PRIVATE ENTRP DEV

closed

The project is directed at facilitating the supply response to the economic adjustment efforts undertaken during the last four years. It will focus on the private manufacturing sector, providing financial and technical assistance to private manufacturing firms. It will also support improvements in the regulatory environment and strengthen key institutions in the sector. The project's objectives include : a) increasing private industry's contribution to production, employment creation, and exports, by facilitating access to longer term working capital; b) providing technical managerial assistance to private firms in order to improve their productivity; c) assisting in improving the quality of services provided by public and private sector institutions; and d) simplifying the regulatory framework affecting the establishment of new businesses. To achieve the above, the project will consist of the following components : 1) US$14 million to finance the needs of private manufacturing firms in fixed assets, working capital, and subproject related technical and managerial expenditures and 2) a technical assistance component of up to US$2 million to finance technical assistance activities in support of private sector beneficiaries and the Central Bank, strengthening of particpating private and public institutions, and studies in support of private sector development.