The first ever European Union delegation comprising members of the private sector from Belgium, Czech Republic and Greece last week completed a trade investment cooperation assessment mission to Ethiopia.
This mission, which was conducted under the Private Sector Liaison Officer (PSLO), had as its objective to bring together, for the first time, a mixed nationality business delegation to two African countries – Ethiopia and Sudan – to get first hand information on the business environment and identify investment potentials.
The mission also aimed to review the World Bank groups portfolio and related business opportunities in the region. Members of the delegation visited projects underway in the country and met and held discussions with senior government officials including Prime Minister Meles Zenawi.
The PSLO network is a network of business intermediary organizations working with the support of the World Bank Groups products and services to foster trade and investment between countries.
The PSLO representative for Greece, Theodoros Axilithiotos, after the meeting with Prime Meles, told The Daily Monitor that Meles was “very much pleased” and that the government of Ethiopia was happy to accommodate them in whatever means necessary to encourage and maintain the relationship …
Launched in Europe in September 1999 as a joint World Bank, IFC and MIGA initiative, the PSLO network includes today some 100 PSLOs in 79 countries. The network consists of liaison officers – private sector communication professionals – appointed, based in and financed by their respective business intermediary organization.
Kilde: www.worldbank.org
