[{"bbox": [97, 153, 1162, 233], "category": "Text", "text": "particularly in service provision and value addition. By focusing on the processing of staple crops such as cassava, fishery products, and wood, Liberia can establish viable pathways for creating decent jobs and adding value to its economy."}, {"bbox": [97, 245, 1162, 325], "category": "Text", "text": "This Action is fully in line with the approach of the flagship TEI – Investing in Young Business in Africa (IYBA) that seeks to facilitate the conditions in which early-stage businesses and entrepreneurs in Sub-Saharan Africa can thrive – especially women and young people."}, {"bbox": [97, 338, 1162, 445], "category": "Text", "text": "The Action will complement other initiatives under IYBA such as Women's Entrepreneurship for Africa (WE4A), Business Incubators Technical Assistance Programme (BIC Africa) that provides support for early-stage businesses and entrepreneurs and Support to Entrepreneurship Ecosystem Development Programme (SEED) which provides support to the entrepreneurship ecosystem."}, {"bbox": [86, 471, 340, 500], "category": "Section-header", "text": "## 2.2 Problem Analysis"}, {"bbox": [97, 527, 333, 554], "category": "Section-header", "text": "### Short problem analysis:"}, {"bbox": [97, 566, 730, 592], "category": "Section-header", "text": "### Economic governance, business environment, investment climate"}, {"bbox": [97, 605, 1162, 950], "category": "Text", "text": "**Public-private dialogue:** plays a vital role in enhancing the business environment and investment climate by enabling the identification and resolution of constraints. Private sector and the Government should jointly work on a regular basis to identify and tackle barriers to investment through structured public-private dialogues. Strengthening the structures of organisations like the Liberia Chamber of Commerce (LCC) and the Liberia Business Association (LIBA) is crucial to positively influence business conditions in Liberia and eliminate barriers to private sector operations. The importance of strong associations in Liberia lies in their ability to facilitate effective public-private dialogue aimed at improving the business environment and investment climate. These associations not only voice the demands of their members, but also enable entrepreneurs to build trade networks, access credit and finance, and advocate for favourable policies. This is especially important for women who make a very significant economic contribution and are generally excluded from productive opportunities. Support is therefore needed to allow Liberian business associations to improve these services. Likewise, establishing strategic partnerships and relationships with entities like the European Chamber of Commerce in Liberia (ECCL) established in 2023, can further bolster Liberia's business landscape."}, {"bbox": [97, 975, 1162, 1215], "category": "Text", "text": "**Investment and PPPs:** Promoting stronger and enhanced collaboration between the Government and private sector companies is crucial in Liberia to develop, finance and operate bankable projects that can attract further investments. PPPs are likely to promote and operationalise large-scale Government projects in various fields such as infrastructure, health or entrepreneurial ecosystems. Simplifying and providing more coherence to the overall business framework is essential to facilitate such partnerships and attract investments. As Liberia progresses with the negotiations on the AfCFTA Protocol on Investment, there will be a need to review the country's legal framework. In addition, technical support is essential to ensure that PPPs function effectively in Liberia, encompassing legal, financial, and technical expertise. Strengthening the institutional capacity and providing adequate support will be instrumental in realising the full potential of PPPs and attracting investments to drive economic growth and development."}, {"bbox": [97, 1239, 1162, 1558], "category": "Text", "text": "**Readiness and compliance with the AfCFTA:** Leveraging opportunities from the private sector in the implementation of the AfCFTA should be enhanced. The World Bank (WB) is focusing strongly on tariffs and trade facilitation through the Liberia Investment, Finance, and Trade (LIFT) project, addressing key aspects of AfCFTA compliance. An efficient and effective system for managing Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) measures is critical. Currently Liberia lacks a clear institutional framework for food safety, with unclear responsibilities among ministries and agencies. The existing reference laboratory for food safety is non-operational and links with private sector stakeholders are missing. Food safety platforms facilitating information exchange between public and private actors are needed for public health and enhanced food trade. Additionally, trade in services is also a key element for business development, but Liberia faces serious challenges in this area. Without competitive services, the economy will struggle with competitiveness. Technical assistance is needed for policy development, negotiation skills, and adaptation of regulations to competition and to the AfCFTA trade rules. This support will aid Liberia in overcoming obstacles and aligning with AfCFTA requirements."}, {"bbox": [97, 1582, 1162, 1635], "category": "Text", "text": "**Support policies on global value chains sustainability:** The EU Green Deal will impact trade relations between the EU and Liberia. Likewise, the EU Circular Economy Action Plan involves several initiatives with an impact on"}, {"bbox": [1035, 1681, 1143, 1705], "category": "Page-footer", "text": "Page 6 of 25"}]