Achievements and Shortcomings 7Up3 Project Brainstorming at the Regional Conference Addis Ababa, 27 March 2006

Some Achievements Government/Regulatory Authorities Established good working relationship with the competition authorities of Ethiopia, Malawi, Namibia. Good connections also established with senior officials of the Ministry of Trade and Industry of Mozambique (expected to draft a Competition Policy soon); and the Trade and Industry Minister of Botswana (Botswana is getting its competition law drafted now).

Some Achievements Civil Society Able to generate a great amount of interest among researcher and activists in the region (especially in the project countries) to work on competition policy issues. Civil society organisations (partners) have taken a pro-active lead on the issue at the national level

Some Achievements Regional Outreach The findings from competition research done in the project countries shared with various ‘key personalities’ within and outside the region. Extensive electronic outreach of the activities of the project within the region and outside

Realisations Lot of interest among civil society organisations of Eastern and Southern Africa on competition policy and law issues Identified constituency of researchers and activists interested to undertake research and advocacy activities on competition policy and law

Realisations Project initiated detailed research on the competition scenario in seven countries of eastern and southern Africa – a ‘rare feat’ that has not been attempted before

Realisations Governments/competition authorities in project countries realising the need for implementing competition laws, and adopting new laws wherever absent Botswana – Competition Policy tabled and discussed in the Parliament. In the process of drafting a Competition Law Ethiopia – The Trade Practice Investigation Commission keen to implement the Trade Practice Proclamation (Commission staff to undergo training on competition law implementation issues in end-March 2006)

Realisations Malawi – Malawi Competition Authority has established its Secretariat and has already started with some initial investigation Mauritius – A Competition Bill has recently (early March 2006) been circulated in the country Mozambique – In the process of developing a Competition Policy. A senior official in the MTI has been given the responsibility (Louis Eduardo Sitoe, a close friend and supporter of CUTS)

Realisations Namibia – The Namibian Competition Commission has also been active. Members of the Commission have been participating in international conferences on Competition Policy as a part of capacity building Uganda – The Competition Bill expected to be adopted soon

Shortcomings Lack of effective participation of regional authorities (SADC, COMESA) in the project (No participation in the 2 international conferences). EAC has shown a lot of interest in the project. Low level of interaction with the national/regional press. Mauritius Namibia and Uganda being exceptions.

Shortcomings Difficulty in getting news from project countries related to competition issues, consumer protection and regulatory aspects. Delays in transfer of funds from CUTS has sometimes led to delays in project activities.

Lessons for future Strategies should be identified for involving the regional authorities to get involved with the project. Partners should cooperate with the PCMU to find out news items from the project countries. Partners should also try and engage effectively with the national press, as this would help in advocacy – the main activity of the next phase of the project.

The Good News… Lot of discussions at various international platforms for the urgent need to encourage greater involvement of civil society in competition awareness and advocacy in developing and least developed countries. Indicates there is a great prospect for the civil society to engage effectively on the above subjects

A few suggestions… Partner agencies should try and identify a project idea in their home countries and prepare a proposal. CUTS will help. Identify a ‘Plan of Action’ in each of the project countries for the Advocacy Phase of the project…