Private Sector an Engine of Economic Growth - Malie |
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Government views the private sector as engine for economic growth, employment and wealth creation and should be commended for the bold and noble initiative it has taken of being an agent in the implementation of the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD), the Minister of Industry, Trade and Marketing, Mr. Mpho Malie has said. Speaking at a one-day NEPAD Private Sector Conference held in Maseru Sun on May 24, Mr. Malie said The Ministry of Industry and Trade's focus areas, relevant to NEPAD's priorities, are increased foreign direct investment, provision of key infrastructure to facilitate industrialization, diversification of production and exports, expansion of markers for Lesotho's exports and promotion of a fair international trading and financial system. "Given the Lesotho's geopolitical location, it is imperative that government and the private sector align their economic activities within the NEPAD framework," he said. The conference aimed at assisting private sector stakeholders to deliberate on priority areas that they would present during the August 2004 launching of NEPAD in Lesotho. Participants should therefore clearly articulate areas for cooperative partnership between the government and the private sector. "Government faces the same challenge and is doing everything possible to identify areas of cooperation between us," the Minister said, appealing to the participants to come up with recommendations that would address poverty, create jobs and ensure economic growth especially at this time when the country is facing the challenge of creating jobs to replace those in the textile industry that may be lost from September this year if the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) is not extended. "This
is not a government problem alone but it is a national problem that
challenge both private and |
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| source: LENA |