1. Strengthening Constituencies for Effective Competition Regimes in Select West African Countries (7Up4 Project) ROLE OF NRG MEMBERS 7Up4 NRG-I Meetings September-October 2008

2. National Reference Group (NRG) What is it? An informal group of national stakeholders with aptitude for competition, regulatory policy and consumer protection issues to act as focal point in each project country for guiding project activities by providing inputs and reviewing outputs

3. Role of NRG Members: NRG Meetings Feedback on project issues to partners Feedback on project issues to partners Outline possible approaches to tackling specific project issues Outline possible approaches to tackling specific project issues Review research reports, papers, etc. Review research reports, papers, etc.

4. Role of NRG Members: Research Activities Provide necessary inputs into research work Provide necessary inputs into research work Ensure access to relevant (and otherwise elusive) documents, etc. for research purposes Ensure access to relevant (and otherwise elusive) documents, etc. for research purposes Send useful news/documents to partners/CUTS for use in project Send useful news/documents to partners/CUTS for use in project Help organise interactions/interviews with key stakeholders Help organise interactions/interviews with key stakeholders

5. Role of NRG Members: Policy Advocacy Guide partners in drawing advocacy lessons Guide partners in drawing advocacy lessons Advising on specific policy advocacy measures Advising on specific policy advocacy measures Link project with other ongoing initiatives Link project with other ongoing initiatives

6. Role of NRG Members: Outreach & Sustainability Help in outreach Help in outreach Disseminate project findings through own contacts/networks Disseminate project findings through own contacts/networks Contribute occasional papers, articles, write-ups, etc. Contribute occasional papers, articles, write-ups, etc. Beneficiaries of training workshops Beneficiaries of training workshops NRG is informal but has a long-life, even outside the project NRG is informal but has a long-life, even outside the project Contact point for CUTS and other international/regional organisations Contact point for CUTS and other international/regional organisations

7. THANK YOU Rijit Sengupta Email: rsg@cuts.org rsg@cuts.org Web: c-cier@cuts.org c-cier@cuts.org Phone: +91 9829285928