The Arab Competition Network has concluded its fourth conference, held in Kuwait on February 2-3, 2025, with broad participation from regulatory bodies responsible for competition across the Arab world. The conference discussed key issues and challenges in the field of fair competition and reviewed the network's achievements over the past year under Saudi Arabia's chairmanship.

2024 Achievements and Working Groups

The conference featured reports from four working groups on developments in their respective areas.

At a Glance

  • Mergers and acquisitions, chaired by Kuwait's Competition Protection Authority
  • Enforcement of competition protection laws, chaired by Egypt and Morocco
  • Institutional efficiency, chaired by Iraq's Council of Competition Affairs and Anti-Monopoly
  • Policy support, chaired by Libya's Competition and Anti-Monopoly Council

The conference also reviewed the network's digital developments, including the launch of an updated website and a digital library gathering key research and regulatory laws related to competition.

Excellence Awards in Competition

Winners of the Arab Competition Network Awards were announced during the conference, including:

  • 🏆 Enforcement Award in the field of competition
  • 🏆 Arabic-Language Scientific Research Award
  • 🏆 Competition Policy Award
  • 🏆 Awards for the Arab Competition Authorities Simulation Model, which honored the winning students.

The Conference's Final Recommendations

Network members unanimously agreed on several recommendations aimed at strengthening cooperation and developing the field of competition in Arab countries, most notably:

  • Continuing the working groups in 2025, with greater exchange of expertise and practical experience.
  • Developing the Arab Competition Network Awards for 2026 to cover broader fields and encourage research into competition policy.
  • Transferring Tunisia's experience in competition self-assessment to other countries.
  • Launching joint programs between Arab competition authorities to boost efficiency and develop regulatory laws.
  • Cooperating with Arab academic institutions to spread knowledge and develop the field of competition.
  • Bahrain to host the network's fifth annual conference in 2026.

The conference underscored the importance of joint action to ensure a fair competitive environment in the Arab world and strengthen economic efficiency through advanced competition policies.