Consultative Competition Committee of ERCA met in Banjul, The Gambia to discuss the draft strategic plan of ERCA 2024-2028 and the findings of on the digital market study recently conducted in Member States.

The ECOWAS Consultative Committee on Competition (CCC) held it 9^th meeting to discuss the draft strategic plan of ERCA 2024-2028, the findings of on the digital market study conducted in Member States as well as the draft cooperation agreements from the 12^th to15^th November 2024, in Banjul, Republic of The Gambia.

 The meeting brought together Members of the CCC and staff of ERCA to discuss the draft strategic plan of ERCA 2024-2028, the findings of the digital market study conducted in Member States and ways of strengthening the cooperation agreements with member states and the National Competitioin Authorities.

Executive Director of ERCA, Dr. Simeon K. Koffi, on behalf of the President of the ECOWAS Commission, His Excellency Dr. Omar Alieu TOURAY and Mrs. Massandje TOURE-LITSE Commissioner for Economic Affairs and Agriculture, thanked of all the Members of the CCC for their presence at the 9^th Statutory meeting of the Consultative Competition Committee (CCC) of ERCA .He expressed his gratitude to the Ministry of Trade, Regional Integration and Employment through which he conveyed the sincere appreciation of ERCA to the Government of the Republic of the Gambia for all the support and efforts made towards enhancing regional integration. He further expressed pleasure at the fruitful collaboration between ERCA and national competition authorities of member states.

The Executive Director pointed out that the 9^th statutory meeting the CCC is of particular significance as it follows a decisive step of strengthening the legislative and institutional framework of ERCA by the recent inauguration formal swearing-in of the members of the ERCA Council. This action has completed the establishment of the organs of the Authority in charge of competition regulation and the protection of consumer rights and interests, thereby giving ERCA the necessary legal and operational tools to act in the regional market. Dr. Koffi commended the collective efforts the members of the CCC in the implementation of ERCA’s Five-year strategic plan 2019-2023 and implored members to strengthen collaboration for the effective enforcement of competition rules and the creation of a competitive environment in West Africa to achieve the goals set by the Authority of Heads of Starte and Government of ECOWAS through the adoption of the Supplementary Act 2008 on competition rules.

The Executive Director called for a more robust and dynamic collaboration framework with national competition authorities and other stakeholders and pleaded with members of the CCC towards creating synergy with national competition structures, for members states to adopt, promote and work urgently towards the domestication of the regional competition framework and raise awareness with national stake holders on competition issues.

The Chairperson of The CCC Dr. Talime Abe welcomed all members to the 9th session of the Competition Advisory Committee (CCC) of the Regional Authority of ECOWAS Competition (ERCA). He thanked ERCA for organising this meeting and the honourable Minister of Trade, Industry, Regional Integration and Employment of The Gambia as well as experts from Member states for honouring the invitation to attend the meeting. He paid tribute to the President of the ECOWAS Commission for all the efforts toward implementation of the community competition rules especially the appointment and swearing-in of the ten (10) members of the 1st ERCA Council, an important decision-making organ in the institutional framework of competition and consumer protection in our region. He underscored the functions of the CCC which among other things is mandated to review all draft policies, guidelines, directives, instruments, rules and regulations submitted to it by ERCA and formulate recommendations thereon, undertake studies or research relevant to the formulation of policies in the field of competition and consumer protection.

The Deputy Permanent Secretary, Mr. Abdoulie Bojang, representing the Minister of Industry Trade Industry, regional integration and Employment of The Republic of The Gambia Mr. Baboucarr O. Joof, welcomed the members of the CCC to Banjul and expressed the willingness of the Government of the government of The Gambia to continue to strengthen regional cooperation mechanisms for market regulation and consumer protection which are fundamental pillars of sustainable economic development in the ECOWAS region. He highlighted the timeliness of this meeting and importance of the work of the CCC in the light of the increasing complexity and dynamism of regional and global markets which calls for the adaption of policies frameworks to ensure fair competition and the protection of consumers for a more equitable and prosperous economic environment for all citizens of our region. The Representative of the minister enjoined Member states in the face of new and evolving market challenges to prioritize improvement of institutional and legislative frameworks, establishment of a level playing field and refinement and harmonization of our competition policies where businesses can compete based on merit