Beirut, November 14
th
, 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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