VENDREDI 04 MARS 2022 BIZWEEK ÉDITION 384 The COMESA region is set to benefit from the development of the Blue Economy Fisheries Satellite Account meant to help the region get appropriate data on marine fisheries and promote efficient use of fisheries resources. Working with ECOFISH, a programme funded under the European Development Fund (EDF11) Cross Regional envelope, several Regional Economic Communities (RECs) have partnered to bring fisheries economic data closer to reality. Among other issues, ECOFISH focuses on development of the blue economy fisheries satellite account (BEFSA) which aims at measuring the blue economy’s contribution to the national output. COMESA is the lead institution on this component and work has been ongoing on development of a framework. To this effect, a regional workshop was convened in Nairobi, Kenya 22 – 23rd February 2022, to validate the draft framework of the Blue Economy Fisheries Satellite Account for Eastern Africa-Southern Africa and the Indian Ocean region. Speaking at the opening of the event, Secretary General Chileshe Mpundu Kapwepwe stated that under-achievement of the blue economy in COMESA and internationally has spurred a lot of work around development of frameworks that include this sector in narratives of sustainable development. COMESA Member States on their part have recognised that regional integration without a deliberate targeting of interventions on the blue economy will not yield an all-inclusive developmental result. «In COMESA as in the rest of Africa, information with regards to blue economy is scarce. For instance, to this day almost all fish captured is mostly subsistence and traditional artisanal and it remains without specific and socio-economic information to enable its sustainable management,» she said in a statement presented by the Head of Statistics at COME- BIZ ALERT MAURITIUS, KENYA, SOUTH AFRICA, NIGERIA AND EGYPT The competition regulators sign MoU to address emerging digital markets challenges Competition supervisory bodies from five African countries (Mauritius, Kenya, South Africa, Nigeria and Egypt) have formedanumbrella body to help them deal with challenges posed by digital markets, signalling a more concerted effort to enforce competition laws The competition regulators from Mauritius, Kenya, South Africa, Nigeria and Egypt, signed a memorandum of understanding in Johannesburg on the 18th of February to work together under the Africa Heads of Competition Dialogue (AHCD) to address emerging digital markets challenges. In a statement, AHCD said digital markets and services have transformedhow traditional markets function, raising unique competition issues that necessitate collaboration in re-evaluating the approach to regulations in the markets. They acknowledged that «digital markets/services are rapidly transforming the global economy through disrupting traditional markets, opening new economic opportunities, and providing substantial benefits to consumers and businesses, thereby contributing to economic recovery and growth». The regulators further noted : «These markets present considerable challenges for competition law enforcement and policy in terms of the unique competition issues that arise. Further noting that policy makers and competition authorities in the leading economies of the world are reviewing their approach to regulation and enforcement in digital markets to adequately address these competition issues.» Accordingly, as regulators on the continent, they are required to consider how digital markets impact on domestic participation in the local and global economy and the terms of that participation, beyond simply as a consumer of global tech firmservices. The five regulators (Competition Commission of Mauritius, Competition Authority of Kenya, Competition Commission of South Africa, Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission of Nigeria and Egyptian Competition Authority) agreed to collaborate by : COMESA region to benefit from Blue Economy Fisheries Satellite Account SA Secretariat, Mr Themba Munalula. For that reason, under the productive integration pillar of the COMESA Medium TermStrategic Plan 2021 – 2025, catalyzing inclusive sustainable transformation of the blue economy is one Scoping the conduct in digital markets, that has been the subject of investigation in other jurisdictions, on African consumers, businesses and economies with the purpose of fair regulation and enforcement in Africa (where applicable) ; Researching the barriers to the emergence and expansion of African digital platforms and firms that may contribute to enhanced competition and inclusion in these markets for the benefit of African consumers and economies ; Cooperating in the assessment of global, continental, and regional mergers and acquisitions in digital markets, including harmonizing the notification framework ; without prejudice to confidentiality commitments ; To share information in accordance with existing laws and applicable protocols ; Sharing knowledge and build capacity to deal with digital markets. of the key objectives. COMESA will lead the statistical system initiative for the region, in partnership with the Indian Ocean Commission (IOC), Lake Tanganyika Authority (LTA), Lake Victoria Fisheries Organization (LVFO), East African Community (EAC), Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC), Southern African Development Community (SADC) as wellas the Southwest Indian Ocean Fisheries Commission (SWIOFC). 3