Lebanon

Projects Database / Strategy Development and Institutional Building of the IDAL

Project ID
00013389

Background
Although growth and investment levels have been less than desired due to political, fiscal, regulatory and administrative tribulations IDAL has overseen the inflow of $USD 854 million of investments during the period 2001-2003. Still there is a strong need for a stable political climate both internally and externally, to further promote confidence in the economy and to persuade people to accept and tolerate changes. IDAL, being the Lebanese governmental Investment Promotion Agency responsible for attracting private capital investments to Lebanon and assisting investors in the development and implementation of their projects. (IDAL's mission statement).

The objective of the project is to lend continued support to IDAL assisting it to implement its mandate and strengthen its technically qualified capacities and systems in its four Directorates in order to manage, monitor and ensure timely implementation of its project and meet the growing need for IDAL services. Especially, since IDAL has not yet initiated its recruiting process which allows it to hire twenty five employees as per the council of ministers decision during the first phase and another twenty five during a second phase conditional on the future approval of the council of ministers. (IDAL's main focus should be on attracting investments and assisting investors).

The objective of the project is to assist in the promotion of investment through improved performance at IDAL and support networking efforts related to investment promotion initiatives entrusted to IDAL.


Achievements & Expected Results
A.Capacity Building:
Information and Marketing Directorate
Communication
?Publishing IDAL's quarterly newsletters, annual reports and other promotional materials.
?Developing IDAL's interactive corporate CD.
?Continuously updating IDAL's website.
?Setting up a database for news clippings.
?Indexing and archiving IDAL's documents.
?Building a database for Arab investors and Lebanese emigrants.
Export Plus
?Coordinating with the inspection companies and registered importers for the proper implementation of the Export Plus program.
?Conducting evaluation studies for the Export Plus program.
?Building a database for the agricultural exports through the Export Plus program.
?Preparing monthly, quarterly and annual reports of Exports Plus.
AGROMAP
?Setting up the legal aspect of the protocol agreement Agro Market Access Program (AGROMAP) signed with the Syndicate of Lebanese Food Industries.
One Stop Shop Directorate
Defining and identifying the technology sector in Lebanon in order to classify technology projects eligible to the incentives of law 360.
Evaluation the feasibility study and studying the technical, financial and legal aspects of the investments projects submitted to the One Stop Shop Directorate.
Administration and Finance Directorate
Islamic Development Bank
?Providing advices on the legal aspect of the Export Financing Scheme signed with the Islamic Development Bank.
Coordinating between IDAL and OMSAR for the computer, communication skills and project management training.
Handling the administrative tasks of the Offices of the Vice President and the Government Commissioner.
Studies and Statistics Directorate
Conducting sectoral studies on the agriculture and textile industry.
Conducting economical researches related to the investment climate in Lebanon.
B.Investor Perception Survey:
The study aimed at and achieved the following:
1.Understanding the main reasons that drive the investment decisions of top corporate managers;
2.Identify investments that the investment location might have lost to competing locations in the past few years;
3.Identify companies that are new investments in the next 3 to 5 years and determine whether Lebanon is in their set of choices;
4.Understand why Lebanon did or did not feature as a preferred location; determine the short-medium-long-term strategies of the investing companies to ensure that Lebanon is in the set of choices for new investment proposals;
5.Suggest strategies to attract investments in Lebanon.
Its key recommendations were:
A sector investment strategy is needed as Lebanon's competitive position and market opportunities depend on the sector and furthermore each sector requires a specific marketing and sales approach.
IDAL should be a client-focused investment promotion agency, with strategy and implementation designed around the target sector/customers' needs rather than on theoretical or best practice models.

Downloads Project Document (2,543 KB)

Relevant News Support for Strategy Development and Institution Building (LEB/02/014)