The opening ceremony of the African Competition Forum (ACF) Workshop and Steering Committee Meeting hosted by our Commission was held this Tuesday morning 5 March 2024 at Labourdonnais Waterfront Hotel.

The Chief Guest Hon. Dr (Mrs.) Marie Christiane Dorine Chukowry, Minister of Commerce and Consumer Protection opened the event after the welcome address by Mr Deshmuk Kowlessur, Executive Director of the Competition Commission.

Mr Hardin Ratshisusu, Deputy Commissioner of the Competition Commission of South Africa (CCSA), delivered a keynote address, whereby he spoke of the importance and accomplishment of the ACF. It is worth noting that Mauritius succeeded South Africa as Chair of the ACF.

The morning session was also marked by the address of Dr Willard Mwemba, Director & Chief Executive Officer, COMESA Competition Commission (CCC), who spoke on the priorities of the CCC and collaborations with the ACF.

We had the participation of Mr Godfrey Walakira, from the AfCFTA Secretariat,  Directorate of Trade in Goods and Competition who spoke on the adoption and implementation of the AfCFTA Protocol on Competition Policy.

Prof. Simon Roberts, Professor of economics and Executive Director of the Centre for Competition, Regulation and Economic Development (CCRED) and Mr Isaac Tausha, Chief Economist at the CCC,  made a joint intervention, which focused on “Ensuring food security and inclusive development by identifying and addressing barriers to competition in the regional food supply chain”.

The afternoon session of the ACF workshop was marked by presentations made virtually by Ms Melissa Naidoo, Senior Economist at the CCSA and discussions by members of the findings of the ACF report on AfCFTA thresholds for Mergers & Acquisitions and Dominance. It was also dominated by the presentation and discussions of the ACF Workplan for the FYs 24-26 by the Competition Commission.