Deputy Minister of Small Business Development, Ms Elizabeth Thabethe, hosted the Liberian delegation in Pretoria today. She was joined by the Department of Trade and Industry (the dti) and the Small Enterprise Development Agency (SEDA).
The high powered Liberian delegation is led by the Deputy Minister of Commerce and Trade responsible for Small Business and Administration, Hon. Andrew G. Paygar-Flangiah, Sr.
The signed Memorandum of Understanding between the two countries seeks mainly to create a legal framework to improve trade and economic relations between the two countries and to foster mutually beneficial relations. Another important focus of the MoU is to stimulate private sector interest and involvement to co-operate in the development of economic activities in the respective countries. Through this Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), both countries are determined to see the current trade balance improving.
Deputy Minister Thabethe said that it is concerning that the trade balance is heavily skewed in favour of South Africa and it is even more worrying that the total trade between the two countries was just over R600 million in 2014.
“I am quite certain that most of you will find the tour of South Africa very inspiring and there are many opportunities and areas of interest offered by different Provinces, you are most welcome to come back to explore these opportunities.” adds Thabethe
Hon. Paygar-Flangiah, Sr addressing the meeting said that one key mandate of the Small Business Administration is to make sure that 25% of all government procurement goes to Liberian-owned small businesses. “Implementation efforts for this new law are still in the early stages, but we are confident that this government support- on the order of $66 million US dollars in 2015/2016 financial year will make a difference for our hard working SMME’s, exhumed Deputy Minister Paygar-Flangiah, Sr
The Liberian delegation will be in the country for about a week conducting a study tour on small business development with a particular interest on SEDA’s incubation support programme including pre and post support. This will include visits to selected SEDA incubation centres in three Provinces, i.e. Gauteng, Mpumalanga and North West
The two countries have potential to create mega projects in key areas such as tourism, transport, energy, agriculture and agro processing, mineral resources, tourism, health, defence and justice as well as trade and investment which can benefit small to medium enterprises.
The Acting CEO of SEDA, Mr Lusapho Njenge, expressed excitement in the envisaged partnership between SEDA and the-to-be established similar entity in Liberia to be known as the National Small Business Administration Centre.
Enquiries:
Noko Manyelo (MLO)
Department of Small Business Development
Cell: 060 972 5221
E-mail: nmanyelo@dsbd.gov.za
