With the collaboration of the Ministry for Commerce and Trade of the Republic of Sierra Leone, the ECOWAS Regional Competitors Authority (ERCA) organized an advocacy and sensitization workshop in Freetown on February 28, 2022.
The workshop with the purpose of making consciousness on the ECOWAS Regional Competitors Framework and on its existence and operation, gathered specialists of the Ministry of Commerce and Trade, Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Finance, the Funding and Export Promotion Company, the Cooperative Division, the Merchants Council, the Civil Society Associations, the Affiliation of Journalists, the Shopper Safety Associations, the Chamber of Commerce, sector regulators, and so forth.
The workshop was not solely to sensitize Sierra Leone competitors stakeholders on the existence of the Regional Competitors Framework and ERCA, however to make sure their consciousness and possession of the competitors framework in addition to the institutional relationship between regional and nationwide our bodies in competitors. It additionally enlightened the members on the modalities for ERCA’s future interventions.
Whereas welcoming the members to the workshop, Dr. Simeon KOFFI, on behalf of the President and the Commissioner for Commerce, Customs and Free Motion of Individuals of the ECOWAS Fee expressed his profound gratitude to the ECOWAS Fee and the ERCA Employees. He additionally expressed his gratitude to the President, the Authorities, and the Individuals of Sierra Leone for his or her heat reception and notably the Ministry of Commerce and Trade for organizing the assembly and for the progress made in competitors and client safety.
After recalling that this advocacy workshop is a part of the method of possession of the regional competitors framework by Member States, he emphasised the necessity for ERCA and Member States to work collectively and guarantee that there’s a fixed dialogue on the competitors coverage. He lastly launched the content material of the session earlier than wishing to the members a fruitful workshop.
Mr. Abdul Kamara, Director of Export Promotion and Regional Integration on the Ministry of Commerce and Trade of the Republic of Sierra Leone, representing the Honourable Minister, after conveying the apologies of the Minister and the Chief Director for not having the ability to open the session, thanked ERCA for holding this advocacy workshop in Sierra Leone. He acknowledged that the workshop is a platform for opening a dialogue area that’s linked to the AFCFTA and a room for personal and public sectors for collaboration in direction of the Africa Agenda. After recalling that Commerce is vital for nationwide growth for truthful competitors, transparency, accountability, and equity, he knowledgeable the members that Sierra Leone has a nationwide competitors coverage and has adopted a Shopper Safety Act that can result in the establishing of a Shopper Safety Fee, earlier than declaring the workshop open.
Following displays on the workshop, an interactive session came about which enabled the members to ask questions, contribute and work together, after which members made suggestions on means for domestication and possession of the regional competitors Framework in Sierra Leone in addition to avenues for collaboration and cooperation between ERCA and Sierra Leone nationwide Stakeholders.
