Quarterly Report: Liberia Trade Policy and Customs (LTPC) January 1, 2012 – March 31, 2012

The project aims to enhance Liberia's trade policy and customs procedures, promoting economic growth and development. During the third quarter of 2012, the project continued to make progress in all components. The Chief of Party (COP) and Deputy Chief of Party (DCOP) maintained strong relationships with counterparts in the Ministries of Finance and Commerce and Industry, providing advice and assistance on trade policy and customs procedures. The project team also continued to build on its relationships with other donors, ensuring that efforts were not duplicated and that previous work was not undone. The project's activities during the third quarter focused on several key areas. The implementation plan for the Price and Marketing Division was accepted, and the project team is now primed for implementation during the fourth quarter. A strategy for the Consumer Protection Unit within the Ministry of Commerce and Industry was also drafted, and the project team will push forward with this in the fourth quarter. The project team also made significant progress in the areas of trade facilitation and integration, intellectual property rights, and non-tariff barriers. The survey to identify non-tariff barriers has been completed, and the report will require review by the Ministries of Commerce and Industry and Finance and Budget. Once this review has been completed, the non-tariff barrier elimination action plan will be put in place for implementation over the project life. The project team also continued to work on the WTO accession process, with the negotiating team identified and remarkable progress made on responding to requests for clarification received after Liberia's submission of their Memorandum on Foreign Trade Relations. The project remains confident that it will meet the deadlines in the fourth quarter to enable Liberia to have its first working party meeting in Geneva. Personnel mobilization was also a key activity during the third quarter, with several project personnel deployed on the project, including the Chief of Party, Deputy Chief of Party, and several Short-Term Technical Assistance (STTA) advisors. The project team also recruited a new LTTA CCN IPR Advisor, who has taken up the IPR cudgel and is working closely with the Law Commission to ensure compliance with international norms and a smooth adoption of the new Act. The project team is now preparing for the fourth quarter, with several STTA deployments planned, including a WTO Advisor, NTB Advisor, Brokers Advisor, P&MD Advisor, CPU Advisor, Business Registry Advisor, and Fiscal Impact Study Advisor. The project operations and local offices set-up have also continued to be a priority, with the project team co-locating work space with key project counterparts to the extent possible. Overall, the LTPC project continues to make significant progress in its efforts to enhance Liberia's trade policy and customs procedures, promoting economic growth and development. The project team remains committed to its goals and is working diligently to ensure that the project's objectives are met.