7Up3
EnewsLetter Vol. VI
Project
Progress
Research
outcomes undertaken by the partners of the 7Up3 project in the seven
project countries were among the issues that were discussed in a regional
(mid-term) conference held in Addis Ababa on March 27-28, 2006,
(papers and presentations available at http://www.cuts-international.org/agenda_reg_conf_27mar06.htm).
The conference provided the opportunity for the project co-ordination
and management unit (PCMU) at CUTS, the partner organisations, project
advisory committee (PAC) members, experts and practitioner from the
region and outside to assess findings of the competition research undertaken
in the region through this project and discuss the way forward, especially
in terms of advocating for effective implementation of competition legislations
in the project countries.
The
regional conference was jointly organised by CUTS International and
AHaECoPA, Ethiopia (the Ethiopian partner of the 7Up3 project), and
held at the Hilton, Addis Ababa.
Some
of key messages echoed at the conference were:
-
Effective implementation of competition policy and law is an important
instrument for reducing poverty, achieving Millennium Development
Goals (MDGs), enhancing economic growth and private sector development
in Africa;
-
Adoption of appropriate laws on competition policy and sectoral
regulation should be an essential requirement for all liberalised
economic systems in Africa, as it is a key element that benefits
consumers and business sector; and
-
The project should test ways of engaging parliamentarians in debate
on competition and regulatory policy issues. If successful, such
a model could be used for continuous engagement of parliamentarians
on economic policy issues.
Promotion
of fair trade practices should be a priority not only for the government
but also for businesses and consumers, as the latter are victims of
unfair trade practice, said Ato Harka Haroye, MP and Chairman of Trade
Practices Investigation Commission of Ethiopia.
According
to Pradeep S Mehta, Secretary General, CUTS International, capacity
building of national and regional institutions and establishing a network
of people and organisations in support of fair competition and economic
regulation in Africa are the main objectives of the project.
An
effective competition regime can bring productivity gains to an economy,
and thus enhance growth by ensuring free entry and exit to markets,
for firms of all sizes. This encourages innovation, reduces costs and
increases national competitiveness, all of which are crucial for productivity
and growth. This were the reasons Karen Ellis of DFID, UK posted as
to why DFID is interested in promoting competition policy and enhancing
regulatory capacities in developing countries.
Apart from discussions on the state of competition in the project countries
(Botswana, Ethiopia, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, and Uganda),
the conference also featured presentations on the interface between
competition and regulatory issues in key sectors like agriculture, pharmaceuticals,
telecoms, and power.
CUTS
believes in the power and conviction of civil society in promoting competition
culture in the world, and invests a lot of faith in the ability of African
civil society for promoting competition awareness at the national level
and in the region. This confidence has been further boosted by the realisations
of the 7Up3 project, which has helped CUTS identify constituencies of
researchers, practitioners, and activists who are interested to work
on competition policy and law issues. In a roundtable discussion held
during the conference, representatives of various stakeholder groups
debated on ways and means for enhancing the role of civil society in
competition awareness – thereby promoting a healthy competition culture
in Africa. (A brief outcome report of the discussions is available at
http://www.cuts-international.org/pdf/7Up3_RC_RoundTable.pdf)
On
the days following the regional conference (that is March 29-30, 2006),
at the request of the Trade Practice Investigation Commission (the competition
agency of Ethiopia), CUTS organised a training workshop on competition
policy and law issues. Resource persons from the region and outside
helped the 20-odd participants comprehend issues related to competition
enforcement.
News
from project countries………
COUNTRY
|
NEWS
|
BOTSWANA
|
Ensuring Competitive Bidding
The government is working towards developing standardised bidding
packages as pre-requisite to facilitate a competitive bidding
process in the procurement of government supplies.
More… |
Protecting
Consumers
The Botswana Government has promulgated micro-lending regulations
to protect consumers from unscrupulous practices. An array of
regulations is planned in the country (including a Competition
Bill) that would help catalyse economic efficiency on the one
hand, and protect consumers on the other.
More… |
Open
Skies, Closer Bonding
South African Development Community Executive Secretary, Tomaz
Salomao, has asserted that liberalisation of air transport has
given to rise to competitive delivery in the region, adding that
infrastructure should be accorded high priority as a basis for
attainment of deeper integration and poverty eradication.
More… |
ETHIOPIA
|
Two
in Tune
The Ethiopian Broadcasting Authority (EBA) has announced first-ever
licences to two private commercial FM radio operators in a move
that many consider as a significant first step after the promulgation
of the broadcasting of the broadcasting proclamation in June 1998.
More… |
Completing
Preparations
The Ethiopian Telecommunications Corporation (ETC) has announced
that it has completed all the necessary preparations to provide
Standard Virtual Internet Service (SVISP) in order to satisfy
the growing demand of its customers.
More… |
MALAWI
|
Protocol
Perils
The Malawian Government is said to have defaulted on its commitment
to implement the SADC protocol on reducing tariff schedules.
More… |
Green
of the Earth
The Government of Malawi would soon embrace a strategy that encourages
people to invest more in horticulture – in the production of fruits
and vegetables.
More… |
Overhauling
Though the volume of harvest was almost double that of last year,
concerns have remained about the ability of Malawi’s agricultural
sector to withstand climate fluctuations and other adverse events.
Experts believe the sector requires complete overhauling to counter
the calamities.
More… |
MAURITIUS
|
Towards
Madagascar
The government and farmers of Mauritius have begun looking to
Madagascar. For Madagascar, this holds the promise for increased
investments.
More… |
Assenting
to Decreased Tariffs
The Information and Communications Technologies Authority has
approved a considerable decrease in tariffs of International Private
Leased Circuits (IPLC), fixed line services, international calls,
and local calls.
More… |
Threadbare
The island’s once-thriving textiles industry has been contracting
since 2002 – a process hastened by the end of global textiles
quotas in January 2005.
More… |
MOZAMBIQUE
|
Bumper
Sugar Harvest
A year that has been marred by disputes between the industries
and sugar producers on the price of sugar, has recorded the highest
sugar harvest in the country’s history since Independence.
More… |
Waiting
for the Pakistanis
The Pakistani business community has been urged to explore Mozambique
where vast avenues for business are available and a big market
awaits Pakistani goods.
|
NAMIBIA
|
Between
Botswana and Namibia
The need to intensify trade and investment between Botswana and
Namibia took centre stage at a meeting between the two countries’
Trade and Industry Ministers.
More… |
Joint
Interests
Namibia’s Trade and Industry Minister called on the Finnish delegation
to consider partnerships and investments in various sectors and
projects.
|
Stake
in the Shares
The Namibian Cabinet has decided to sell 34 percent of the government’s
shares in the country sole mobile telecommunications provider
to Portugal Telecom.
More… |
UGANDA
|
Weak
Brew
Uganda has registered a marked decline in coffee exports, according
to the Uganda Coffee Development Authority. However, the good
news is that the returns from the sector were unaffected. New
domestic companies have also entered the sector, which remains
profitable.
More… |
Value-addition
to Vanilla
Ugandan vanilla processors are looking to value-addition as a
way of increasing earnings from exports, which have been badly
hit by the current oversupply of vanilla in the world market.
More… |
Increased
Subscribers
MTN Uganda has gone up considerably owing to increased subscriber
numbers as recorded till March 2005.
More… |
Divided
on Sale of Kinyara Sugar
The divestiture of Kinyara Sugar Works Ltd (KSWL) hangs in balance,
following President Museveni’s directive to the finance ministry
to offer the factory to a local firm.
More… |
REGIONAL
NEWS |
Two
Roads to Take
Tanzania’s coffee industry provides a test case of respective
strengths of fair trade supporters and fair trade approaches where
one employs consumer demand and the other, liberalising markets.
More… |
Africa:
Emergent Investment Focus
Africa is attracting unprecedented private-sector interest,
especially in commodity producing countries and those benefiting
from recent debt relief.
More…
|
|
|