Angola - competition

Angola: Free Competition in Telecommunications Defended

Angola Post-Office and Telecommunications deputy minister, Ana Maria de Guimarães, said Thursday in Luanda it is important that the countries preserve the free competition in the telecommunications market, observing ethic values to avoid unadvisable practices.

According to Ana Maria de Guimarães, who was speaking at the opening of the 11th meeting of the Regulatory Communication Organs of the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC), the protection of the markets leads to the protection of the rights of the population to services.

"Without regulation, incompatible practices are unavoidable, which affects the basis for the free competition. So, it should be preserved and defended, with a view to guaranteeing a healthy environment among the parties, in order to guaranteeing economic growth and satisfaction of the consumer needs.

In the context of globalisation, the SADC member States should outline policies of competition that guarantee the union of the markets, through agreements of protection, in the defence of a fair competition.

"We know that there are still limitations of the market and asymmetries of information's at SADC level, which causes irregular exchange in the relations of consumers, producers and suppliers of services, hence the importance to have a strong entity in the regulation of the markets," she added.

Thus, the official added, the Telecommunications Regulatory Association should be a strong entity, with autonomy and independence, capable of addressing the interests of the users, promoting the stability, impartiality and transparency, to facilitate investments of the region.

The Telecommunication Regulatory Association is an organ that works in the regulation of information and communication in Southern Africa. The Association is used as a platform in the regulation of matters that are discussed and decided as to how SADC might integrate its information, policies of communications and rules.