National Export Strategy Project (NESP).
Work in progress on the NES Project:
* Samoa National Export Strategy
The objective of the National Export Strategy (NES) is to highlight the need for the export sector to have procedural guidance in order to enhance export’s overall performance. Hence, the Government’s interest in initiating the formulation of an export strategy was a result of realization of a continuous decline in the performance of the export sector over the recent years. According to the Central Bank of Samoa’s economic performance report, Samoa had experienced a continuous downward trend in export revenue in the past years.
In this regard, the Government of Samoa had sought the assistance of the Commonwealth Secretary in which they agreed to fund the project. The Commonwealth Secretariat also offered Mr. Isaac Njoroge, a Trade Adviser from the Secretariat to assist with the facilitation of what is necessary for the NES project.
A 2 day workshop to kick-start the National Export Strategy was held at Kitano Hotel on the 29th-30th October 2007. The Outcomes document as a result of this workshop was made available which listed the proposed tasks and activities with the stakeholders responsible. One of the resolutions from the workshop was to formally establish a steering committee to manage the NES project.
The following were confirmed as members of the national team:
Public Sector:
1. Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT)
2. Ministry of Finance (MoF)
3. Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Labour (MCIL)
4. Ministry of Agriculture (MAF)
5. Ministry of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (MPMC)
6. Central Bank of Samoa (CBS)
7. Research and Development Institute of Samoa (RDIS)
Private Sector:
1. Samoa Association of Manufacturers and Exporters (SAME)
2. Samoa Mamanu Designs Inc.
3. Farmers Association
4. Chamber of Commerce Inc
5. Banks Association
6. Small Business Enterprises Corporation (SBEC)
7. Women in Business Development Inc (WIBDI)
8. Sea & Air Freight service providers
Civil Society:
1. Samoa Umbrella for Non-Governmental Organization (SUNGO)
Academia:
1. National University of Samoa (NUS)
For information, this NES linkage is created to provide the members of the Committee, as mentioned above, with the up to date information on the progress of the project.
Upcoming Events and Activities:
1. Steering committee meeting – 16th September 2009
Below is the list of activities already took place:
II. Steering Committee Meeting, at MFAT Conference Room
III. Task 4 - Analysis of Supply-Side Issues Sub Committee Meeting, at MFAT Conference Room
V. Task 6 - Report: Analysis of Socio-Economic Development Issues
VI. Task 7 - Baseline data Analysis Sub Committee Meeting, at CBS Conference Room;