Egypt’s ECA chair highlights AI-driven market oversight at H.Kong Competition Exchange

Mahmoud Momtaz, chairman of the Egyptian Competition Authority (ECA), participated in the Hong Kong Competition Exchange 2025, commemorating the tenth anniversary of the Hong Kong Competition Law, according to an official statement released Thursday.

During the event, Momtaz underscored the crucial role of competition policies in curbing monopolistic practices, fostering economic growth, and enhancing market efficiency across various sectors. He emphasised that effective enforcement of competition laws creates a more dynamic business environment, improves the investment climate, and facilitates market entry for the small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) while preventing acquisitions that could disrupt market stability.

The Egyptian official also shed light on the ECA’s growing reliance on artificial intelligence (AI) to bolster market oversight. He explained how AI-driven tools are being utilised for economic auditing, data analysis, and tracking price trends to detect anti-competitive behaviours.

In addition, he highlighted recent competition law enforcement actions in key sectors such as healthcare, education, and food, praising the ECA’s technical teams for successfully identifying and addressing violations.

Speaking of international cooperation and regulatory integration, Momtaz noted that the ECA has signed 19 cooperation protocols and memoranda of understanding (MoUs) with competition authorities worldwide, reinforcing global partnerships.

Egypt’s competition watchdog has also spearheaded the establishment and leadership of the Arab Competition Network for two consecutive years, strengthening regional coordination in competition policy. Additionally, the ECA continues to work closely with the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) on merger and acquisition assessments to ensure fair competition across African markets.

With the rise of digital economies and evolving market dynamics, the event provided a platform to discuss best practices and regulatory advancements, further cementing Egypt’s position as a leader in competition policy enforcement.

Attribution: Amwal Al Ghad English

Subediting: Y.Yasser