Procurement management systems should be strengthened to make the sector more competitive locally and in the region, Malcom Youngson, the chief executive officer International Federation of Purchasing and Supply Management, has said.

He noted that for a country to achieve sustainable growth, ensuring best procurement practices is a must, not a choice.

Youngson was addressing the 5th regional conference on ‘building effective procurement systems’ held in Kigali on Wednesday.

"It’s imperative for both public and private sectors to strengthen their procurement departments and promote practices that meet global standards,” Youngson noted.

Procurement processes in the region are characterised by delays that at times affect project implementation besides promoting corruption.

Youngson called for capacity building to train practitioners, adding that promotion of ethical conduct among industry professionals is essential to curb procurement corruption.

The three-day conference, organised by Kenya Institute of Supplies Management (KISM), brought together over 100 procurement experts from the region. It ends today.

Speaking at the event, Augustus Seminega, the Rwanda Public Procurement Authority director general, urged public and private sectors procurement professionals to work together and find solutions to challenges plaguing the industry.

Seminega said this is essential to enhance efficiency and transparency in the sector.Dr. Ramadhan Mlinga, a procurement lecturer at the University of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, noted that most procurement functions are still inefficient, especially in the supply chain, which he said hurts performance of organisations.

Eng. Chris Oanda, the chairman of KISM, urged procurement practitioners, especially those in the public sector, to remove bureaucratic procedures to promote efficiency and best practices.He pointed out that procurement is a tool, which, when used properly contributes immensely to a country’s economy.

Farook Magasin, an electronics equipment supplier, urged stakeholders, especially in the public sector, to reduce delays to ease the cost of doing business in Rwanda and across the region.

Though there have been many reforms in public procurement in the country, the procurement sector still faces a big challenge of skills gap, which stakeholders say is affecting performance of public procurement.