African Consumer Bodies Meet in Malawi to Discuss Cross-boerder trade challenges

Dar es Salaam, 14 September, 2014. African Consumer Protection Bodies met in September, 2014 in Lilongwe, Malawi, to discuss cross-border collaborations to curtail consumer violations in trade.

The three days Annual African Consumer Protection Dialogue meeting which was held at Crossroads Hotel from 8th to 10th September, 2014, was officially opened by the Malawian Minister for Industry and Trade, Hon. Joseph Mwanamveka (MP).

He called on the urgency for coordinated efforts involving both the African consumer protection bodies as well as the civil society organisations and development partners in order to to make "consumer exploitation a history.

The Minister also stressed the need for African countries to stretch the cross-border cooperation in combating counterfeit products, which have turned African and other developing countries "dumping sites" for such goods. He called for meaningful inspection for imported goods at entry points to ascertain their use-worthiness.

The Minister pointed out that the 6th African Consumer Protection Dialogue Meeting will create a forum for African states to share experiences on issues of consumer rights.

His speech was preceded by that of Dr Gerard Chigona, Chairperson of the Competition and Fair Trading Commission (CFTC) who alluded that globalization and increased trends of cross border trade led to escalation of consumer rights violations in cross boarder trade.

He called for establishment of a strong and effective international cooperation and information sharing framework in order to ensure that there is an effective enforcement of sanctions to put cross border consumer violations on check.

Tanzania was represented by four Consumer law enforcing agencies and one Consumer Advocacy Group. The Tanzanian Delegation was headed by the Director General of the Fair Competition Commission, Dr. Frederick Ringo. Other agencies in the delegation included the Consumer Consultative Councils of EWURA, SUMATRA and TCAA as well as the Tanzania Consumer Advocacy Society (TCAS).

FCC presented papers in relation to Consumer Education, Cross-border collaborations, Enforcement of Consumer Protection Issues, Investigative Plans and Mobile Finances and its challenges. Additionally the Director General of FCC, Dr. Frederick Ringo, co-chaired one of the sessions on consumer protection/enforcement aspects.

The Tanzanian delegation paid a courtesy call at the Tanzanian High Commissioner in Malawi, H.E. Patrick Tsere on 11th September, 2014. Similarly, the delegation had an opportunity of having a joint dinner hosted by H.E. the High Commissioner on 9th September, 2014.

African Consumer Protection Dialogue, which is an international forum for discussing consumer protection issues is an effort established in 2009 with a view to providing an opportunity to African governments, civil society organisations and the United States government to interface with each other and share best practices on the enforcement of consumer protection laws. The same runs monthly teleconferences on consumer issues and holds one annual meeting on the subject matter.