MADAGASCAR, 23 November 2004

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The Commission Report was launched in Madagascar during a national workshop on private sector development held on November 23, 2004. The launch ceremony was presided by Prime Minister Jacques Sylla who praised UN Secretary-General Annan for establishing the Commission.

Participants included representatives from the public sector, business sector, civil society, donor community, and UN agencies. Approximately 100 participants attended the presentations and 50 participated in the group discussions. Commission member, Mr. Miko Rwatayire, CEO of Telecel International, presented the report. The Minister of Industrialization, Trade, and Private Sector Development, Mr. Olivier Andrianarison Sahobisoa, indicated the government's commitment to promote private sector development. His speech highlighted current efforts to create a conducive environment for domestic private business as well as foreign investments.

Mr. Bouri Sanhouidi, Resident Coordinator and Representative of UNDP, highlighted two initiatives that UNP has undertaken in support of private sector development in Tanzania: the Growing Sustainable Businesses initiative and the PSNP, the government's main private sector development program. The Growing Sustainable Businesses initiative is a flagship UNDP initiative meant to broker multi-stakeholder partnerships, which help reduce investment risk and enable specific pro-poor, commercially viable business investments in developing countries. In Madagascar, UNDP is working with a number of multi-nationals within the framework of GSB including Total, the E-7 group (EDF, RWE, Hydro Quebec), EDF in the provision of electricity infrastructure to serve rural communities, SMEs, and social service providers.

Three working groups were established according to the three spheres described in the Report. The groups are set to analyze the different recommendations in the Madagascan context and to form a practical action plan that will be presented to Prime Minister Sylla.

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