Stakeholders Meet On Business Environment In The Gambia

The Gambia Investment Promotion and Free Zone Agency (GIPFZA) last Thursday 6 August 2009, held a one-day forum for stakeholders on the business environment in the Gambia.

The forum, which was aimed at designing and reforming a programme that would be implemented through support from the growth and competitiveness project, was held at the Kairaba Beach Hotel.

The forum was part of a follow-up of a series of consultations that have been conducted with various stakeholders with the view of analysing the legal and administrative procedures and processes linked to the lifecycle of doing businesses in the Gambia.

These, among others, include doing business indicators, such as starting a business, paying taxes, trade facilitation, registering property, licences and permits.

In his opening remarks, Mr. Yusupha Kah, the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Employment, said they have been going around meetings, consulting stakeholders and individuals to share the findings and recommendations, and to also seek consensus and support for the implementation of the programme.

He urged the participants to take the forum very seriously and make the best use of the forum.

Also speaking at the forum, Mr. Rahzed Chowdhury, the Principal Consultant, Atos Consulting, noted that the objective of the forum is to conduct a business environment analysis, focused on the legal and administrative aspects of regulation of the lifecycle of the private business and make recommendations where appropriate, including those that will enhance the attainment of an international best practice.

Also for her part, Fatou Jallow, the Director of Investment Promotion and Marketing at GIPFZA pointed out that, enforcement of statutory provisions concerning filling annual returns equates to annual business registration renewal.