Turkish and African competition authorities came together in Istanbul for the "Türkiye-Africa Competition Authorities Istanbul Meeting" to discuss opportunities, policies and potential to enhance cooperation between their respective organizations.
The inaugural meeting was hosted by the Turkish Competition Authority (RK) on Sept. 29-30 in Istanbul, with the participation of the presidents and senior representatives of the competition authorities of African countries and international and regional institutions working in the area of competition law and policy in the African region.
The meeting kicked off on Tuesday in the presidency's Dolmabahçe working office and was addressed by Turkish Competition Authority President Birol Küle and his African counterparts.
The initiative was launched in line with the recent efforts of the RK to share knowledge and experience, in particular with Balkan competition authorities and the competition authorities of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS), "as well as with other competition authorities in our geographical region," the RK said.
The platform organization also aligns with the multidimensional partnership that has recently developed between Türkiye and Africa, as well as the increasing strategic importance of both parties in the global economy, according to the RK.
"In line with the multidimensional partnership that has recently developed between Türkiye and Africa, as well as the increasing strategic importance of both parties in the global economy, to strengthen the contribution of competition policies to economic growth, investments, consumer welfare and sustainable development, activities have been initiated to enhance cooperation between our authority and African competition authorities," the RK said in a press statement.
It also said that the long-term institutional cooperation planned to be strengthened between the RK and the competition authorities across the African continent aims to "serve for promoting competition culture in our region, developing institutional capacities and consequently supporting open, fair and competitive markets."
In his opening remarks, the head of the Turkish Competition Authority highlighted the belief that cooperation among the institutions would "contribute to strengthening competitive conditions and competition culture both in our countries and throughout our region."
"Promoting the enforcement of competition law also enhances the growth prospects of developing countries," Küle said.
He also pointed out that the rapid pace of technological development and digitalization makes regional and international cooperation indispensable.
Küle also underscored the importance of international cooperation and laws, as he mentioned a belief and conviction "that competition law can accomplish certain 'miracles.'"
"I emphasize the word 'international' because one thing is now clear: alongside the constitutions of individual countries, we are also intertwined with structures that shape and organize our economies through the international regimes and practices that guide them," he said.
Senior representatives of the African Union Economic Development, Tourism, Trade, Industry, Minerals (ETTIM), the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) Competition and Consumer Commission (CCCC), the East African Community Competition Authority (EACCA) and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), which are regional, international institutions working in the area of competition law and policy in the African continent attended the gathering.
The meeting was also attended by the presidents and senior representatives of the competition authorities of Algeria, Angola, Botswana, Cabo Verde, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Egypt, Eswatini, Gambia, the Ivory Coast, Kenya, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, the Republic of South Africa, Seychelles, Tanzania, Tunisia, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
All delegations participating in the meeting expressed their appreciation to the Turkish Competition Authority, emphasizing the contribution that the meeting will make to the development of competition culture in the African continent.
They described the event as "important and timely," contributing to building "bridges" for dialogue and collaboration between the competition regulators of Türkiye and Africa.
The meeting was organized in cooperation with the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA).
Following the meeting, the president of the Turkish Competition Authority read out the joint declaration, which agreed to areas such as periodically sharing experience and information on the legislation and practices of countries in the area of competition policy, carrying out joint projects, organizing meetings and events, and conducting capacity-building activities among competition authorities.
