Overview

On May 22-23, WBIFP's investment climate team, in conjunction with the World Bank's Africa private sector unit, the Ethiopian Ministry of Trade and Industry and the Ethiopian Chamber of Commerce, hosted a private sector development conference in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The event was aimed at moving the private sector development reform process in Ethiopia forward to the next level, following up on a preliminary meeting of private sector leaders and government representatives held in December 2005.

The workshop had several focus areas. One was on institutional aspects of the investment climate, with a particular focus on the legal framework for doing business. A second was a sectoral analysis of key parts of the Ethiopian economy, including floriculture, construction, garments & textiles, leather & leather goods and tourism. A third focus area was on ways to improve the culture and institutions of collaboration between the public and private sector. The emerging thinking in each focus area was consolidated via a series of results-oriented break-out groups, where participants generated specific action plans to address the priority issues identified, complete with timelines and attribution of responsibility for delivery. These plans will feed into the government’s PSD agenda going forward, with new emphasis to be placed on deeper and ongoing public-private sector dialogue.