MINISTRY OF TRADE AND INDUSTRY

Implementation of the Administrative Barriers to Investment project aimed at streamlining investment procedures and increasing the transparency and predictability of such transactions, whilst reducing the cost of doing business in Sierra Leone

Increasing Sierra Leone’s engagement with the international community, and the multilateral trading system, and her compliance with international law, not least through the development of laws on Trade Related Intellectual Property Rights

Implementing Sierra Leone’s Diagnostic Trade Integration Study under Sierra Leone’s Integrated Framework, which aims at mainstreaming trade into the multilateral trading system and national development plans

In collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security and the World Bank, to implement a Rural Private Sector Development Project, which aims to provide better access to inputs and improved technologies and linking farms to markets thereby introducing efficiencies along value chains, with higher net benefits accruing to producers

The UNIDO Integrated Programme for the development of Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SMEs), including the exporting of agro-industry products and the establishment of production-cum-training centres

Spearheading private sector reform through developing a Private Sector Development Strategy

Broadening domestic ownership of trade issues and enhancing intra-Governmental cooperation by strengthening public-private sector dialogue, in the main through empowering the National Coordinating Committee on Trade (NCCT) and the establishment of the Sierra Leone Business Forum. The NCCT is the primary force through which the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) process is driven

Formulating and implementing trade policies and regulations

Capacity building and conducting research and analysis to provide a more informed trade policy

The Administrative Division

The Industrial Division

The Trade Division

Policy, Planning and Research Division

The Co-operative Department

The Bureau of Standards

The Sierra Leone Export Development and Investment Corporation (SLEDIC) (soon to be restructured into SLIEPA, the Sierra Leone Investment and Export Promotion Agency).

To spearhead meaningful legislative reform that will create an enabling environment for increased investment, competition and growth

To enhance Sierra Leone’s supply capacity, broaden its export base, and encourage meaningful domestic reform aimed at increasing international trade

To mainstream trade into Sierra Leone’s national development, promoting trade as a key driver of growth

To promote Sierra Leone on the international stage through interacting with international stakeholders and by fully engaging with the multilateral trading system

To develop a pragmatic and progressive industrial policy

To instigate comprehensive private sector reform

To implement the activities identified in the Action Matrix of Sierra Leone’s Diagnostic Trade Integration Study

To oversee the implementation of the Rural Private Sector Development Project

To further develop and strengthen Sierra Leone’s Growth Centres

To broaden the export base through increased diversification, accessing new markets and developing new products

To oversee the ratification of new Companies, Bankruptcy and Securities Acts

To oversee the effective implementation of the Private Sector Development Programme

To maintain the momentum of the Administrative Barriers to Investment project, and continue to streamline business start-up, tax and customs and location procedures and the restructuring of SLEDIC

To support, promote and develop SMEs under the UNIDO Integrated Programme

To oversee the drafting of new legislation to protect the nation’s intellectual property.

To undertake a comprehensive restructuring of the Ministry

Formulation of comprehensive Trade Policy

Review Industrial Operations Guidance

Establish new Growth Centres

To develop a Competition policy

Develop meaningful and internationally comparable trade statistics

To ensure increased compliance with international standards through the strengthening of Sierra Leone’s Standards Bureau

To increase Sierra Leone’s trade competitiveness in the sub-region and the wider world