On August 25, 2008, an Egyptian trial court rendered a landmark decision against nine cement companies for engaging in anti-competitive behavior.  This cartel case is a significant milestone in Egypt as it resulted in a major monetary penalty ($37.7 million USD) against the defendants.  Since 2006, CLDP, in cooperation with the Federal Trade Commission and the Justice Department, has provided technical assistance to the Egyptian Competition Authority (ECA) to help implement the new competition law and foster a competition culture in Egypt.  Through several workshops, consultations and on-the-job skills training, CLDP experts provided ECA officials with guidance and practical experience in the development of effective inquiry strategies and case management techniques.  In celebrating the court decision, Ms. Mona Yassine, Chairperson of ECA, sent a note thanking CLDP and its experts for providing ECA with the proper training and structure that allowed her nascent agency to handle such a difficult case.