Rostam Azizi has called on the government to ensure that local contractors are given a fair opportunity to compete for public work, according to The Citizen. The appeal was reported by the outlet on Sunday, 8 November 2026.
The Citizen's headline frames the intervention as a push for domestic firms to be treated on equal terms when contracts are awarded. The report does not detail which sectors or projects Azizi was referring to, nor did it specify the mechanisms he proposed for levelling the field.
The appeal speaks to a long-running question in public procurement: how governments balance support for homegrown companies against open competition and value for money. The Citizen's summary offers no further particulars on Azizi's remarks, including the venue or audience for his comments.
No response from government officials was included in the reporting available. It is therefore unclear whether the appeal will translate into any policy review or change in how contracts are assessed.
What to watch next: whether procurement authorities acknowledge the request and whether any formal guidance on local contractor participation follows.
