Dubai:The seventh Arab Competition Forum has commenced in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, uniting senior officials from regional and international competition authorities, alongside leading experts, academics, and private-sector representatives. The forum aims to shape fair and competitive digital markets across the Arab region.
According to Wam, the two-day event is themed 'Competition policy in the digital age maintaining fairness and equality in the market.' It seeks to examine the impact of digital transformation on competition within the Arab region. Participants will explore modern competition frameworks to safeguard fairness, expand opportunities, and support well-functioning markets in the digital economy.
The forum is organized by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) and the Competition Department of the Ministry of Economy and Tourism of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), in collaboration with UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD), the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), and the COMESA Competition and Consumer Commission (CCCC). UAE Minister of Economy and Tourism H.E. Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri, along with senior representatives of partner organizations, inaugurated the event.
Bin Touq emphasized the increasing importance of competition amid rapid global market transformations, particularly with the growing role of digital platforms and artificial intelligence. He highlighted the need for continuous development of regulatory policies to balance innovation and market openness.
He further mentioned that the UAE is advancing its legislative framework for competition in alignment with Federal Decree-Law No. 36 of 2023 on the Regulation of Competition. This framework aims to embed fair competition principles and enhance market efficiency. The Ministry of Economy and Tourism processed 85 applications for economic concentration between 2023 and September 28, 2026, with a total transaction value exceeding AED 81 billion. The integration of digital tools powered by artificial intelligence has reduced application processing time from approximately 100 days to 15 days, enhancing regulatory procedures and national economic competitiveness.
The forum will address emerging challenges and effective practices in digital markets, strengthen knowledge-sharing, cooperation, and peer learning at national, regional, and international levels. ESCWA assessments have shown an improvement in competition frameworks across Arab countries, with the average score rising from 3.73 out of 7 in 2021 to 4.1 in 2024.
UNCTAD's Acting Secretary-General Pedro Manuel Moreno and other officials highlighted the rapid growth of digital economies in the region and the necessity of competition to prevent market concentration and ensure consumer benefits.
The forum will conclude with discussions aimed at formulating recommendations to bolster competition in the digital era. Additionally, a special discussion on 'Arab young people in competition' featured an awards ceremony for the Student Competition Challenge winners. AURAK student Nafisabono Mominova won first place with her paper on competition policy enforcement related to Apple's App Store, while students from UAE University and the University of Sharjah secured second and third places, respectively.