By Grace Q. Bryant
The Liberia Special Economic Zones Authority (LSEZA) Tuesday, began a two-day retreat to design its brand and communication strategies as the Authority moves into an operational stage.
The event, held in Congo Town, according to the recently appointed Executive Chairperson of the Authority, Prince A. Wreh, is intended to solicit stakeholders’ inputs in the development of the organizational brand.
The ongoing retreat has in attendance, the Ministries of Commerce and Industry, Finance and Development Planning, and Agriculture, as well as the Liberia Land Authority, the Chamber of Commerce, and the Liberia Business Association.
Chairman Wreh said that this is the first step in the operationalization of the LSEZA, and mobilizing the stakeholders’ inputs in the development of its brand is critical.
He added that the LSEZA’s roadmap after the branding exercise is to begin contributing meaningfully to the Government of Liberia’s ARREST Agenda, taking job creation and enterprise development as a roadmap objective.
According him, the Free Zone Authority, which was deactivated in October 2017, has now been replaced by the Library Special Economic Zones Authority.
“Our team is committed to accomplishing this mandate and we have a two-day working session planned to achieve our goals,” he emphasized.
The consultant facilitating the exercise, Hesta Baker, intimated that developing and communicating the brand is crucial to every organization, emphasizing that the LSEZA is on the right trajectory.
She further explained that crafting a clear vision for the future of the special economic zones in Liberia is paramount, as it will impact the lives, jobs, and economy of the country.
“We are grateful to have you all as pioneers in this process, and your contributions today will make a significant difference. We will be putting on our thinking caps as we discuss the vision, mission, core values, and brand development for LSEZA,” she stressed.
The Liberia Special Economic Zones Authority was established by the Act of the Legislature in 2017 and Wreh is the first to be appointed as Executive Chairperson.
The LSEZA manages all the special economic zones and has the power to designate a specific geographic setting as a special zone to facilitate trade, manufacture, and create jobs. Already, there are two zones currently being explored- the Free Zone of Monrovia, situated at Star Base outside of Monrovia, and the Special Agro Processing Zone in Buchanan.
Uriah Bryant, from the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, said the aim of industrialization is to create a holistic approach to special economics within the country. “The Ministry of Commerce is committed to working with you at all times, and our offices are always available to provide professional assistance,” Bryant said.