SLIEPA is a government-supported agency supervised by the Ministry of Trade and Industry that is set aside for the coordination, promotion and generation of foreign and domestic investments and also to provide support for small and medium enterprises.
As a way of enhancing the agency’s capacity, ability and knowledge in the export department, Sheku Lexmond Koroma the Chief Executive Officer for the Sierra Leone Investment and Export Promotion Agency (SLIEPA) in an interview with AYV explained the essence of the workshop.
He said the idea for the workshop emanated from their visit to Uganda, and their extraordinary performance which encourage the organizers of ITC and Business France to consider Sierra Leone as a part of their trade union. He also added that it is an added opportunity for Sierra Leoneans to learn from the organizers for broader knowledge on trade and referred to them as “business tycoons.” He added that it is ideal to follow their “modus operandi” as they believe that this will bring SLIEPA to another level in terms of import and export trade system in the country to be at par with other African countries. A part of his achievements he said he has been able to implement a proper customer relations management which encompasses investors to guide them through policies, settle challenges which are inevitable between investors and communities as they serve as intermediaries between them.
He added that as part of their corporate duties, the International Trade Center is the only development agency that is fully dedicated in supporting the internationalization of small and medium sized enterprises by enabling SLIEPA in developing and transitioning economies to become more competitive and to connect to international markets for trade and investment.
Speaking to AYV the Director International Co-operation at Business France, Philippe Yvergnianx explained about the initiatives for such training and its impact on exporting improvement in terms of setting the roles and responsibilities of importers and exporters in the country.
He said the major initiative for the establishment of ITC and Business France is to foster inclusive and sustainable economic development as a part of their mission statement in order to create trade impact for good. He added that it is the responsibility of SLIEPA to build a long-lasting relationship with their investors for they (investors) are a priority to any nation, because according to him as the import and export sector improves, many trade disabilities in the country would be amended.
