Beirut, November 14th,
2016 – IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, today signed an agreement
with the Office of the Minister of State for Administrative Reform (OMSAR)
in Lebanon to help the government reduce time and cost of business registration,
part of efforts to improve Lebanon’s investment climate and encourage
private investments.
The agreement aims to help the Lebanese
government improve its services and interactions with the private sector,
with a focus on streamlining the business registration process. This will
be done through the implementation of an online commercial registry one-stop
shop, a system that will facilitate business registration, and ensure the
transparency of the process. The initiative is within the framework of
Dawlati II, an e-government platform led by OMSAR.
IFC will provide technical support,
project management support, and quality assurance for the implementation
of the commercial registry. The project is part of an IFC and World Bank
Group strategy in the Middle East and North Africa that aims to improve
the business climate and restore investor confidence.
H.E. Nabil De Freige, Minister of State
for Administrative Reform, said, “This project is considered a priority
for the government of Lebanon in its quest to support the business community
and improve the provision of services through the Dawlati II e-government
platform. Through the support and long standing partnership with the IFC,
along with the active coordination with the Ministry of Justice – Commercial
Register, Ministry of Finance –, the Tax Authority, the National Social
Security Fund, and the Office of the Prime Minister, OMSAR has developed
a solid plan for the implementation of the commercial registry one-stop
shop. ‘
This project follows the Government
of Lebanon’s vision for developing the commercial registry into a national
effort that facilitates interaction with businesses by using a single point
of contact. It also aims at enhancing the existing e-government portal
by providing a wide array of electronic services. This is expected to transform
the commercial registration process into an electronic one-stop shop, and
companies will gain a simple, quick, and inexpensive communication channel
with government institutions.
“Improving the range and quality of
services provided by the government to the private sector will improve
transparency and access through the availability of important e-government
services,” said Nadeem Siddiqui, IFC acting country manager in Lebanon.
‘’The project will ultimately lead to an advanced, shorter, and less
expensive registration process for the private sector with a standardized
flow of activities across all involved government institutions.”
The project represents a continuation
of a commercial registry reform strategy implemented in 2015 and endorsed
by all government of Lebanon stakeholders. It is funded by the Government
of Japan and the Arab Fund.
About the World Bank Group
The World Bank Group is one of the world's
largest sources of funding and knowledge for developing countries. It comprises
five closely associated institutions: the International Bank for Reconstruction
and Development (IBRD) and the International Development Association (IDA),
which together form the World Bank; the International Finance Corporation
(IFC); the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA); and the International
Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID). Each institution
plays a distinct role in the mission to fight poverty and improve living
standards for people in the developing world. For more information, please
visit www.worldbank.org,
www.miga.org,
and www.ifc.org.
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