Program for the Development and Strengthening of National Private Sector Organizations and the Empowerment of Individual Private Sector Entrepreneurs
Project / Program Summary (Case Study)

1. Objectives
   To objective of the project is to improve and strengthen the private sector of member States in order to develop their expertise in the articulation and formulation of business plans and capacity to exploit investment, production and export and import opportunities within and outside the region. While the private sector is expected to be the main if not the sole economic development agent of COMESA member States, the private sector is very infant and weak such that, it is unable to exploit business opportunities available in the region and outside. This missing factor has made economic reform policies of economic liberalisation of member States unable to achieve maximum benefits.
2. Scope of activities / contents
   (1) Activities undertaken:
   • A study to identify the weaknesses and strengths of the National Private Sector organisations in order to determine areas of intervention, the kind of assistance/support required and the level of assistance/support - 1997
   • Establishment of a Consultative Committee of the Private sector organisations of all member States and other civil society organisations or NGO's to participate in the decision making and implementation process of COMESA programmes, October 1997.
   (2) Planned activities:
   • Training the business communities in the formulation of business plans and strategies, export promotion and import procedures and identification of markets.
   • To train business communities how to undertake demand and supply surveys and organise buyer seller meetings and trade fairs.
   • To train them on the rules and regulations of the World Trade Organisation and the Uruguay Round Agreements and the opportunities available in the World market.
   • To train them on how to take advantage of investment opportunities and make appropriate investment decisions.
   • Provision of Experts and equipment to the National Chambers of Commerce and Industry and Manufacturers Associations etc.
   • Provision of credit facilities for the small and medium scale investment enterprises.
   • To train business communities to understand government economic and trade policies so as to enable them advise governments on the best policies for the development of the private sector.
3. Expected outcomes / impacts
   The expected outcome of this project is to develop and expand the private sector. The beneficiary private sector shall improve their effectiveness and productivity in trade, production and investment, and expand economic activities of member States to generate export earnings and employment.
4. Features in line with the Agenda for Action
   The project will contribute considerably towards enhancing the entrepreneurial, managerial and technical capacities of the private sector as require by the Agenda for Action.

COMESA Secretariat
P.O. Box 30051, Lusaka, ZAMBIA
Fax: 260-1-225107
E-Mail: comesa@comesa.int
COMESA website: http/www/comesa.int