The European Union Delegation in Liberia through the Private Sector Development project in collaboration with the International Labour organization (ILO) has announced plans to setup a National Employment Observatory and the development of a Decent Work Country Programme. The project is financed by the European Union and will be implemented by Expertise France and the International Labour Organization (ILO). It will span four years (2015 – 2029).
Making presentation at the official Project Launch of the Private Sector Development (PSD) Project in Liberia recently at the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, EJS Ministerial Complex in Congo Town, Monrovia, ILO Project Manager/OIC, Salif Massalay, announced that the project is going to setup a National Employment Observatory to ensure that skills that are needed by companies, industries are the rightful skills and those skills are supported and are generated. He noted that the ILO under the intervention will provide the required support toward setting up and operationalization of the national employment observatory noting that many times, it is said that when the skills available in the market are not the one in Liberia.
‘‘We are going to setup this observatory to ensure that skills that are needed by companies, industries are the rightful skills, and those skills are supported and are generated.” Mr. Massalay said ILO through this intervention will also ensure increased access to assistive technology and adaptive aids for persons living with disabilities as well as the provision of logistical support to the National Commission on Disabilities to enhance their administrative efficiency. The ILO will also ensure improved policy and legal frameworks to protect and promote the rights of persons with disabilities (PWDs), particularly in employment, accessibility, and inclusivity within the political and socio-economic spheres.
He pointed out that as the launch coincides with the International Day of Disabilities, one of their key areas is to ensure that they have disability pillar that will protect the rights. The ILO Project Manager also added that the ILO will ensure that youth and women including the most vulnerable have access to economic empowerment, opportunity and are supported to take part in skills development and income generating activities through inclusive TVET. He maintained this intervention will provide capacity building to relevant ministries and social partners on fundamental ILO Conventions including occupational safety and health; this intervention will also seek to ensure that Liberia has a Decent Work Country Program (DWCP). The DWCP is the ILO vehicle for supporting member states in terms of employment opportunities, social protection, social dialogue and other matter relating to the work environment.
The intervention, he added, will also “Complement private sector development initiatives in Liberia in coordination and in complementarity with relevant stakeholders and strengthen skills and TVETs systems along the identified agri-food value chains in Liberia. Delivering special statement, Liberia’s Minister of Commerce and Industry, Magdalene Ellen Dagoseh, said just one month ago, November 3, the Ministry launched its five years strategic plan 2025-2029 under the theme “Private Sector Growth through Enhancement, Commerce and Industry”. This plan reflects a commitment to service, excellence and accountability; setting up a broad direction focus on value addition innovation, macro small and medium enterprises MSMEs, development trade facilitation and inclusive economic transformation.
The Private Sector Development initiative (PSD) is a project founded by the European Union and jointly implemented with Expertise France and the International Labour Organizations (ILO) is both timely and fully aligned with our national development priorities. It emphasizes regulatory reform, value chains development, SMEs capacity building and inclusive employment that directly reinforce the priority areas of our strategic plan. She said that this alignment demonstrates government’s core value of partnership, transparency and share ownership in pushing sustainable development. The ceremony was graced by Mr. Zoltan Szalai, Deputy Head of EU Delegation, Isabelle Le Guellec, Ambassador of French to Liberia, Mr. Dimitri De Pues (EU Attache- Private Sector Development), Mrs. Ludovica Poponcini (Project Coordinator Expertise France, and Mr. Salif Massalay, Project Manager/OIC for the ILO and senior officials of government, local and international partners.
Background of the Project: Liberia Private Sector especially for our macro small and medium enterprises remains the backbone of our economy, yet many continue to face challenges in skills development, access to finance, market and infrastructure. Women used cross borders trader and persons with disabilities still conform structural barrier that limit their full participation. Promoting inclusiveness and equal opportunities is, therefore, central to our mandate. To address these realities the Ministry has already embarked on several initiatives, these includes decentralizing trade service and improving transparency in service delivery, establishing a trade information policy to enhance access to reliable information, decentralizing business support across county to strengthen service reach, expending SMEs and small business administration program, and advancing value addition and industrial development in key sectors.
Project Presentation Private Sector Development in Liberia Liberia’s private sector holds significant potential for driving economic growth, decent job creation, and poverty reduction. However, this potential remains untapped due to structural weaknesses in economic governance, a challenging business environment, and unfavorable investment climate. These systemic constraints, combined with underdeveloped value chains in the cassava, fisheries, and wood sector, limit opportunities for inclusive and sustainable economic transformation. At the time, these issues present clear points for targeted interventions under this action, aiming to improve economic conditions, strengthen key value chains, and support private sector growth and create the business environment and investment climate in which they can flourish. The overall objective of the action is to contribute to increase the competitiveness, inclusivity and environmental sustainability of cassava, fisheries and wood processing value chains for enhance decent job creation, economic growth, and competitiveness of Liberia MSMES.
The action also takes into consideration strategic approaches aimed at addressing structural barriers to decent work opportunities for all Liberians, including persons with disabilities (PWDs), thereby facilitating their active involvement and contribution to Liberia’s labour market. The Specific Objective (outcome) of the Action aims to ensure that MSMEs, with a focus on enterprises owned by women, youth and persons with disabilities, within the three targeted value chains increase their productivity and production quality so they can offer decent and inclusive job conditions while committing to environmental sustainability standards. However, this may occur only if the ecosystem, including access to skills and business development services, is improved, therefore, requiring policy dialogue at all stages of project implementation, involving the public and private sector, and EU and Liberia’s MSMEs. The action will focus on the three main areas of intervention and the related challenges: private sector development and value chain development (cassava, fisheries and wood).
The three components for the implementation of the Action have been defined as follows: Component 1 : improved regulatory frameworks through PPD, including a high-level policy dialogue platform, and institutional capacity development for a more conducive business and development climate in line with sustainable and inclusive international standards. Component 2: improved skills of MSMEs within the three targeted value chains, with particular emphasis on enterprises owned by women, youth an d persons with disabilities. Component 3: enhanced capacity of national stakeholders for creating employment and improved access to decent work opportunities for all, including marginalized groups (youth, women and persons with disabilities) for better skills, livelihoods and accountability in line with international labour standards.
