The Liberia Macroeconomic Policy Analysis Center (LIMPAC) is currently supporting the Business Climate Working Group. LIMPAC over the past three weeks has provided financial and technical support to the Business Climate Working Group for the organizations of two policy forums on improving various indicators of the business environment in Liberia.  In addition to co-facilitating the forums, LIMPAC also provided its staff and logistics for the successful hosting of the two forums, which were held in Gompa, Nimba County.

The Business Climate Forums were organized by the Business Climate Working Group in two different events and dates. The maiden edition was held on the first and second of February, 2019 under the theme “Resolving Challenges to: Getting Credit, Resolving Insolvency, and Enforcing Contracts”. This forum which was co-facilitated by the Judiciary Branch of Government through Judge Eva Mappy Morgan, Judge of Commercial Court. It was also attended by relevant regulatory agencies of Government including, the Liberia Revenue Authority, the Central Bank of Liberia, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Ministry of Justice, Liberia Business Registry, the National Investment Commission, the National Bureau of Concessions, among others.

Private sector representatives included the Liberian Business Association, Liberia Chambers of Commerce, the Liberia Bankers Association, and members of the business community in Gompa, Nimba County. Members of the Donor community represented at the forum included United Nations, European Union and World Bank.  The forum provided the perfect opportunity for professionals and practitioners to share ideas and strategies on resolving the challenges for improving each of the indicators, which contribute to Liberia poor ranking in the World Bank Doing Business scores.

The second edition of the forum under the theme “Resolving Constraints to Trading Across Borders” was held between March 8-9 2019.  It was also attended by relevant agencies of government, private sector actors, and members of the donor community. Like the first forum, it provided an environment for knowledge sharing on solutions to counter the challenges for trading across borders. In attendance at this forum were the National Port Authority (NPA), Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA), Bureau Veritas (BIVAC), APM Terminal, National Customs Broker Association of Liberia (NCBAL), Liberia Immigration Service (LIS), the Liberia Business Association (LIBA), Liberia Chambers of Commerce (LCC), the Press Union of Liberia (PUL), Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MOCI), Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA), among others.  During the second forum, LIMPAC Executive Director, Mr. Del-Francis Wreh Co-facilitated along with Mr. Emmanuel P. Munyeneh, Technical Economic Advisor to the Minister of Finance and Development Planning and also the lead consultant on the Business Climate Working Group.

The Business Climate Working Group was constituted by His Excellency Dr. George Manneh Weah to explore evolving challenges and prospects of the Liberian business environment and provide doable strategies for improvement.