORTUNITY) • Governments need to support enforcement actions • WORLD COMPETITION DAY!

  9. Future Challenges Relating to Competition • Long-term training/CB of CA staff • Technical Assistance for new/young CAs (INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION) • Integration of CPL into Univ./Management courses • Continuous/long-term programmes for CB of key stakeholders in competition issues • Support for consumer organisations (‘watchdogs’) • Donor community/IGOs maintain/increase support • Policy needs to be translated into administrative actions (WGs, Parliamentary Committee)

  10. Select Competition Projects in Africa • Capacity building of E&S African SH on Competition Assessment Framework (CAF) • Target groups: practitioners and stakeholders • Methodology: • Selection of project countries • Identification of resource persons (esp. from Africa/Asia) • Preparation of ToT for resource persons • Collection/preparation of ‘case studies’ • Basic and advanced training on application of CA • Production of ‘country-specific handbooks’ (on application of CAF in 2-3 specific markets)

  11. Select Competition Projects in Africa • Building capacity and developing the environment for effective competition regimes in select MENA countries • Establish contacts with CSOs, CAs, other SH • Plan and undertake a scoping-mission • Develop baseline on prevailing state and challenges • Mobilise key SH to discuss competition reforms options • Enhance capacity of SH to engage on CPL issues • Initiate processes for participatory competition reforms • Establish forum for discourses on competition reforms • Link the national competition community to the outside

  12. Concluding Remarks • Need for Africa Competition Forumfirst recommended by CUTS in August 2008 • Identified Functions/Roles of ACF • To take discussions on competition reforms outside the community related directly to CPL • Respond to capacity building needs of key SH on CPL in Africa • Provide a platform for discussing and addressing challenges in competition reforms faced by African nations • Foster international cooperation for competition reforms in Africa

  13. Ahsante Sana! rsg@cuts.org www.cuts-ccier.org

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