Lebanon

Projects Database / Support to the Ministry of Economy and Trade

Project ID
00013381

Background
The UNDP support project to the Ministry of Economy & Trade (MOET) started in April 2001 with a dual funding from the World Bank and UNDP. The World Bank funding expired in July/August 2003 and since then the project is co-funded through the Lebanese Government and UNDP budgets. In March 2004, the project has undergone a major revision and restructuring with the continuous aim to strengthen the institutional capacities of the Ministry, promote a more balanced participation of MOET and UNDP staff, transfer of know-how and build-up the institutional memory of the institution in question etc.

The project has proven to be pivotal in all the modernisation efforts that the Ministry embarked ( and is embarking) upon for strategic projects for the Ministry and Lebanon at large. The UNDP project & team support is mainly focusing on 5-main pillars: policy advice and legislative development; institution and capacity building; negotiation and finalisation of trade agreements; resource mobilisation and aid coordination as well as advocacy and partnerships.

The main objectives of the project include: providing technical support for the institutional capacity development of the Ministry of Economy and Trade in designing and formulating economic & trade policies by means of drafting and monitoring the proper enactment of modern legislation and regulations, developing key aggregate trade and economy indicators, preparing and presenting policy papers and negotiation strategies as well as strengthening the Ministry’s relationship with the private sector through streamlining procedures and facilitating transacting with the Ministry.

Achievements & Expected Results
.Social Safety Net program was finalised and presented in PIII Conference
•Finalized an impact Assessment of the Agadir Agreement on Lebanon and publish brochures
•Trade Remedies law and Plant Quarantine Law enacted, follow up in parliament the E-commerce basket of draft laws, and finalize a draft competition law among the main legislative reform activities, other trade related draft laws already in Parliament
•Build the IT infrastructure at the ministry and develop & maintain website
•Concluded the Action Plan with the EU (Neighborhood Policy)
.Provide support in trade policy (EU, WTO, Arab, etc.)
•Ratify competition law and continue with legislative agenda
•Continue with the WTO accession process
•Implement various technical assistance projects (consumer protection, intellectual property, trade impact analysis, etc.)

Downloads Project document (2,217 KB) Outcome Evaluation (September 2004) (259 KB)

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