Accolade for anti-monopolistic practices here

A global forum on competition has paid tribute to the Egyptian experience in combating monopoly.

Participants in the 2022 Global Forum on Competition, held by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in Paris, voiced hope that Egypt’s anti-monopoly practices could be replicated in African countries.

Mahmoud Momtaz, who is head of the Authority for the Protection of Competition and the Prohibition of Monopolistic Practices, held a series of meetings on Monday with representatives of global agencies concerned with monopolies on the forum.

Momtaz met with the chairman of African competition agencies to discuss digital markets and review Egypt’s experience in this field.

Momtaz also highlighted the country’s strategy to support competition policies and competitive neutrality.

During this meeting, it was agreed to hold a workshop in Egypt for African competition agencies during the first quarter of 2023.

The anti-monopolies chief also met with Doris Tshepe, head of Competition Commission in South Africa, to discuss means to activate the memorandum of understanding between Egypt and South Africa last August to enhance technical co-operation and expertise and information exchange on competition laws and policies.

Momtaz also met with chairman of the Federal Competition and Consumers Protection Commission (FCCPC) in Nigeria, Babatunde Irukera, to develop relations between Egypt and Nigeria in competition protection.

“Egypt is ready to exchange support and technical assistance with Nigeria in law enforcement procedures and combating agreements harmful to competition policies,” Momtaz said.

Momtaz also met with heads of Arab competition agencies to discuss how to benefit most from applying competition policies in the region and how to activate the Arab Competition Network (ACN), launched in March this year.

The ACN is a product of efforts and collaboration by the Arab League and the Egyptian Competition Authority. The network will provide a platform for Arab competition authorities to work together to combat anti-competitive practices and to support existing policies in order to foster competition in the Arab markets.

Established in 2001, the OECD Global Forum on Competition brings together each year high-level officials from more than 100 competition authorities worldwide, including both OECD and non-OECD economies.

With a broad focus on development, the forum promotes a wider dialogue that encompasses the linkages between competition policy and other cornerstones of economic development.