The Ministry of Commerce and Industry has established and launched a Trade Information Center (TIC), opening a window of opportunity for traders to access the global market.

The initiative, sponsored by the International Trade Center (ITC), aims to strengthen the role of the Ministry in facilitating the growth and promotion of export from Liberia.

Speaking at the dedicatory program Wednesday, November 18, 2009, Commerce Minister Miata Beysolow said the lack of timely information on Global Market-legal, technical, procedural and trade practices-has been one of the constraining factors in the growth of the Liberian export.

"By connecting the Ministry to the outside world, we can provide businesses access to global trade information; by doing so, the TIC will also enhance the competitiveness of Liberian enterprises," Minister Beysolow stated.

The center will open daily (Monday-Friday, from 10 am to 4:15 pm) to the business public, where they will have access to browse the internet for trade related (export and import) information.

"Today we are very proud to open the Trade Information Center that will give Liberian businesses access to the global market," the Minister told a room full of the ministry's officials, international partners, and members of the business community.

The TIC is part of is part of the ITC broader Liberia export development project, through which the ITC is helping the Ministry positions itself as the main service provider for Liberian exports.

Together with the resource center at the Liberia Chambers of Commerce, supported by AGOA for information on export to the USA, the trade center will automatically become the country's trade window to the outside world, the Commerce Chief noted.

She said complementing the TIC is another ITC-financed project--Trade@hand--that uses mobile telephone for promoting domestic trade.

Making a special statement, the head of the African office of the ITC Treasure Maphanga said the ITC

was pleased to identify with the Liberian government in promoting the activities of trade in the country.

She said the center was intended to give Liberian business practitioners the opportunity to acquire information about import and trade on the international scene.

She called on the business community to take full advantage of the center.

In brief remarks, Deputy Commerce Minister of administration, Associate Professor Lavela B. Kortimai said the establishment of the TIC was a clear indication that the Ministry was working in the interest of the business community.

"Let the public knows that the Ministry of Commerce is not sitting, but doing something," he said.