Press Conference of the ECOWAS Regional Competition Authority (ERCA) for Advocacy, Sensitization, and Awareness In Liberia on the ECOWAS Regional Competition Framework

Monrovia, Liberia, 03 March 2022: the ECOWAS Regional Competition Authority (ERCA) organized on 03 March 2022 at the Corina Hotel in Monrovia, Liberia, an advocacy, sensitization, and awareness press conference with the aim of creating awareness on the ECOWAS Regional Competition Framework and on its existence and operation. The Press Conference gathered journalists from television, radio, newspapers, and online media.

In introducing the press conference, Dr. Siméon Koffi, Ag. Executive Director of ERCA, on behalf of the President of the ECOWAS Commission, H.E. Jean-Claude Kassi Brou, thanked the Government and the people of Liberia for their warm welcome and inform the journalists that the objectives of the session were to raise awareness of the ECOWAS Regional Competition Framework (ERCF). He stated that competition is very important for the sustainable development of Member States and allows them to increase their potential in trade development. He added that it enables the monitoring of the implementation of the Policy.

He further introduced ERCA, its mandate of monitoring commercial activities and preventing anticompetitive practices.

Following the introduction, Journalists asked questions on the role of Liberia in the area of competition, the trade development strategy, the regional framework and Liberian stakeholders, the measures of the monitoring of prices, the reasons behind the establishment of ERCA, the ERCA establishment, the challenges, the Trade benefit against the single currency, the involvement of national stakeholders, the penalties and prices. Answers were then given by Dr. Siméon Koffi and Dr. Yaouza OURO-SAMA, Principal Programme Officer Legal, Investigation, Compliance and Enforcement (LICE).

In closing the press conference, Dr. Koffi renewed his gratitude to the Government and the People of Liberia for their warm welcome and thanked all the journalists for their participation in the press conference before closing the session.